Dunnerdale, lake district

Distance 27.6km (17 miles) Climbing 1,040m (3,412ft) Time 3hrs to 5hrs

Route summary This ride is set in the quiet valley of Dunnerdale, which offers spectacular views, seldom-busy trails and some fantastic rocky descents

Start/ inish Layby parking on Smithy Lane (postcode LA20 6DR, grid ref SD 199/883)

1

Go north on the road, which starts to ascend. Past the last house, go right, climbing steeply on a rough track. Through a gate, descend on grass to a farm and join the tarmac. Keep right as you pass through another farm at Croglinhurst, climb, then keep ahead/left at the junction by yet another farm. 2

Descend past the pub and fork left, over a bridge. Continue ahead/left on a dead-end road by a house. At the farm, keep right, climb steeply on a bridleway, bear left and follow the walls for a testing ascent. Keep ahead at the top for a good descent, bearing right at a fork, down to the road. 3

Head right and proceed for .2km, then go right on a track by a parking area, uphill, to Birks. Keep right by the house and (push) uphill on a steep track. Bear right to a faint path, which becomes more ridable. Keep right after Hollow Moss Beck, through some rocky outcrops. 4

Cross the road, head right, then left into the rocky outcrops, bearing to the left of the rock. Follow this track, joining alongside a wall. Keep ahead/left as a track joins from the right, by a beck. Enjoy the rocky descent to Seathwaite, go left on the road, pass the pub and continue down the valley. 5

Keep ahead/left at the junction, this side of the river. Climb on the road, then bear o right after a cattle grid, on a bridleway through a farm at Kiln Bank. Follow the track back to Birks. Drop down the hill and make a right on the road, over the cattle grid and bridge, then left at the junction. 6

Cross another bridge, follow the road steeply uphill until it bears right and go through a gate on the left. It’s signed as a footpath, but is a bridleway. Keep ahead/right at a gate to join a byway and descend to a road. Turn left, over a bridge. 7

At the junction, go right and climb to the next one when the road bears right. Go left on a faint, sunken bridleway before the left turn. Aim for the barrow ahead and the track will bear to the right, along the foot of it. 8

Keep left when a footpath bears o right, then, shortly after, turn right down to a gate, descend beside a wall to another gate and go through this. Fork left for a steep, tight descent with switchbacks. Past the next gate is a technical, rocky and rooty descent in the trees. Follow this to the left, down to the road at the bottom. Go right on this, left on the A595, over the bridge and left back to the start.

LOCATION DETAILS

The Lake District is a popular and busy destination for outdoors enthusiasts, o ering lots of amazing trails and views. This part of the National Park is tucked away and a lot quieter than the rest but still o ers superb views and excellent technical trails. Just don’t tell everyone else!

GETTING THERE

This ride is in the south-west corner of the Lakes, near Broughton-in-Furness, north of Ulverston and Barrow-in-Furness. It starts from layby parking just north of the A595, by Duddon Bridge, on the turning north (Smithy Lane), signed to Ulpha. The layby is just a short way along here on the right-hand side.

MAPS & BOOKS

Ordnance Survey Landranger 96: Barrow-in-Furness & South Lakeland. Lake District Mountain Bike Routes: 22 Classic Routes in the Cumbrian Fells and Dales by Tom Hutton (Out

There Guides).

FACILITIES

The Newfield Inn in Seathwaite, halfway around the ride, is the only real option for refreshments here, but it’s great, o ering good food and drink (01229 716208, www.newfieldinn.co.uk).

Seathwaite Lodge next door has accommodation

(www.seathwaitelodge.co.uk). Before or after the ride, there are a few places in Broughton-in-Furness to get food and lodgings, if needed.