The big ride
These beautiful hills lie just over the M6 from the Lakes, and you may just find you’ve got the place to yourselves
Get away from the crowds in the Howgill Fells, just the other side of the M6 from the Lake District
The Howgill Fells are one of the UK’s most regularly seen and admired ranges of hills. Ironically though, they’re rarely visited. Rising majestically to the east of the M6 motorway, these slopes draw many a longing gaze, but are invariably ignored, with the Lake District drawing people to the other side. Not today though.
We exit the motorway and are swiftly in the picturesque town of Sedbergh, where we’re ready to ride much sooner than if we’d been Lakeward bound. Local boys Matthew Fretwell and Chris Downham are there to meet us. Supported by Escape Bikes, just down the road in Ingleton, they both race in the UK Gravity Enduro series, in which Matt won the Senior category last year – though today he’s nursing a fat wrist from a recent break and this is his first ride in a while. The sudden roar of some jet planes makes us jump, and we use it as our cue to get going.
Back to front?
Today’s ride has a twist. We’ve decided to do the route the ‘wrong way round’, riding it anticlockwise for photographic and curiosity reasons (though the directions on our pull-out map still take you the ‘correct’ clockwise way). That means we start with a spin along the road heading up into the valley that becomes a good undulating trail around the shoulder of Brant Fell. Thick bracken tries to obscure the trail from our view but it’s all ridable and fresh legs keep the tempo quick. I do feel it’d work a bit better the other way around though.
Maybe I’m thinking about the ride direction too much though, because I soon find myself
it ’ s ha rd to beli eve we ha ve th e plac e to ourselves with views li ke th ese
falling into the stream below after failing to negotiate some slippery rocks, resulting in a fat hand to compete with Matt’s. With bike and body back on track we find ourselves with an impressive view of Cautley Crag and stop to admire it as two groups of walkers pass us. Each asks, separately, if we’re going to ride it. We explain it’s a footpath so not fair game. Both have the same reply: “It looks like it’d be great – we’d love to watch!” A slightly different response to the ones we’re used to in the Lakes…
Despite their encouragement we continue on our planned journey, splashing through Backside Beck before a slow grind up to and through the farm. After another small stream crossing, a good singletrack climb takes us up through the woods to Murthwaite. Just watch out for the off-camber rock at the bottom. A moorland climb across the flank of Harter Fell leads to a fast road descent to Ravenstonedale, where the Black Swan and a range of much-needed beverages await.
The Calf Burner
Refreshed and refuelled, we’re ready to tackle the return leg, where we weave and wind our way around quiet roads, tracks and forgotten grassy bridleways. Eventually we get to the (smashed) signpost guiding us left, into the beckoning hills along Bowderdale Beck, which slithers out of sight between the big rolling hills either side. There’s no escape route but we have the wind at our backs and a chip shop deadline to meet, so we roll on with intent.
The grassy track soon starts to take the shape of an interesting, stony singletrack trail that rises slowly into the hills to provide a fun and interesting climb with a few fast and flowy sections too. The trail and its remote setting remind me strongly of the Doethie Valley in mid-Wales. It’s 1km shorter, at an impressive
7km – but we’re heading upwards, so 7km definitely sounds better than 8km. I know a few riders who prefer to ride up the Doethie Valley, but I can’t stop thinking of the fun I’d have coming the other way. I often think like that when I’m going uphill though.
The climb kicks up at the end to ascend The Calf and we’re all forced to dab at some point, but it’s a good challenge that should really be named The Calf Burner. Cresting the summit with its 360-degree views, the Yorkshire Dales are one way and the Lake District is t’other. Both look stunning in the setting evening sun, as the shadows start to lengthen. It’s hard to believe we have the place to ourselves with views like this.
Chip shop chase
With renewed vigour we race across Bram Rigg Top, eager to start the long, steep plummet off Brant Fell. Or is it to get to the chip shop? The trail is loose and rocky to start, with water bars that threaten to punish the clumsy. Then there’s another sneaky climb and a final uninterrupted plummet down the hillside. The rocky and rutted trail has lots of hidden drops and other challenges that are hard to spot at high speed, providing a superb finish to the ride – albeit one marred by Russell puncturing twice. We quickly get back up to speed though, with the enduro boys showing us how it’s done. Amid all the fun we follow the most obvious trail, which turns out not to be the bridleway. It’s a cracker though and we don’t have the legs or time to correct our navigational error.
Fortunately the chip shop god is smiling on us today, and not only do we make it in literally just before they bolt the door, but they even give us free extra food as it’s the end of the day. An exhilarating ride and a full tum – life doesn’t get much better than this! But which way works best? Well finishing on a high like we did was great, and it seems to have converted half our group. Call me set in my ways though, but I still prefer the clockwise direction.