Runs near the M6

[fasteddie]

Some time ago I posted a similar request for runs near to the M6/A66 as I occasionally travel that route to our office in Gateshead.

Harry Howgill kindly provided an excellent route over the Howgills that I have used on a few occasions, Thanks Harry :thumbup:

Do any other forumites know of any convenient routes (not epics) that can be easily reached from the M6/A685/A66 ??? Getting a hilly run in around this area when on my way back to the Wirral makes the trip bearable!!! A few pointers regarding the route would be most useful.

Thanks Muchly!

[Woodzy]

tebay fell race route

[Mark G]

Coast to Coast route passes within 1/2 mile of M6 J39 (Shap) - easy access to it for traily/moor type runs, or come off at the same junction, park at Wet Sleddale reservoir and the eastern lakes fells are yours for the taking.

[fasteddie]

Thanks Woodzy I think that may be the route Harry recommended, its on the Helm hill site now BTW.

Thanks Mark that looks interesting. I have OS of that area but any route tips to get me started from the reservoir?

[Witton Park]

There's the Hutton Roof Crags area just north of Lancaster on the right before the Barrow turn, also Clougha Pike just South of Lancaster on the right.

[mattp]

Carlingill Bridge is about ten minutes from J38 and from there you step straight onto the fellside and can do routes over fell head returning via black force uldale head and blease fell. Its a great route but one for good weather. If the weather is poor you could just do a quick blast straight up to fellhead and back.

[Bob]

There's also the Weasdale horseshoe to the south-west of Ravenstonedale but I'd run it in clear weather first as the ridges are fairly broad and although you are following faint quad bike tracks for much of the way there are junctions in these. Here's the start: http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X...4125&A=Y&Z=120 go anti-clockwise via Hooksey to Randygill Head then back over Green Bell.

If the weather's bad then there's also Borrowdale just SW of Tebay with options to get on to the ridges either side.

[tinyman]

Another vote for Hutton Roof, or even closer to the M6, Farleton Knott - or any combination of the two. Only two or three minutes from Junction 36 and you can be on your way up to limestone heaven.

[Woodzy]

firbank (kendal winter league)

[Mark G]

Thanks Woodzy I think that may be the route Harry recommended, its on the Helm hill site now BTW.

Thanks Mark that looks interesting. I have OS of that area but any route tips to get me started from the reservoir?

From the car park next to the dam try following the track alongside the reservoir then across the beck and up on to the track that passes Sleddale Hall (of Withnail and I fame) - from there the track crosses over to the top of Swindale and passes a bothy at Mosedale Cottage. You can head up towards Gatescarth pass, bearing right for Branstree, back along down the ridge via Selside to the corpse road, down to Swindale again (cross beck near Gouter Crag about a mile down the road) and back over to Wet Sleddale. Or turn left at Gatescarth for Harter Fell, Kentmere, High Street etc.
You can also get access to a lot of the rarely visited fells around Longsleddale and between there and the A6 but they are frequently boggy and have few paths - the route I've described above is usually much better going. I think it forms part of one of the LDWA 3 Rings of Shap, there is another on the east side of the M6 and another going north from Shap - you can probably find full route descriptions on one of their websites. If you fancy coming down the A6 a bit from J39 a great little circuit is to do the ridges on both sides of Borrowdale - leave your car at Hucks Bridge, or come off at J38 and go down the A685 and do it from the other end.
Enjoy!