This mountain bike route of 20 miles starts from Waterhead, just south of Ambleside, in the Lake District. It circles Loughrigg Fell and also takes in Black Fell and Little Langdale. The riding is rocky, so the route is pretty weather proof. The climbing is a lot less arduous than most of the Lake District routes as the height of the Fells in this area is not too great. That doesn't mean the descents aren't any good, there are some great ones.

1. Start from the Waterhead car park by the Regent Hotel (GR367033). Turn right out of the car park and head towards Ambleside. Follow the main road through a long right hand bend then turn left at the junction signed for Coniston and the A593 (GR373038). After bearing right turn left at the next junction, again signed to Coniston. Cross the stone bridge then turn immediately right down a small lane at the following junction. Follow the lane beside the stream. Just after passing a stone bridge on the right go around the left hand bend ahead and over a cattle grid to a junction with the next lane on the left (GR370045).

2. Turn left at the junction, go over another cattle grid and climb the steep thin lane. Follow the lane through a tight left then right hand bend at Brow Head Farm. Continue climbing along the now broken track that becomes rockier the higher it climbs. Stay on the wide rocky track and climb through a few gates to the top. Continue straight on over the plateau and head towards the left hand side of Loughrigg Fell, it can be slightly muddy here. The trail becomes rocky again and descends through a couple of bends to a stream crossing (GR356043). At the junction after the stream take the track off to the left. Once up the short climb go down the rutted trail towards the flank of Loughrigg Fell. After a sharp left hander go across a water bar then descend the rocky track. It soon follows the line of a drystone wall on the left. Follow the wall to bear right around the Fell. At the forked junction on this bend take the left hand track, still keeping the wall on the left. Continue along the rocky trail then go through the gate at the trees for the final steep section to a junction at the bottom (GR347041).

3. At the junction go straight on along the lane and bear right around the cottages on the right. After the cottages turn left and descend to a triangular junction. Turn right and ride a short way to the next junction. Turn left and descend the steep lane down to the junction with the main road at Skelwith Bridge (GR344035). Go straight ahead along the main road and cross the bridge. At the junction after the bridge, where the main road turns right, go straight on up the lane. Climb the lane through a left hand bend to a junction (GR348029). Take the left signed to Skelwith Fold and climb to the junction in the village at the top. Turn right and follow the lane as it undulates across the top of the hill, going past the junctions on either side.  The lane then starts bearing left before coming to a crossroad junction at the Drunken Duck (GR351012). Turn right and follow the lane all the way to Knipe Fold. At the village stay high of the first houses and go past the two junctions on the left. At the four-way junction on the far side of the village turn hard right and climb the byway (GR342995).

4. As the track climbs from the houses it becomes broken then turns into hardpack. On the plateau at the top take the second gated junction on the right, sign posted to Black Crag and Arnside (GR336005). Climb the rocky track up the left flank of Iron Keld. After a left hand bend go straight on through the gate to start a great descent of about 1.5 miles. Follow the trail as it flows down the fell and over some nice rock sections. About halfway down, by a house on the left, the trail goes through a gap in the drystone wall before coming to a junction. Take the middle trail straight on for a short climb then continue down the rest of the descent. Keep to the obvious trail that eventually finishes at a gate at the A593 (GR335029).

5. Turn left and climb the road. Go past the junction on the right leading to Colwith and continue climbing the main road, with the woods now on the right. At the top of the woods, where the road flattens off just after a blind left hand bend, there is a wide junction with a lane on the right (GR329022). Turn right onto this lane, then almost immediately after go straight on at the four-way junction. Climb the steep lane to the next junction (GR326019). Turn right and follow the lane through a couple of bends and past a stone barn on the right. At the end of the lane go between the farm buildings and through a gate to leave the tarmac behind. Climb the wide hardpack trail through a number of bends and over some interesting rock features. After the climb drop down a loose rocky descent to a gate at the old quarry. Go straight on down more loose rocks to a junction with a lane at the houses (GR317019).

6. Turn left then bear right between the houses. On the following left hand bend drop down a gravely track to the gate on the right. Go through the gate and descend the wide rocky track through a couple of bends to a three-way junction (GR315018). Take the middle, rock strewn track descending into a deep gully. The rocks soon give way to some nice hardpack before climbing to a junction (GR313020). Turn left and climb by the right hand side of Pierce How Beck. Keep going straight on up the climb to the crest then drop right to a gate at a farm (GR308014).

7. Immediately on entering the farmyard turn hard right and go through the gate leading to a steep rocky climb. The climb soon flattens of a bit and is generally rideable but there are a couple of very difficult sections. There may be some pushing but it doesn’t make up much of the overall climb. After the second big rock section the track comes to the top of the climb.  Continue along the track for a wide loose, rocky descent that eventually drops left over a large section of bedrock, before coming to a gate. After the gate and continue descending the track a junction (GR307027). Turn left and descend to the next junction a little while later.  Take the right hand trail and continue descening. At the bottom of the descent follow the trail right around the white house then over two small bridges to a junction with a lane (GR300032).

8. Turn right and follow the lane along the left hand side of the valley. At the end of Little Langdale Tarn, on the right, the lane kicks up and climbs through a number of bends. At the junction on the crest of the climb turn left (GR314034). Follow the lane up past a farm and on to a gate. Go through the gate and keep to the hardpack trail. The trail eventually comes to a gate just after the start of a descent. After the gate go straight on, past a track on the left, and descend the loose rocks. At the end of the rocks follow the tarmac straight on all the way down to a junction with a lane at the bottom (GR327045). Turn left and ride past the YHA, then go over the river to the junction in the centre of Elterwater. Where the lane turns off to the right go straight on between the pub and the shop to a junction at the other side (GR329050).

9. Go straight across the main road and follow the lane on the other side through a left then right hand bend, then climb steeply to a junction (GR331052). Turn right and continue climbing the tarmac. For a little bit more off-road there is a short but increasingly difficult track that cuts the corner of a long right hand bend near the top. At the top of the lane go past the High Close YHA then descend to a junction with a lane and a trail (GR340054).

10. Go straight across the road and descend the trail as it bears off to the left. At the next junction bear right and continue descending to a gate. After the gate ride over the rocks and turn left over the little bridge. Taking care of the many walkers, follow the track that descends across Loughrigg Terr. At the next junction (GR348060) turn right and follow the track down through a couple of tight rocky turns. The trail then flattens off and runs along the edge of Rydal Water. The trail eventually comes to a boulder, right at the waters edge. It is possible to ride onto the rock but the far side requires a short scramble. Once off the rock continue along the trail to a junction (GR359060).

11. Take the right hand track and climb straight up over the exposed rock, bearing right to a gate. Go straight on through the gate and descend past the car park to a junction at the end of the lane (GR366059). Turn right and follow the lane for around two miles to the previously visited junction with the A593 on the edge of Ambleside (GR371039). Go straight on, over the stone bridge, then follow the one-way system to the left. Follow the right hand lane and turn right at the next junction. After turning right follow the main road all the way back to the Waterhead car park to complete the ride.