Not a big, long route, but it packs a powerful punch, with big, long climbs – on the bike and carrying it – and big rewards if you like remote rides and technical trails.
moderate
Distance 15.6 km
Keep heading straight on (north) when the road finishes and becomes a rough track. Pass through a gate and keep left, staying on the good track as it heads steeply uphill (Gatescarth Pass) and then down the loose decent to the head of Haweswater Reservoir.
Turn sharp left, almost back on yourself, on a faint (but signposted) grassy bridleway. This heads back uphill and becomes a rutted, rocky track with a few hike-a-bike sections as you progress. Follow the stream up to a small lake. Join a short but sweet section of singletrack around the right-hand side of this lake, which becomes a long, hard hike-a-bike scramble up Nan Bield pass.
Take in the view at the top – especially the long stretch of singletrack going off into the distance, which you’ll now ride. This starts as a steep zig-zag descent with loose rocks, but becomes a faster, easy-to-follow trail down the valley. Keep left at the fork by the farmhouse.
Join the Tarmac road past a farm. Keep right, then shortly afterwards turn left on a bridleway (Stile End) that climbs uphill on a rocky track. Follow this track over the top and back down again, keeping left at the track crossings, until you pop back out at Sadgill.
Follow Mountain Biking UK on BikeRadar, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Subscribe to our Android edition on Google Play
Subscribe to our iPhone/iPad edition on Apple Newsstand
Subscribe to our print edition
Routes produced in association with

Author
Mountain Biking UK MagazineUpdate: July 27, 2015
Difficulty
moderate
Technique
Stamina
Highest point
628 m
Lowest point
198 m
Start
Coordinates:
OS Grid
NY 48352 05725
DD
54.444290, -2.797907
DMS
54°26'39.4"N 2°47'52.5"W
UTM
30U 513105 6032974
w3w
///ribs.years.initiated
Note
all notes on protected areas
Coordinates
OS Grid
NY 48352 05725
DD
54.444290, -2.797907
DMS
54°26'39.4"N 2°47'52.5"W
UTM
30U 513105 6032974
w3w
///ribs.years.initiated
Arrival by train, car, foot or bike
Reviews
Difficulty
moderate
Distance
15.6 km
Duration
2:34 h
Ascent
915 m
Descent
918 m
Highest point
628 m
Lowest point
198 m
Statistics
2D
3D
Maps and trails
Distance
km
Duration
: h
Ascent
m
Descent
m
Highest point
m
Lowest point
m
Questions and answers
Would you like to the ask the author a question?
Rating
Photos from others