This is a technical 12.5mile route over the
summit of Helvellyn, climbing Sticks Pass then
descending Dolywagon Pike and Grisedale.
On a good day it will be a test of your riding
skills and in bad weather it just gets harder.
1. Start from Glenridding campsite
(GR381168). Head out of the campsite with
the river on your right then turn right on the
lane by the farmhouse to go over the bridge.
Turn left at the following junction to ride past
the row of houses on the right. Go past
Helvellyn YHA and continue climbing up the
now wide gravel track. The track soon comes
to a gate. Take the steep track on the right
directly before and climb through the wide,
summit of Helvellyn, climbing Sticks Pass then
descending Dolywagon Pike and Grisedale.
On a good day it will be a test of your riding
skills and in bad weather it just gets harder.
1. Start from Glenridding campsite
(GR381168). Head out of the campsite with
the river on your right then turn right on the
lane by the farmhouse to go over the bridge.
Turn left at the following junction to ride past
the row of houses on the right. Go past
Helvellyn YHA and continue climbing up the
now wide gravel track. The track soon comes
to a gate. Take the steep track on the right
directly before and climb through the wide,
loose switchbacks at the disused mines. At the top of the bends take the track signposted right to Sticks Pass, up a
steep grassy track (GR362174).
2. At the top of the short grassy climb turn right onto a steep and rocky track. Soon after go sharp left and continue
climbing with a combination of riding, pushing and carrying. The trail turns right then climbs to a large scree field where
the trail flattens out. At this point I have always gone straight on along the obvious trail then turned left up a steep
loose scramble by the waterfall on the left. At the top of the scramble is a trail climbing up from the left in the direction
of the scree field, so there is an easier way up.
steep grassy track (GR362174).
2. At the top of the short grassy climb turn right onto a steep and rocky track. Soon after go sharp left and continue
climbing with a combination of riding, pushing and carrying. The trail turns right then climbs to a large scree field where
the trail flattens out. At this point I have always gone straight on along the obvious trail then turned left up a steep
loose scramble by the waterfall on the left. At the top of the scramble is a trail climbing up from the left in the direction
of the scree field, so there is an easier way up.
3. Turn right on this trail and push up
the left hand side of the stream. At the
top the trail come out to a wide sandy
area at the start of the old mine works.
Continue straight on then cross the
bridge over the stream at the bottom of
the spoil heaps. The trail bears left
away from the bridge then leaves the
sand behind at the top of a short climb.
Bear right and follow the track across
4. Take a left and head south on the
ridge path. With a mixture of riding,
pushing and carrying uphill and some
loose, rocky descents, follow the track
along the ridges over Raise and
Kepple Cove, eventually coming to
Lower Man. The track is quite easy to
follow as it is marked with a number of
cairns. Lower Man is the final carry
and also the toughest by far. Remount
at the top and follow the track left for
ridge path. With a mixture of riding,
pushing and carrying uphill and some
loose, rocky descents, follow the track
along the ridges over Raise and
Kepple Cove, eventually coming to
Lower Man. The track is quite easy to
follow as it is marked with a number of
cairns. Lower Man is the final carry
and also the toughest by far. Remount
at the top and follow the track left for
5. Chris and myself were off to Dollywagon Pike.
Continue south, away from the trig point and
stone shelter, and descend along the wide ridge
track. After about 1/3mile turn left for a short
climb up a wide track at the next junction
(GR342145). This leads to a rocky plateau
where the trail continues straight on. Follow the
main trail straight on through a large dip in the
ridge. After this the trail eventually bears left
and starts to head downhill at the top of
Dollywagon Pike.
6. Lower your saddle if you need to as all that is
left is the long descent into Grisedale on an
awesome and very technical descent. Dollywagon Pike starts out quite
innocuously but soon drops very steeply through some very loose bends, once
committed here it can be quite hard to stop. This leads to a long section paved
with huge uneven boulders broken with a number of big water bars. I’ve ridden
98% of it in the dry but it does get very sketchy in the wet. Follow this trail as it
winds down the mountain to a junction on a flatter part of the trail at the far end
of Grisedale Tarn (GR351123). Go straight on at this junction, through a big
innocuously but soon drops very steeply through some very loose bends, once
committed here it can be quite hard to stop. This leads to a long section paved
with huge uneven boulders broken with a number of big water bars. I’ve ridden
98% of it in the dry but it does get very sketchy in the wet. Follow this trail as it
winds down the mountain to a junction on a flatter part of the trail at the far end
of Grisedale Tarn (GR351123). Go straight on at this junction, through a big
7. Turn left on the road and head back to Glenridding.
In the centre of the village turn left just after the shops
onto the tarmac BW, before the bridge over the
stream. Follow the lane out of the houses to where it
changes to a dirt track through the trees. At the
following junction go right to stay by the river and
follow this track back to the campsite.
The ride took 6hrs, but we were not rushing as the
weather and views were fantastic. The loop which
Chris and myself completed, down Dollywagon Pike,
was roughly 12.5miles with just under 2miles pushing &
carrying.
All of this loop can be plotted on OS Landranger 90.
In the centre of the village turn left just after the shops
onto the tarmac BW, before the bridge over the
stream. Follow the lane out of the houses to where it
changes to a dirt track through the trees. At the
following junction go right to stay by the river and
follow this track back to the campsite.
The ride took 6hrs, but we were not rushing as the
weather and views were fantastic. The loop which
Chris and myself completed, down Dollywagon Pike,
was roughly 12.5miles with just under 2miles pushing &
carrying.
All of this loop can be plotted on OS Landranger 90.
across the slope on the right hand side of the valley. This is a great bit of singletrack dotted with tricky rock sections to
try and clean. The trail steepens towards the end for a final carry that comes out at a crossroad on the ridge, a good
spot to refuel (GR342182).
try and clean. The trail steepens towards the end for a final carry that comes out at a crossroad on the ridge, a good
spot to refuel (GR342182).
the bottom of the valley. The trail eventually turns left and heads up the valley
the final ride to the summit of Helvellyn and the obligatory photo at the trig point (GR342152). A little further on from
the trig point is a stone shelter, which is a good place to refuel. As it was the first time Sabine had ridden a mountain
bike Paul took her the easier way down, back over Lower Man and then right on the BW at Keppel Cove (GR339169)
descending the switchbacks to Glenridding Common.
the trig point is a stone shelter, which is a good place to refuel. As it was the first time Sabine had ridden a mountain
bike Paul took her the easier way down, back over Lower Man and then right on the BW at Keppel Cove (GR339169)
descending the switchbacks to Glenridding Common.
rock section, and descend into Grisedale keeping to the technical rocky track descending down the left hand side of the
valley. Follow the trail to Ruthwaite Lodge, about 1/3rd of the way down, then bear right as the trail crosses to the right
hand side of the valley. The track continues its rocky fun for quite some time, with a bit of tight singletrack lower down,
before it gives way to tarmac at the bottom. Follow this straight on to the junction at the far end with the A592
(GR391162).
valley. Follow the trail to Ruthwaite Lodge, about 1/3rd of the way down, then bear right as the trail crosses to the right
hand side of the valley. The track continues its rocky fun for quite some time, with a bit of tight singletrack lower down,
before it gives way to tarmac at the bottom. Follow this straight on to the junction at the far end with the A592
(GR391162).
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This route crosses and can be combined with other routes from my site:
High Street to Hell (day 2)