Looking at the loop at the top of Borrowdale following the Cumbria Way up Langstrath Beck, over then up Rosset Ghyll to Angle Tarn then Styhead Pass and back down to the bottom of Honister.
Have ridden all except descent to foot of Rossett Ghyll and hike up Rosset Ghyll to Angle Tarn as far as Sprinkling Tarn.
Question 1: How rideable is the descent to the foot of Rosset Ghyll (the first half is relatively shallow gradient but then it gets steep!)?
Q2: How long will it take to carry up Rossett Ghyll - i was guessing 45mins to 1 hour?
Q3: How rideable is section between Angle Tarn and Sprinkling Tarn.
Thanks all!
K
Rossett Ghyll is really pushing the limits as far as riding, and "whats acheivable" goes.(Its classed as a scramble in walking guide books!!)
Its a challenge for sure, but its only a decent I would do if I was doing a point to point route like the Coast to Coast.
To get the best out of it,I would advise a big travel bike,wide tyres,a dropable seat post,and plenty of body armour if your going to have a go.
To carry up would take an hour or so from the bottom of the steepest section.
The first part from Angle tarn is a stone pitched climb,possibly too steep to climb on the bike,Its a great trail from here on though (to sprinkling tarn) and one I plan to do soon.
From Allen Crags keep over to the right hand side from the summit Col shelter,If your on the right path it has a fast red coloured gravel trail down to the T junction for the Main Sca fell path,Awesome trail from this point, allthough its very rough and pitched,it potentially is one of the best/and longest/highest decents in the Lakes to Wasdale Head. 😉
Ime I would do the Bridleway from Styhead to Wasdale head farm that stays close to dingmell beck,its less busy with walkers and a nicer gradient,although its tricky to find from a cairn near Styhead coll,(Mountain Rescue strecher).
If you are a good technical rider you will love this route,if not,you will struggle,and I wouldent recommend Rossett ghyll to anyone as a good decent but,enjoy it if you do. 🙄
Years ago (10?) I did an out-and-back on the section to Black Crags (which I think is the bit you're thinking of descending here?).
It was then an "improved" bit of trailbuilding - stone slabs with plenty of switchbacks and water bars. Solo on a 60mm H/T wearing nobbut a t-shirt and shorts meant it was a bit of an ar$e twitcher, but I'm sure it'd be ok these days as long as you like it steep and technical. It certainly isn't as bad as the pics of Rossett which were in some of the mags recently.
Sorry, bit out of date info but I doubt it'd have changed much. Certainly rideable, anyway.
Thanks folks, useful feedback.
I got to the top of Stake Pass yesterday, but was short of time, hungover and demotivated so didn't continue (just went back down Langstrath Beck). From the top the section of track through Langdale Combe looked sweet but I couldn't tell what it was like when it gets steeper down Stake Gill.
To be honest I'm not mad keen on a huge hike a bike up Rossett Ghyll, I've done plenty and they have limited appeal most of the time. The pics i've seen of going down it do look quite hairy and one of the few occassions I think a "bigger bike" would be a good move!
I think the solution is to stay high, from the top of Stake Pass there is a clear footpath along the ridge above Black Crags and Rosset Crags that will drop you straight to Angle Tarn, it look reasonably rideable from where I was stood and even if not it's only about 2k to Angle Tarn. A little cheeky but given how good it is from Sprinking Tarn and down Styhead Gill I reckon it's probably worth breaking the law a little!
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Looking South towards Angle tarn 😀
"I think the solution is to stay high, from the top of Stake Pass there is a clear footpath along the ridge above Black Crags and Rosset Crags that will drop you straight to Angle Tarn, it look reasonably rideable from where I was stood and even if not it's only about 2k to Angle Tarn. A little cheeky but given how good it is from Sprinking Tarn and down Styhead Gill I reckon it's probably worth breaking the law a little!"
I must confess to using the path from Angletarn (down) to Langstrath (Stakes pass),Its a long way round,and very boggy in places but a much better decent and more rideable, Ime. 😉
still a long hard climb/push up though 😥
Did that route last weekend from keswick. Went along the first half of the Borrowdale Bash dropped into Rosthwaite, then up the Langstrath valley, up over Stake pass(tough) onto Rosset Pike and across to Angle tarn, up to sprinkling tarn, then down to Styhead and further down to Seathwaite. Lots of 'hike a bike'.Flipping Mental descending though!! Then used the cheeky footpath along the river to Grange. Great day in the fells and back in one piece...Bonus!! About 5hrs ride in total.
IMO Rosset Gyhll is a waste of time really on a bike, unless your Steve Peat You'll be on/off the bike quite a lot! 😕