I Went To Helvellyn And Back On This Ride

Strava Link - / strava
If I had heard of any of the rides in the Lake District before, it would definitely be Helvellyn.
It's one of the bigger mountains in the area and has numerous ways up and down. We opted to the most straight forward route for this first visit, going up and back down Birkside.
This turned out to be great, so I'm already looking forward to trying out some of the alternatives in the future.
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[@mtbguides_Rich]

There are actually 9 bridalways off the ridge there's a decent there to keep every rider happy, Dollywagon being the hardest (imho) followed by Birkside then Sticks, Kepple cove is the easiest way up and down on a bike ideal for E bikes.

[@McTrailRider]

Wow, 9, that’s a lot of trips for me 👍

[@jonathanspackman9290]

7:48 the fact the drone caught you three in a row like that as you did an endoturn just shows a couple of things. One, your editing is on point. Two, your skills are insane. Three, as previously stated that drone is epic. Loved the views on this video. Planning a Lake District trip now I seen part 1 & 2.

[@McTrailRider]

Your too kind Jonathan 😊

[@Doogiehowzer]

I walked back down birkside a few years back and thought I'd love to do it on my bike .. now I definitely need to get back up Helvellyn. Awesome stuff 😎

[@McTrailRider]

Please do!

[@abstraddic0442]

Absolutely beautiful out there. It looked like a lot of fun. Great ride man !!! 👍

[@McTrailRider]

Thanks dude

[@RicardoPetrazzi]

....the Pathfinder award goes to James ! 😉

[@McTrailRider]

As always 😜

[@chrismarshall5743]

Excellent vid and good that you explained which route you took and other options love watching your vids keep up the good work

[@McTrailRider]

All of which is the best of my current and limited knowledge 👍

[@blackmac1970]

More great trails. Nice video work as usual

[@McTrailRider]

Glad you like them!

[@rossjacksonmtb]

Stunning scenery

[@McTrailRider]

Very much so

[@vincedavis5326]

The rock work done on the trails you were riding was indeed impressive. Your group's riding it was equally impressive. Well done and thanks for the video!

[@seanoneil277]

Serious roman road work. That trail must see lots of traffic and with that damp climate it's probably the best way to keep it useable. Though I bet in winter, slush & ice can make the roman road a bit tough.

[@McTrailRider]

Thanks dude, the construction of the path was very good in places.

[@5492sparky]

The camera work and the riding are superb Andrew. Absolute top notch vid. 👍

[@McTrailRider]

Thanks a ton!

[@rhettetherington1351]

Awesome riding👍

[@McTrailRider]

Thanks dude

[@JasonChambersPhoto]

Brillliant video boys.

[@McTrailRider]

Cheers Jason, catch you on the next one mate 👍

[@paulapplegarth4372]

I walked up that route last summer, down a different way. Anyone who hasn’t done it can’t appreciate how steep it is! I’m amazed you managed not to OTB! Well done fellas. Great video again pal 👍

[@McTrailRider]

Videos never do the trails full justice unfortunately.

[@MattSB2588]

Loved this video. Need to get back there. Stunning area.

[@McTrailRider]

Stunning indeed

[@nomadic_dad]

Great riding and really felt part of the the action sat at home due to the ace drone footage. Aint tech amazing

[@McTrailRider]

Excellent 👍

[@MagnusThornberg]

Speed is your friend down that😱 the drone footage are insanely spectacular 😱 so incredible beautiful landscape.

[@McTrailRider]

Speed to a certain extent, but not on done of those sections 😬

[@chrisallsoppmtb8452]

Ive hiked helvellyn 5 or 6 times and only ever went up striding edge and down swirrel edge but yet to try biking it anyway, nice riding you lads you handled it well and epic video Andrew I always love the drone footage

[@A_AAA232]

looked well nice but guess the trails can get busy though, some big technical sections on those steps - nice riding and filming Andrew, cheers

[@McTrailRider]

So busy compared to what I’m used to

[@lozbowden7525]

Nice to see The Lakes on the channel. My fav route is down sticks pass into Seldom Seen...defo worth a look.

[@McTrailRider]

That’ll probably be the next route for me.

[@Mugtree]

Looks amazing. Not done this descent. Definitely next time. Looks a hoot 👍. Thank you

[@McTrailRider]

Next time!

[@Mugtree]

@@McTrailRider definitely and thank you

[@jamesibbett4830]

Windemere is a Mere not a Lake, it is simply called Windemere. The nearby village is called Windemere Village. Love the videos and appreciate a Scotsman who doesn't come the Anti-English bit, being an Englishman stuck in Scotland due to personal circumstances.

[@McTrailRider]

A “mere” technicality 😜 It all doesn’t make much sense to me, but then again, neither does Gaelic.

[@kyled121]

Great vid again Andy, long time since I've been up there!

[@McTrailRider]

You’ll need to get back soon then 👍

[@kyled121]

@@McTrailRider 🤣🤣🤣

[@beckywareing3956]

Can remember walking down there thinking I'd love to ride it...well some of it 😄 certainly a punchy ride 👌

[@McTrailRider]

Punchy for sure

[@HankBizzle]

Did sticks pass a few years back, it was brilliant. The final descent we did was so long and so fast.

[@McTrailRider]

I look forward to giving it a go for myself👍

[@DizRidesMtb]

Yes dude another belta ride n vid dude. Cheers n lakes is class for some gd owd mtb eh . N did Shaun say it was Alreet lol 👊💙

[@McTrailRider]

Haha, he sure did 👍

[@DizRidesMtb]

@@McTrailRider I thought he may do lol . Great vid bro always enjoy me. N when's the nxt 1 lol

[@azzhatmax8537]

Great run fella welcome to England lol

[@McTrailRider]

Cheers dude

[@connorlindsay5528]

Aw aye. No longer James wrecking the flow it's vice versa 😆 good vid

[@McTrailRider]

How the tables have turned 😂

[@flushthetoilet]

Lovely stuff. Birkside is my favourite one off Helvellyn to be honest.

[@McTrailRider]

I’ll need to try the others before I comment, but I did like it quite a lot.

[@Usual_Goon]

Birk Side is underrated imo. I was going to do it for the 2nd time last week based on a week in Grasmere riding around the area, but the train strikes threw that idea in the bin. So it's good to see how things would have been and the drone gives a nice perspective rather than GoPro smoothing it all out. That corner is a killer and the fence of doom is something to look out for as you mentioned.

[@McTrailRider]

Those pesky train strikes! Here’s hoping you get back soon.

[@gibfear]

Your brakes must have been melting down there!!! 😀

[@McTrailRider]

Definitely warmer than when I started

[@Axr24have]

Man, some good drone work! I think I’ve decided it’s best if only one member in the group has the camera 😄. Have you ever thought of making a ‘drone vid’? Put a drone vid together of your rides in a specific area (lakes district for example), with some music in the background. Panama shots would be good.

[@McTrailRider]

A drone only video with music just wouldn’t fit with my channel imo.

[@shannonmtb]

Another cracker... love the fact you are doing some lakes rides too 😁🤙☀️ Out of interest, how did you stop your hope pads squealing from a few vids ago...mine are doing it 🤣

[@McTrailRider]

My brakes were contaminated, so new pads and a disc clean sorted it out. Also, the thicker e-bike discs run quieter, although I think they only fit the V4’s.

[@shannonmtb]

@@McTrailRider yeah I have the v4s with the new vented discs....will give a good clean and a scrub. Keep up the great content....yours and 1 or 2 others are the ones I watch start to finish 👍

[@LakesMTB1964]

Kepple cove and Sticks is really busy it’s hard to get a good run down

[@McTrailRider]

It all seemed very busy to me anyway, I’ll maybe leave it till an evening.

[@LakesMTB1964]

@@McTrailRider Very early morning or late evening are best you don’t see many folk then

[@smv9338]

Awesome - I remember BKXC doing that a few years back. Footage way better with the drone.

[@McTrailRider]

I think Brian went a very different way to me though🤔, I’ll need to watch his video again.

[@shonaridley7170]

Yeah, he went down Dollywagon Pike.

[@smv9338]

Another great way down then! I wonder which is the gnarliest?

[@shonaridley7170]

I would say Dollywagon has the longer techie 'staircase'. I don't really like that section, but once past the 'stairs', the trail to Patterdale is a ripper.

[@smv9338]

good to know.

[@neilbower123]

FYI- The "cool ridge' is Striding Edge

[@MTBScotland]

Brave man riding a volcano

[@McTrailRider]

The ground was lava?😜

[@MTBScotland]

😐 @McTrail Rider

[@seanoneil277]

Haven't watched the last few, sorry Andrew. When did you get on Ohlins suspension? Loic Bruni's bike stability always amazes me and I know he gets credit for some of that, but since being on Ohlins he seems even quieter still. How is it going on your bike? Good stop to get that ridge view on the drone. Don't get to see too many long knife-edge ridges in nature. The techie part of the descent was full of ledges and front wheel stoppers. Easy on the F brake is easier said than done in that stuff, isn't it? Is that Torridon feel you mentioned because of the columnar rock? There's a region full of that in Idaho here in the states. Unique geologic stuff.

[@McTrailRider]

I rate the Ohlins highly, they are damped and sprung very differently to the other brands, but once you get used to them, they’re great. Your correct about my assertion of the rock, the columned nature is what makes it similar to Torridon.

[@nothinglessness]

A classic descent and works well with an ascent/descent of Sticks pass first then back up Helvellyn and descend Birkside. Sadly like a lot of stuff up here lots of it has been sanitised by fix the fells who’s remit seems to be to remove all the adventure out of the hills and make the Lake District into a serious of pointless, badly constructed stair cases.😢

[@McTrailRider]

It’s a similar situation with some of the hills in Scotland too.

[@StewartSanderson]

Great video as always, my favourite route up Helvellyn is Keppel cove, whiteside, Lower man, Helvellyn then reverse and go lower man, whiteside, raise, Stix pass and seldom seen. I am confident you will love that one. Especially if you bring an ebike and ride it all. 👌😎

[@McTrailRider]

Noted! Will look into it👍

[@StewartSanderson]

@@McTrailRider happy to send you a route or even guide you if it suits.

[@paulmarshall4403]

Up Keppel cove is a relatively "easy" push, but riding up to Grisedale Tarn and up Dollywagon over to Sticks and down to Seldom Seen is fantastically scenic.

[@Canghel13]

Hey mate! Your ohlins fork seems to work pretty well on the descent! I m curious how much psi you have. Thanks!

[@McTrailRider]

I’m running 125psi in the main chamber and 240psi (technically over the Max) in the ramp up chamber.

[@tuxtoo1]

Its all very well doing these ride on full suspension bikes. Can we have you doing them on a rigid bike or is that something you are unwilling to do?

[@McTrailRider]

I am unwilling to be honest. I ride for the enjoyment, so I don’t so the point in doing something that will be unnecessarily difficult for no real reason.

[@paulturner7829]

Bring back memories of being in the lakes back in 80s,but Jesus it's crowded now, early mornings are best . Excellent riding as ever 😊

[@McTrailRider]

I couldn’t believe how busy it was, but was told it gets a whole load busier.

[@carrotman2871]

:)

[@McTrailRider]

👍

[@LeecMTB]

What’s the best way up and down with a heavy ebike ?

[@McTrailRider]

From looking at some of the comments, I think it might be Keppel Cove.

[@LeecMTB]

@@McTrailRider thanks mate defo on the bucket list, just don’t to carry a 26kg bike up haha 😂

[@Jfree68]

Is there amnity among hikers and bikers in your corner of the world? Thanks for adventure

[@McTrailRider]

For the most part, yes

[@justinsparrey177]

Junky? Chanky? 🤔

[@gavdalf5573]

Juanky? and the J is pronounced with W 😂

[@McTrailRider]

All valid options 😜

[@tomwilcox174]

Best descent in the lakes, sad to see the black bags of "fix the fells" doom 😢

[@McTrailRider]

It’s a good’n

[@yukawameson7530]

I totally get that the footage is good, but ngl i'd be really, annoyed if I'd gone to a remote location for some peace in nature & someone had a drone. Imagine if everyone had a one, it would completely ruin the outdoors for everyone

[@McTrailRider]

Please bare in mind that the drone is following me/you the viewer the whole time, whereas it’s only passing everyone else briefly. You maybe hear it for 5-10 seconds. I totally get your point though, and if I could get a quieter done to do the same job, I would.