Helvellyn - The West Side

From the car park at Wythburn, you may as well start with your bike on your back as you make your way up steeply through forest and onto fell on the climb to Nethermost Pike and then Helvellyn; it's a beast of a climb. From here the fun starts though, with a rock, loose and technical descent down the ridge of Lower Man, before climbing and descending up and over Whiteside Bank and Raise on fast rocky trail. Heading west down from Sticks Pass, the stony based trail starts off straightforward enough, before becoming steeper, more rocky and technical with difficult line choices to make and some committing sections. A great ride but not easy! One for those who like rough, natural, gnarly trails! A short ride south on the main road leads to HighPark wood where forestry tracks can be taken to avoid the main road on the pedal back to Wythburn.