Back at the car park we helped a girl with a badly buckled wheel, the
result of hitting a drystone wall after descending from a hill top picnic
that included a bottle of wine. The wheel was totalled but at least I got
it to spin again. Once she was sorted it was back to Windermere and
some well earned food. The plan was to stay out and drink beer again
but we all got sleepy after huge meals and were in bed just after 10pm.
Directions for this ride can be found in my Route Guides.
| |||||||||
| Steve & Sabine above Coniston Water |
After taking in the views over Coniston
Water we came to the top of the Parkamoor
descent, a fantastic trail with difficult
sections of bedrock and loose boulders. I
stood at one of the harder sections to get
some photos. Luke bailed, Darren refused
a big step and Lee squash his bits on his
saddle. It was a good spot for recording
the carnage. Along with that there were a
couple of punctures and Darren soaked
Lee in the big puddle I somehow forgot to
mention, so it turned out to be quite an
eventful descent.
Water we came to the top of the Parkamoor
descent, a fantastic trail with difficult
sections of bedrock and loose boulders. I
stood at one of the harder sections to get
some photos. Luke bailed, Darren refused
a big step and Lee squash his bits on his
saddle. It was a good spot for recording
the carnage. Along with that there were a
couple of punctures and Darren soaked
Lee in the big puddle I somehow forgot to
mention, so it turned out to be quite an
eventful descent.
We arrived at the Lake District Backpackers hostel on Friday night. The accommodation was basic but it
would do for the weekend. We all had a bed, somewhere to stash our kit and it wasn’t far from the pubs.
Not long after the last of us arrived we headed out for a few pints. For most of us it ended up being a
couple more than a few, with only Sabine being sensible enough to head back before closing time.
Steve and Ken had arrived early on Friday with time to ride around Grizedale, and time for Ken to snap the
banjo on his rear brake. Unfortunately I didn’t have the right spare, so Steve had to drive Ken to
Wheelbase in Staveley on Saturday morning to get his bike repaired. As we were meeting someone at
Hawkshead we organised to wait for them at the Grizedale Visitor Centre a few miles into the ride.
would do for the weekend. We all had a bed, somewhere to stash our kit and it wasn’t far from the pubs.
Not long after the last of us arrived we headed out for a few pints. For most of us it ended up being a
couple more than a few, with only Sabine being sensible enough to head back before closing time.
Steve and Ken had arrived early on Friday with time to ride around Grizedale, and time for Ken to snap the
banjo on his rear brake. Unfortunately I didn’t have the right spare, so Steve had to drive Ken to
Wheelbase in Staveley on Saturday morning to get his bike repaired. As we were meeting someone at
Hawkshead we organised to wait for them at the Grizedale Visitor Centre a few miles into the ride.
We got to Hawkshead and met Tom, who was new to my rides. After
swapping a few emails and phone calls he had driven all the way from
Chester on his own to meet strangers in a car park for a day of fun in
the woods. Not something he should mention to his non-riding mates
but none of us turned out to be deviants, so it was ok.
On the climb from Hawkshead I wasn’t the only one sweating out beer.
The night before had been great but it meant riding the singletrack
and planks of the North Face Trail without much finesse. It was still
After waiting at Grizedale with a well needed coffee Steve and Ken turned up.
Ken’s bike was sporting a completely new brake, as Wheelbase hadn’t had the
Ken’s bike was sporting a completely new brake, as Wheelbase hadn’t had the
required spare either. It was an expensive
fix but one that meant he wouldn’t miss out
on the weekends riding.
Climbing out of Grizedale Sabine’s Friesian
riding jersey attracted the attention of a
Dutch group experiencing the novelty of
riding bikes in the hills. It’s something I’m
used to by now. No matter where Sabine
goes she can usually find a Dutch person
within five minutes. Darren and myself
continued with our beer induced skill
bypass on the next section of singletrack.
fix but one that meant he wouldn’t miss out
on the weekends riding.
Climbing out of Grizedale Sabine’s Friesian
riding jersey attracted the attention of a
Dutch group experiencing the novelty of
riding bikes in the hills. It’s something I’m
used to by now. No matter where Sabine
goes she can usually find a Dutch person
within five minutes. Darren and myself
continued with our beer induced skill
bypass on the next section of singletrack.
great fun and woke us up a bit by the time
we reached the Grizedale Visitor Centre.
we reached the Grizedale Visitor Centre.
| Sabine climbing from Hawkshead |
| Lee and Sabine on the singletrack of North Face Trail |
Although it wasn’t pretty we were out in front with
nobody else to witness our ineptitude. As the climb
continued we got better and by the top we were
finally firing on all cylinders.
Soon it was time to leave the North Face trail behind
and head out on the natural stuff across High
Parkamoor. It was definitely natural because the
drainage hadn’t been addressed and our feet got
soaked. It was only once his shoes were dripping
that Ken decided his cleat bolts needed tightening.
Somehow he managed to blag Steve into helping
again and he sat back while watching him get busy
with a multi-tool.
nobody else to witness our ineptitude. As the climb
continued we got better and by the top we were
finally firing on all cylinders.
Soon it was time to leave the North Face trail behind
and head out on the natural stuff across High
Parkamoor. It was definitely natural because the
drainage hadn’t been addressed and our feet got
soaked. It was only once his shoes were dripping
that Ken decided his cleat bolts needed tightening.
Somehow he managed to blag Steve into helping
again and he sat back while watching him get busy
with a multi-tool.
Tom on some of the
North Face shore
North Face shore
| Ken and Steve climbing away from the North Face trail |
| Sabine & Ken riding across High Parkamoor |
(left) No matter how hard Steve tried the
shoe wouldn't fit on to the ugly sisters foot.
shoe wouldn't fit on to the ugly sisters foot.
| Luke bailing on the Parkamoor descent.......and Darren brakes on thinking 'perhaps not' |
As a food break at the bottom gave our legs chance
to cool down it was nice to ride through the valley
and warm back up before the next climb. The tarmac
climb was steep all the way from the bottom to the
top, steep enough that Sabine and Steve didn’t have
a problem with their choice to walk half of it. That
was ok we had all day.
The trail across the top was covered in deep
puddles, until it headed downhill. The fun of
splashing through water was replaced with speed,
rocks and lots of opportunity for air. By the end of
the trail Sabine was starting to flag. A day working in
Spain a couple of days before with lots of travel and
not much sleep had not been a good build up to the
weekend. The following climb wiped out what
energy she had left and forced her to walk down the
to cool down it was nice to ride through the valley
and warm back up before the next climb. The tarmac
climb was steep all the way from the bottom to the
top, steep enough that Sabine and Steve didn’t have
a problem with their choice to walk half of it. That
was ok we had all day.
The trail across the top was covered in deep
puddles, until it headed downhill. The fun of
splashing through water was replaced with speed,
rocks and lots of opportunity for air. By the end of
the trail Sabine was starting to flag. A day working in
Spain a couple of days before with lots of travel and
not much sleep had not been a good build up to the
weekend. The following climb wiped out what
energy she had left and forced her to walk down the
| Sabine on the Parkamoor descent |
| Tom on the steep & loose Parkamoor bends |
loose, rocky descent to Satterthwaite.
In Satterthwaite Sabine was happy to hear
she could bail out and plod back on the
road all the way to Hawkshead. After
double checking to see she had car keys
we parted company and I led the rest of the
group to Breasty Haws. Unfortunately we
only found a steep, rocky climb. As
compensation I knew everyone would enjoy
going down on the other side. And they
did, even Tom who finished the descent
In Satterthwaite Sabine was happy to hear
she could bail out and plod back on the
road all the way to Hawkshead. After
double checking to see she had car keys
we parted company and I led the rest of the
group to Breasty Haws. Unfortunately we
only found a steep, rocky climb. As
compensation I knew everyone would enjoy
going down on the other side. And they
did, even Tom who finished the descent
| Tom near the top of the Nibthwaite Grange climb |
| Steve riding the slabs near Ickenthwaite |
with blood coming out of
his knee. The loose,
rocky trails were quite
different form the
manmade stuff he was
used to and the steep
learning curve meant this
hadn’t been his only off
of the day. But it was
only a small cut and he
was still smiling.
his knee. The loose,
rocky trails were quite
different form the
manmade stuff he was
used to and the steep
learning curve meant this
hadn’t been his only off
of the day. But it was
only a small cut and he
was still smiling.
| Steve on the rocks near Ickenthwaite |
| Luke and Lee descending the loose, rocky chute down to Satterthwaite |
| Luke climbing Breasty Haw |
| Steve and Lee flying down the Great Wood descent |
It was then
straight into
another climb
followed by a
bouldery
descent on the
way to Near
Sawrey. I found
parts of the
descent tricky
and didn’t want
to tempt fate, so
kept my camera
in its bag. The
big rocks still
claimed one
straight into
another climb
followed by a
bouldery
descent on the
way to Near
Sawrey. I found
parts of the
descent tricky
and didn’t want
to tempt fate, so
kept my camera
in its bag. The
big rocks still
claimed one
| Luke floating over the roots on the Great Wood descent |
| The climb after Great Wood |
| Darren and Ken on the descent towards Near Sawrey |
victim, Luke’s rear tyre. His replacement
tube didn’t last much longer as it went soft
again on the following climb to Claife
Heights. Pumping it up proved futile so we
waited at the top while he put in tube
number three.
Time was getting on but we only had the
fantastic descent from Claife Heights
before or return to Hawkshead. As I
stopped at the top to hold open a gate and
take photo’s I came down last. At the
halfway point I came across Luke with
another flat. Although me, and everyone
else who passed, offered him assistance
he said he’d sort himself out and meet us at
tube didn’t last much longer as it went soft
again on the following climb to Claife
Heights. Pumping it up proved futile so we
waited at the top while he put in tube
number three.
Time was getting on but we only had the
fantastic descent from Claife Heights
before or return to Hawkshead. As I
stopped at the top to hold open a gate and
take photo’s I came down last. At the
halfway point I came across Luke with
another flat. Although me, and everyone
else who passed, offered him assistance
he said he’d sort himself out and meet us at
| Luke near Moss Eccles Tarn on the climb up Claife Heights |
| Ken at Claife Heights woods |
the bottom. Once I made sure that’s what he wanted I sped off down
the rest of the descent. And what a descent it was. Fast, loose and
rocky with points where I could push my luck and let my bike find its
own way down. With a big grin on my face I lay down in the sun at the
bottom and waited for Luke, who eventually appeared with two inflated
tyres, after fixing five holes in his tube.
the rest of the descent. And what a descent it was. Fast, loose and
rocky with points where I could push my luck and let my bike find its
own way down. With a big grin on my face I lay down in the sun at the
bottom and waited for Luke, who eventually appeared with two inflated
tyres, after fixing five holes in his tube.
| Ken at the top of the descent to Hawkshead |
| Unfortunately all that food took up valuable beer space |
| A Oneplanet Adventure Shop Ride by www.flattyresmtbroutes.com |
