[Closed] Helvellyn

Dollywagon Pike is good if you like super-techy descents, was a bit much for me tbh. Can't comment on the others.

If the weather has been dry climbing over the Dodds is fairly painless, but def avoid if its wet.

I think go down the lake shore from Glenridding to Dockray and up Matterdale Common and along the Dodds, up Lower Man and down Dollywaggon and Grizedale valley

or turn round at summit and go back down Lower Man, over Raise and down Sticks Pass east

but def avoid if its wet.

it's only Matterdale Common that is sloggy when wet, for about 2km - the whole of the ridge is firm going

Now theres a mixed setup you don't often see (on here at least)
185/185mm discs, (upto) 130mm fork and flat pedals
yet
part carbon XC(race?) frame, upside down stem, flat bars and bar ends?

life is too short to look at bicycles

life is too short to look at bicycles

Or, some would say, to spend all you time looking at it through a lens....
🙂

Each to their own
😀

Cheers all. will have a close look at the OS map tonight.

James, very observant. There's a story behind all of it:

185 discs because I upgraded one at a time and the second came cheap off the classifieds here. Definitely overbraked at the rear but doesn't bother me. Front hose has been trimmed.

Adjustable forks 'cos I didn't know what frame they'd end up on. Climb at 85mm, come down at 115, brilliant. Got some rc31s for it too now.

Flat pedals that day 'cos the spd's wouldn't come off the commuter!

Frame came off a mate and is bloody lush.

Stem...hmmm...still not sure about that.

Flat bars and bar ends 'cos I'm better going uphill than down compared to other folks.

Stem and saddle have already been swapped for carbon ones. Bars are carbon too. Whole thing is fast as a fast thing during Lent and I loves it.

As per SFB.

better wrap up though- this saturday. second shot shows dodds, first shows dodds on rhside, grizedale far left, i.e. the traverse.
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[img] [/img]

[url] http://www.flickr.com/photos/polarisandy/sets/72157616006439545/ [/url]

Cool. SPDs might not be the way to go then, if it's hike-a-bike along the ridge?

did the route that simon suggested a while back but dollywaggon has been paved now so i wouldn't bother. Last week we came down sticks pass (also as simon montioned) which was superb then back over grisedale but i have to say i wouldn't have fancied doing it on your bike!

Or, some would say, to spend all you time looking at it through a lens....

I spend perhaps 2% of the ride time looking through the camera

if it's hike-a-bike along the ridge?

it's mostly rideable with a few pushes. Great Dodd. Raise. Lower Man.

don't bother with Dollywaggon on that bike, you'll hate it, go down another way

Wouldn't do Dollywaggon on your bike. Not saying it cannot be done on a HT with flat bars but you might not enjoy it much (lots of big rock steps and wheel size drainage ditches). Do as simonfbarnes says and after reaching summit turn around and go down sticks pass.

Thanks all for the advice.

Now, would I be stupid to go on my own? Happy heading into the hills on foot alone, and nearly always ride solo locally. What are the chances of getting into mischief on a bike, and what's the worst that could happen?

Not a troll btw.

I wouldn't do it alone personally, but if you must, at least let someone know your route and ETA back. Mobile phone reception can be a bit sketchy up there so don't rely on that.

I wouldn't go up Helvellyn alone this time of year. We were on Raven Crag last Thursday watching patterdale mountain rescue pull two guys off who'd gotten lost. Easily done (if you're not polarisandy of course :D)

Sorry - '...rescue two walkers..' might have been a better choice of words there. 'Pulling off' isn't a service they generally offer 😳

Are any of the BW's off the Helvellyn range westwards down to the thirlmere/st johns valley a fun ride? Live in keswick so it would be good to return towards home.

lol tiger you stood there and watched men getting pulled off 😉 each to their own 😉

i think the worse that could happen is quite bad . even in a pair its still pretty dangerous in my mind to be doing that route as if something does happen it can still be pretty major.

but you can keep adding safety measures all day long and it gets silly, it all boils down i think to what your comfortable with risking and the rollocking from mountain rescue if they have to come out for something that could have been avoided 😉

Are any of the BW's off the Helvellyn range westwards down to the thirlmere/st johns valley a fun ride?

Great Dodd, Matterdale and the Old Coach Road are great FUN 🙂 You could go up Great Tongue or from Thirlspot but avoid Wythburn at all costs 🙁

As long as you let someone know your route and ETA no reason not to do it alone imo. I didn't realise there was still much snow up there though - personally I would probably choose something lower at the mo.

This is a good site to check - its the guy who does the met office mountain weather reports for the lake district, and he posts regular pics of conditions.

http://www.lake-district.gov.uk/weatherline/home/index.php

eg

[img] http://www.lake-district.gov.uk/weatherline/home/index.php [/img]

From that site: FULL WINTER CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR INCLUDING ICE AXE AND CRAMPONS ARE RECOMMENDED FOR ANYONE VENTURING OUT ABOVE THE SNOWLINE.

What tyres for...?

Will revisit this next week. On the whole would be happier doing it with a local I think.

TomB - I'd be interested to find that out too (I'm also in Keswick). Sticks Pass is the steeper / smoother route from what I remember (I haven't walked up there for years). Let me know if you ever fancy giving them a go (without the voyeurism eh firestarter :wink:)

gecko76- I'd happily go on my own if conditions are fair to middling, days are plenty long enough now and as long as you're content with your ability to sort yourself out then go. As for SPD's and hiking comments, there's very little on the routes being suggested that warrant hiking shoes. (The "ridge" referred to is wide and open- unlike striding and swirral edges, which still are not technical walking unless iced up).

Personally, I'd avoid the dodds if it's at all wet, but if it's frozen they make a great long descent. A preferred climb for me is up from Glenridding, round the north of Keppel Cove and then approach form the north. It's reasonably direct, nearly all rideable if you're feeling good (no long pushes or carries anyway), and views some of the most impressive aspects of the hill. Options down then are varied, depending where you want to end up. Only thing to add is that down Sticks or retracing route described above are wide and open blasts that don't last that long for the climbing put in- better climbs than descents I'd say.