UKC

what are the best areas to camp if you're planning 1 day moutain biking and another climbing in the Lake District? Duddon valley has been done before (and could be again) but any other thoughts welcome.

Cheers
Mark

In reply to MarkM:
anyone?... borrowdale a good option for biking?

In reply to MarkM:
Some excellant MTB in the Langdale area, you can even include the North Face trail at Grizedale in an excellant long (30 mile) loop, most of which is off-road. Or base yourself down in Coniston

Not sure about "natural" routes around Borrowdale itself, but your not far from the new Altura trail at Whinlatter

In reply to MarkM: theres a campsite in braithwaite, just outside keswickistan, you can ride up to the trails at whinlatter from there easily and then drive down borrodale for the odd bit of valley trad. imho the trails and at whinlatter are the best in england and the cragging in the north lakes the best in the world. so that should cover your bases.
mike

In reply to MarkM:

Agree with Mike123. The campsite at Braithwaite is nice with excellent shower block. For Biking you've got Whinlatter (see below) or back of Skiddaw route or something in borowdale..for climbing you've got Borrowdale.

We easily did the whinlatter trails (from the visitor centre) in an afternoon although it rained a bit so we weren't hanging about.

In reply to Andy Hudson:
thanks for suggestions. Have been to Whinlatter and it is great - might try some or all of this as a night ride ..

- also need some other longer off road options -(two of the lads I'll be riding with are training for Trans Wales) any further thoughts on those lines welcome.

plenty of climbing options there of course
Cheers
Mark

andy and Mike:
is it the Braithwaite bridges campsite you're talking about? -

In reply to MarkM:

The one we stayed at was approached from Keswick on the A66, turn left into Braithwaite just on the left before you got into the village

In reply to Andy Hudson:

Scotgate Park it was. I think the first turning after you've come off the A66 is for caravans and then the 2nd turning is tents

In reply to MarkM:for longer rides: round skidaw and/or round blencathra are both excellent rides, all possible from the above site with a bit of road to fill in the gaps. the routes are fairly obvious from an OS map, if you take a look at map and have any questions let me know

In reply to MarkM: How about bike up Ennerdale, walk up to Pillar Cove with camping and climbing kit. Set up tent near stream below crag. Climb on Pillar one or two days and bike back out again?

In reply to MarkM:

If you get, or look, at this:

http://www.mtbbritain.co.uk/lake_district_mountain_biking_book_review.html

You'll see that most climbing areas have good mountain bike routes.

If you want to climb in Borrowdale then the long route round the back of Skiddaw is a good day out. In the same area is the "Borrowdale Bash" which has a fair bit of road work but the offroad stuff is good.

A really good longish day in Langdale is the Iron keld,Hodge Close, Loughrigg route. If you are camping in Langdale you can start/finish the route from Chapel Style.

The book has loads of other shorter and longer options and is well worth the cash.