Distance : 18.46 Miles / 29.71 Kms
Elevation : 2301 ft / 701 m
Terrain : Trail = 8.13 miles / 13.1 kms ; Tarmac = 10.33 miles / 16.61 kms
Bike : MTB
Difficulty : Challenging
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/66342727
The Lake District has long been one of the best places for mountain biking in the UK. A large network of bridleway takes you along lake shores, across stonewall bounded meadows, through beautiful ancient woodland and over the highest open fells. It may not be sunny here every day…it is called the Lake District for a reason, but a little bit of water shouldn’t stop you enjoying some awesome riding. You may not always be able to avoid the climbing either, but remember, what goes up must come down!
I had travelled over from Northumberland with Gavin and Andy for a few days of riding. With the bustling town of Ambleside in the heart of the National Park as our base, we had many options and areas to choose from, but the famous Borrowdale Bash was a ride that I hadn’t actually done before, so we penned it into the schedule.
The “Bash” rides out of Keswick, another very popular tourist town in this region, and follows a loop South into Borrowdale (who’d have thought!), running down one side of the valley towards the Borrowdale Fells, before crossing to the opposite for it’s return. In doing so, the ride circumnavigates Derwent Water, providing a stunning backdrop for photos of the trails and fells.
We parked at the Lakeside Car Park, which has plenty of spaces, even if it can get busy during the holiday season. The first two miles followed Borrowdale Road, South to the turn off for Watendlath. This is a flat run on tarmac, but the road can be a little narrow in places and busy so take care. Having said that, I have ridden this road many times and I’ve never had any problems (touch wood!), and you quickly arrive at the junction where you leave the B-road.
This ride has three major climbs. The first climb is from Derwent Water to Watendlath, the second takes you up the steepest section of Honister Pass (Oh cripes!!), and the third is a steady climb out of Grange. It is at the turn off for Watendlath that the fun begins. This first climb is tarmac all the way, which means that traction shouldn’t be an issue, but unfortunately, gravity will be. There is no disguising that this is a fair old slog, and quite steep in places too. Aim for Ashness Bridge first. An initial steep ramp takes you up to this iconic little stone span, with the Barrow Beck channelled between craggy boulders to flow under its single arch. You must have seen it in pictures and photos. It is the perfect place for a rest should you need one and you are unlikely to be the only person there.
Beyond the bridge the road climbs up through the trees…steep at first, before easing up as it opens across fields, then ramps up again as it continues up to an amazing viewpoint overlooking Derwent Water and Upper Borrowdale. Again, we rested here to soak it all in, before riding the final easier gradient to the crest. We were lucky enough to see a Lockheed C-130 Hercules military transport plane low flying through the Borrowdale valley. The military regularly uses the Lake District for low flying exercises, and with it being midweek and perfect weather, various types of aircraft were on training when we visited.
The road continues along a narrow pretty vale all the way to Watendlath, where we rewarded ourselves with sustenance from the cafe and a seat on the short grass, looking out over the picturesque Watendlath Tarn. A fisherman stood statuesque with his rod dipped towards the water…the scene seemed to aptly represent the peace and tranquility of this place. Watendlath derives from the old Norse for “Water End Barn”. If we are being romantic about it, then the name could even refer to what is now the National Trust Bothy, which nestles by the tarn, providing shelter to those looking for an extended stay.
It was damn hot. The sun was beating down hard and after the rigorous climb I felt a little wrung out. I was glad to rest, cool and rehydrate with a coke and an ice lolly. More mountain bikers rolled in and took up the shade beneath the birch trees…why hadn’t we taken that spot!?
A packhorse bridge crossed the Watendlath Beck, but we decided to ride the wide ford. I’m glad to say I made it. I’m pretty sure the folk sitting nearby were ready to cheer should I have gone for a dip. The bridleway beyond ran quite steeply up the hillside. It wasn’t the gradient that posed a problem here, but rather the huge rocks and angled bedrock. I can’t even imagine a packhorse making their way up such a precarious path. We made it to the top by climbing and lifting the bike as we went, but luckily it didn’t last long. We remounted as the trail became smooth and rideable, and enjoyed a traverse across the higher ground of Brund Fell.
Now it was time to enjoy a decent descent down Puddingstone Bank towards Rosthwaite. I was hanging on as I bounced down the jagged trail. Every size and grade of rock seemed to be here, from sand and soil to great slate slabs and boulders like watermelons. This moraine sat on top of a deeply scored and channelled bedrock, which plunged from the ground at all angles, trying to throw you from your path. It was great fun, and the bike was performing flawlessly…compensating for my mistakes and seemingly guiding me to safety.
I passed a group of pack-laden teenagers, possibly trekking for their Duke of Edinburgh Award, at Birkett’s Leap. They stood and watched me pass…no pressure then! I managed to descend to the waiting gate with my pride and dignity intact.
Andy and Gavin weren’t far behind and I watched them wrestle their bikes down the trail towards me. We took our momentary hiatus at the gate to savour the unbeatable views up the valley and share our experiences of the gauntlet that we had just run. Then it was back onto the pedals to continue our journey to the valley floor.
I managed a glimpse up the drive of the impressive and fantastically positioned Hazel Bank Country House Hotel. I made a mental note for a future visit with Zoe…a quiet weekend without kids sounds perfect.
We joined the Cumbrian Way, running alongside the Stonethwaite Beck towards Stonethwaite Fell, before crossing Stonethwaite bridge to reach…you guessed it…Stonethwaite. Riding out of this pretty hamlet beneath lofty pines and along a narrow stonewalled lane, you could be tricked into thinking that the riding was going to be nice and flat for a while. It all depends upon your interpretation of “a while” I guess. If for you it means “for approximately a mile or so”, then you would be happy, as this was the distance to Seatoller by road, and thereby the distance to reach the infamous Honister Pass.
I have ridden Honister Pass many times, and in both directions…both of which are tough, I won’t lie. Whereas the climb from West to East is toughest towards the top, the opposite is true for the ascent from the East. I hope you are like me, as I love a challenging climb, and this one delivers in spades. You won’t be riding to the top, however, as the bridleway that we are seeking joins just less than half way up. Just so you can get the best bit in first!
As you leave Seatoller the climbing is super tough pretty much immediately, rising in the shade of the trees which line the Hause Gill, until you reach a cattle grid approximately half a mile into the sky. Beyond the cattle grid the gradient eases, just in time for you to wobble off onto the bridleway and collapse. In truth, it’s not that horrendous. You should feel a good sense of achievement when you reach the bridleway, and the next stage of your ride more than makes up for it.
The bridleway beneath the crags of High Scawdel is a fantastic run. We sailed along the winding gravelly path, aiming for the gap between Goat Crag and Castle Crag, with Skiddaw standing on the distant skyline.
As we approached, Derwent Water came into view, framed nicely by the crags on either side. Our finish point at Keswick lay on the far shore.
Descending between the aforementioned crags was another trial of skill. An embedded rock pavement made the cobbled pave of the Paris – Roubaix look like pea gravel. Scattered stones ran loose like marbles beneath our wheels, and we weaved to avoid the larger rocks. It may have required all of my concentration but it was a fantastic drop down Broadslack Gill to the River Derwent. It was exactly the kind of terrain we had come for and it didn’t disappoint.
One or two families had settled for a day by the pebbled shores of the river near to Hollows Farm Campsite, B&B and self-catering cottage. What an amazing spot this is…very pretty and well kept, quiet and set in stunning scenery. A great base for exploring the wilds of the Lake District!
The tiny village of Grange lay only a third of a mile away, and as we rolled in we noticed the busy little Grange Cafe, which has plenty of outdoor seating. The cafe was busy, which was good to see, but Gavin was happy to play errand boy and kindly ventured in to fetch drinks. We stood nearby, swigging in the sun and making the place look untidy with our dirty and sweaty attire.
Less than a mile up the lane from Grange is Manesty Park, a pretty area of woodland on the South-West shores of Derwent Water. Just prior to reaching the park, a bridleway leaves the lane just beyond Manesty Self-Catering Cottages & Glamping. Straight from the lane, the gravel path rises and quickly gets rockier and steeper as it heads up the hillside towards Catbells. Luckily, within a few hundred metres, we took a right hand fork at a junction in the bridleway and continued our way up on an easier gradient, heading North.
Soon we had reached the top of our final major climb. At the crest we stopped to admire more beautiful views over Derwent Water, before clipping in for a fast traverse across Catbells’ Eastern banks. The trail descends and touches the lane, before rising again to allow another run across the hillside before eventually dropping back to the lane beyond Brandlehow Park.
It was at this point that I persuaded my companions that a pint at the Swinside Inn would be essential. It was off-route by approximately a mile, but it wasn’t an uphill mile, so “it would be worth it” I promised. I have been to the Swinside Inn on a number of occasions. Dating to the early 17th century, it has character and charm, and it has been lovingly restored and maintained. Open log fires create a cosy atmosphere during the Winter, and the food is really good. In the Summer, the beer garden is a great place to be with views over the Newlands Valley and a convenient serving hatch to keep your thirst replenished. I obviously like the place, so give it a try and see what you think.
After a well-earned cold pint in the sun, we embarked upon the final leg of our journey, retracing our steps to rejoin our route via the Cumbrian Way towards Portinscale. The trails through the forest were smooth and fast, and exactly what we needed towards the end of the ride.
Within a few minutes we arrived in Portinscale but not before pausing for a moment to check out the Watersports at Nichol End. Varying sizes of water-bourne craft were moored up, from yachts to dinghies, kayaks to paddleboards.
After the relative quiet of the fells, Keswick felt like Piccadilly Circus, with people bustling about the town centre, in and out of the outdoor shops. The roads, however, were surprisingly quiet as we spun the last mile of tarmac back to the car. What a great day out it had been. Fantastic sunshine, scenery, trails and company. I can’t wait for the next two-wheeled “Bash” in the Lake District!