After warming up at Whinlatter Forest on day 1 we were ready for a big day in the hills. In Part 2 we take on a classic lakes route. Our guide for the day was no other than Joe Flanagan. He’s a minor celebrity around these parts and run Flow State a mountain bike guiding and coaching business. He ensured we were well looked after during the Four Passes ride. It was a memorable ride starting in frost and clear skies and ending with a snow blizzard. Our one piece of advise - don’t be fooled by clear skies and head out prepared.

Postcard Images - the trails were incredible, but the views were a touch distracting

The Best Mountain Biking Route In The Lake District

Hike-a-bike. This route certainly has a fair bit of it and it rewards you well. Different techniques of hike-a-bike/push-a-bike were adopted throughout the day. If you’re looking for an adventure ride then this is a pretty good introduction to mountain biking with a bit of remoteness thrown in there.

The 4 Passes Trails

These are raw and real trails which seriously challenge your riding ability at points. The first drop from the top of Honnister pass is without a doubt the most challenging with a few sections where some riders might opt to push but the whole descent is ridable. If you like rocky trails and water bars then you’re in for a treat. From the off there’s a certain level of caution nursing your bike across high puncture risk zones. The view across Buttermere is breathtaking and at times your eyes dangerously gaze up to appreciate it.

After the first short hike-a-bike up and over Scarth Gap Pass and one puncture in, we stumbled upon the most remote youth hostel in the UK. The Black Sail hut is only accessible by foot and provided a nice half way point for the group to mark.

PCJ leads the pack on the first hike-a-bike of the day. What technique do you use? Shoulder or push?

Arguably the best trail of the day was Black Sail Pass as we headed down towards Wasdale Head. After descending down the ‘paved’ trail and venturing over the shoulder towards the valley a series of switchbacks treats you. Grins ear to ear bring you to the Wasdale Head Inn, where potentially your grin may just grow.

Fueled up and ready to go the next pass is a challenge. While the view ahead of you looks like you’ll be up and over without much effort the gradient slowly increases and more hike-a-bike forces you to work for the final descent. This descent proved to challenge us to the end with one puncture and two crashes showing you that either the trails were tough or we were all just getting tired by this point. I think both factors were at play. This was the more mellow gradient descent on the four passes route and with large river rocks the start is more like the six day trials at times. As you follow the Styhead Gill the track changes to being more rideable and finishes up with a slab ride (for those that choose it) and a quaint little rider crossing.

We’d recommend that you take a map out during this ride. Grab an Ordnance Survey Landranger 90: Penrith & Keswick to help navigate around the route.

Downloadable GPX

What bike should I ride in the Lake District?

Given the amount of hike-a-bike we’d recommend an analogue bike. Good luck to anyone on an ebike. If you’ve got a short to long travel trail or enduro bike then you’ll eat up the rough terrain. Our weapons of choice were the Giant Reign Enduro bikes. You might say 170mm of up front travel was over kill but at times having that extra mm to absorb the rock steps and features really come into its own.

There’s definitely a benefit to having a big hitting Enduro bike on this ride. It’s rough and rocky up there. The Giant Reign Advanced Pro 0 made light work of the trails. This was one of the more mellow sections of track.

Facilities and Watering Holes

Surprisingly there’s some well positioned cafes and inns on this route but we’d recommend you heading out prepared.

Wasdale Inn comes recommended by Liam Little who clearly has stopped off here a few times on this route.

Make sure you pack your sunglasses. While the Lakes might have a fairly high precipitation level the sun does shine here. The Julbo Fury glasses are strong option and with the changing weather the Photochromic lenses are must.

Mountain bike accommodation in the Lake District

This route is close to Keswick and there’s an abundance of accommodation options in the Lakes. We stayed on the South side of the lakes and while the hours drive there wasn’t convenient it made for a scenic wind down. The scenery is always mind blowing.

Getting to the 4 Passes Ride - there’s lots of starting points.

Car - Getting there is very much dependent on where you decide to start and where you’re coming from. While it’s nice to end on a descent if you’re looking for a base then the Honister pass carpark could be a good spot to begin.

Parking - depending on your starting point and time of year. Best to ride this out of season or on a weekday to avoid too many walkers.

Bus - Buses run along the route from Keswick to Honister pass. An option for those without a vehicle.

Useful Links for your Lake District trip

Flow State Bike provides guiding and coaching services in the Lake District by the skilled and talented Joe Flanagan. We’ve known Joe for decades and highly recommend him. You’ll be in safe hands. He’s a real talent in the hills and knows the Lakes like the back of his hand.
Cyclewise were amazing on Day 1 and have a superb shop in Whinlatter. Check them out if you need a hand or even want to hire a bike.

Flow State Bikes Joe Flanagan is one hell of a rider and the perfect guide if you’re in this area. Here Liam Little chases him down some of the best sections of trail on the route.

Parting Message

We’ve been craving big mountains for a long time and this loop gives you everything. It’s one of the most compact epics you could have and while in places it’s remote you’re never too far from help. The trails are challenging and we’d only recommend this with a guide and riders with a reasonable intermediate ability. Some sections you may need to push and there’s definitely a lot of hike-a-bike in there. The beauty of the Lakes never fails to astound you and that could be why this loop takes a good day to ride. Take it all in and enjoy the views. If it’s not on your bucket list then put the 4 passes ride on there.

The Contour Collective Location Checks

The Location Check series brings all you need to know about riding locations from around the world (or the UK right now). The in depth videos and articles are there to provide you with a guide before you make the trip and give you an insight from those involved in the area. Behind every great trail network there’s always some amazing characters and businesses making it all happen. We give you the inside scope to make your planning a whole lot easier. Enjoy the adventure.