HELVELLYN, LAKE DISTRICT

DISTANCE 27.8KM (17.3 MILES) CLIMBING 1,550M (5,085FT) TIME 4HRS TO 7HRS

Route summary: Helvellyn is the highest mountain in England that you can ride a bike up, offering eight different bridleways up and down, with some superb technical, rocky riding

Start: Wythburn car park (postcode CA12 4TW, grid ref NY 324/136)

Turn left on the A591, uphill. Shortly afterwards, turn o right, signed to Armboth, and then left, at West Head Farm, on a cycle path. Follow this left and parallel to the A591 before joining the same road. Continue ahead and downhill until the Grasmere Hotel. Turn o left here on a bridleway by some houses and a post box.

Follow this rocky track up Great Tongue for a tough hike-a-bike ascent, until you eventually start to descend and skirt the right-hand side of Grisedale Tarn. Continue ahead down the valley on a tough, technical descent until shortly after Ruthwaite Lodge (climbing hut). Bear right at a fork to cross the footbridge over Grisedale Beck to the other side of the valley.

Continue to follow this bridleway, which becomes tarmac and eventually drops to the A592. Turn left here, into Glenridding. Cross the bridge and turn left (signed to Travellers Rest) and follow this road right and then left (signed to YHA), past the Travellers Rest pub. Turn right at the junction, keep left at the fork and gradually climb past the youth hostel and outdoor centre.

At the fork in the trail bear left, following Ullswater, which is down on your left-hand side, until a fork. Bear right here, uphill on the Keppel Cove bridleway track, which zig-zags up the steep hill. Follow the trail around to the left and continue climbing this ridgeline track, descending then climbing again to eventually reach the summit of Helvellyn.

After taking in the views, keep ahead and start to descend the mountain. Bear right at the fork in the trail, for a steep, technical descent down Birk Side (a supertechnical descent). Follow this zig-zag track all the way down, as it turns into the trees and crosses a forest track, before eventually dropping you right back into the car park to finish.