Ambleside to Wasdale Head

Questions and answers about routes.

Moderators: Bearbonesnorm, Taylor, Chew

Post Reply
Paul S
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2018 1:23 pm
Location: Yorkshire

Ambleside to Wasdale Head

Post by Paul S »

Evening all,

Not been on the forum for a while as plans for my charity challenge changed.

Last year I asked about routes from Loch Awe to Ben Nevis as part of a plan to canoe the longest lake in the UK then climb the highest mountain, having cycled between them. Sadly that has been postponed due to logistics and other team members unable to commit.

So instead we're doing the England version in July this year - Lake Windermere followed by Scafell Pike.

Hoping there'll be someone here who's either biked between the two or knows the area well to help us out

There appear to be a few route options - we'll be using gravel/mountain bikes so we don't need 100% flat roads, but by all accounts the most direct/shorter routes are impassable on two wheels. So the best, albeit longer bet is supposedly to go north from Ambleside up to Kendal, then back down south west to Wasdale Head.

Any thoughts welcome!

Paul
User avatar
Wotsits
Posts: 1364
Joined: Fri Oct 25, 2013 6:49 pm

Re: Ambleside to Wasdale Head

Post by Wotsits »

So you'll be doing your canoe south to north & finish in Ambleside?

Which ever way you go, there's going to be a lot of 'taking the bike for a walk' up to Scafell..

There's a few options leaving from Ambleside, but roughly...

South:
Ambleside- Coniston- Walna Scar Rd- Harter Fell- Burnmoor Tarn- Wasdale- Sty Head- Esk Hause..

West:
Ambleside- Skelwith Bridge or Loughrigg Terrace- Elterwater- Langdale- Rossette Gill- Esk Hause..

North:
Ambleside- Under Loughrigg- Loughrigg terrace- Grasmere- Dunmail raise- West side of Thirmere (if it's open now!- Avoid the A591 main rd!!)- then either up & over the footpath from Armboth over to Watenlath, or road to Keswick.
From Watenlath follow the B-Bash & either head up Langstrath on the Cumbrian Way or Seathwaite & up via Stockley Bridge- Esk Hause.
From Keswick either follow the BBash, B5289 road, or an easier off rd route is over to Portinscale & the bridleway to the east of Cat Bells that brings you out at Seatoller- Seathwaite- etc..

There are more routes, some harder!
Ever Feel Like You're Being Orbited?!
User avatar
whitestone
Posts: 7847
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2014 10:20 am
Location: Skipton(ish)
Contact:

Re: Ambleside to Wasdale Head

Post by whitestone »

I'm assuming that you aren't intending to cycle up Scafell Pike. If you head to Kendal from Ambleside you are going the wrong way! Presumably you mean Keswick. There's no direct easy route between Keswick and Wasdale Head. To get to Wasdale Head from Ambleside you have a couple of hills in the way whichever way you choose. Going south is much the easiest. But you don't need to go all the way around to Wasdale Head.

Shortest way would be: Ambleside - Skelwith Bridge - Old Dungeon Gill. Now walk up Rossett Gill, on to Esk Hause and thence to Scafell Pike.

Alternatively: Ambleside - Skelwith Bridge - Little Langdale - Wrynose Pass - Cockley Beck. Now walk up Moasdale and drop into Eskdale and head up Scafell Pike that way.
Better weight than wisdom, a traveller cannot carry
quimarche
Posts: 207
Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2015 8:42 pm

Re: Ambleside to Wasdale Head

Post by quimarche »

Following on from Bob's comments...

There's good gravel to be had between Windermere and the top of Great Langdale. If you must climb Scafell Pike from the Wasdale side, then it's up and over Wrynose and Hardnknot passes - tough road climbs but all rideable.
Paul S
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2018 1:23 pm
Location: Yorkshire

Re: Ambleside to Wasdale Head

Post by Paul S »

Thanks all - lots to consider here so I'll digest it all later.

Just to answer a few questions:

Yes I did mean Keswick, not Kendal (it's been a long week!) #-O

No we're not cycling up Scafell (we wanted a thought challenge but that might be a stretch too far!

Was expecting some bike carrying at some point though so ultimately we're looking for the quickest route to help us duck under the 15-hour mark for the whole challenge.

Training ramps up this month - will post updates as this is all for a soon to be revealed charity close to my heart so I want to raise as much awareness as possible.

Cheers!
User avatar
Dave Barter
Posts: 3594
Joined: Sun Jun 16, 2013 6:21 pm

Re: Ambleside to Wasdale Head

Post by Dave Barter »

I took my bike up the three peaks in 2011. Scafell was a horror carry up and down. I’ll dig out my full route this weekend and link it here.

EDIT: I went a completely different way, sorry. https://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=xfznlhxbfbqfzxsu
Elite keyboard warrior, DNF'er, Swearer
Paul S
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2018 1:23 pm
Location: Yorkshire

Re: Ambleside to Wasdale Head

Post by Paul S »

Dave Barter wrote:I took my bike up the three peaks in 2011. Scafell was a horror carry up and down. I’ll dig out my full route this weekend and link it here.

EDIT: I went a completely different way, sorry. https://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=xfznlhxbfbqfzxsu
Well it looks like you at least did the last 35km or so of one of the possible options I have!

Carry your bike up all three peaks - that must have been a mission?!?
User avatar
Dave Barter
Posts: 3594
Joined: Sun Jun 16, 2013 6:21 pm

Re: Ambleside to Wasdale Head

Post by Dave Barter »

It was, Ben Nevis the worst as you are pushing from near sea level. I did it on a hot Saturday, the path was rammed and no chance of riding up or down.

I need to finish writing it up, I did it as a protest against the van based 3 peaks nonsense.
Elite keyboard warrior, DNF'er, Swearer
Paul S
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2018 1:23 pm
Location: Yorkshire

Re: Ambleside to Wasdale Head

Post by Paul S »

Did you cycle between them all?

I know of a pair of guys that did the Welsh, English and Scottish version of what I'm doing (which is my long term aim), but they did them together and biked between each!!
User avatar
Dave Barter
Posts: 3594
Joined: Sun Jun 16, 2013 6:21 pm

Re: Ambleside to Wasdale Head

Post by Dave Barter »

Yes. The route was ace, going up the mountain with the bike not so. Strangely feel like doing it again, group start anyone?
Elite keyboard warrior, DNF'er, Swearer
Paul S
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2018 1:23 pm
Location: Yorkshire

Re: Ambleside to Wasdale Head

Post by Paul S »

Hats off to you sir - nice work.

How long did it take to go between Nevis and Scafell??

Could be up for another epic adventure -although I think I'll need a couple of years prep for that!
Paul S
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2018 1:23 pm
Location: Yorkshire

Re: Ambleside to Wasdale Head

Post by Paul S »

Hi once again - having had time to mull all of this over I'm still in two (or three) minds as to which way to go.

I think I'm veering away from the north option as it's potentially the longest.

The south route @Wotsits mentioned seems to link up to the west route via Cockley Beck unless I've misunderstood?

So unless it's a lot quicker, we would probably head west via Wrynose and Hardknot passes.

A couple of questions I'd appreciate feedback on:

Going west (Ambleside - Skelwith Bridge - Little Langdale - Wrynose Pass - Cockley Beck - walk up Moasdale - drop into Eskdale) - how much of that will involve carrying the bike and how long are we talking for the whole journey roughly?

(Is the Rossette Gill - Esk Hause option any easier or shorter?)

Following the above, I'm considering the option of starting the Scafell Pike climb from somewhere other than Wasdale Head if it makes more sense logistically. Just need to consider that our support team will be picking the bikes up from where we leave them so the finish point needs to be accessible by car (hence the road-based routes were our first port of call).

Thanks in advance!
Post Reply