Best of Backyard | Paul McPherson

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Picking up the Best of Backyard series sees us head to the Lake District, and specifically, the hills around the southern end of Ullswater. There couldn’t feel a more different place to the last outing, a roasting hot summer in the Cotswolds which seemed utterly devoid of water.

Here, heavy rain preceding our arrival sees water crashing from everywhere, with a howling wind blowing water back up the becks that are churning white water as they make haste to the lakes below. Our chosen route climbs Boredale Hause, up and over into Martindale, specifically Bannerdale, then a short hack along the road to the infamous Ullswater singletrack.

Paul McPherson is our man on the ground for this mission, and while it might see more emphasis on the vertical today, we’ve opted for this ride rather than a shove up the peak of Helvellyn. With winds forecast to be whisking across the tops at upwards of 60 miles an hour, we opt to stay at half that height at the top of our chosen route. This doesn’t mean it isn’t breezy…

Out of the Patterdale Hotel and along the short road stint to Bridgend, we’re battling a ferocious headwind. We soon form a peloton but the wind is gusting hard so it doesn’t last long. The silver lining is, as we turn up the bridleway climb to Boredale Hause, we have a stiff tailwind giving us a handy upward shove. This track serves the large water conduits that run over the pass into Boredale but have the whiff of mining about them, much like the rest of the Lakes.

Gradually the climb steepens until the loose surface and sheer gradient mean we’re off and shoving our bikes to the top. We’re offered grand views of the Helvellyn massif, still sporting some of its winter coat, the summit shrouded in cloud. We’re very glad we’re not up there as the wind howls across the top of the pass.

On the map, the map shows the top as Chapel in the Hause, which explains the low-wall ruin on the far side of the beck. It’s mad to think that two chapels couldn’t be built in Martindale and Ullswater, so they built one for both at 400 metres above the sea. It would reportedly take the congregation half an hour to walk there from either side.

Rather than take the obvious route down into Boredale, we bite our thumbs at the wind, and winch our way across Beda Fell to sample a bridleway descent none of us had ridden before. Starting very boggy, the ground soon firms up and offers a healthy dollop of exposure, with the wind dictating where you go with every gust.

Topping out overlooking the expanse of Bannerdale, we see our first red deer in the Lakes charging beneath the crags at the head of the valley. We don’t hang about long as the strengthening wind sends a shiver down our spines. Starting rocky but giving way to hammered and clipped grass, traction is at a premium on this fast, open rattle to the valley floor.

A herd of Herdwicks scamper down the hill as we make the farm gate assuming we’re bringing food… We had to disappoint them as the rain starts to threaten and we crack on along Martindale Common to where the singletrack begins again in earnest.

We pass a few drowned rats as we approach Scalehow Force, charging with the recent rain as our waterproofs struggle with the liquid sunshine. It’s soon all forgotten as we enjoy the first of many ‘classic’ Lakeland style descents. Large rock steps with no consistency offer a unique experience and make line choice king.

We’re happy to batter on through short, punchy climbs and fast, technical descents. We’re making good ground out of the wind and everyone is laser focused on what’s in front of them. There’s plenty of edges to either steal the wind from your wheels or crack the rear mech from the frame without any warning. Precision is definitely high on the priority list.

We coast back into Patterdale and slide into the White Lion for what can only be described as the largest portion sizes going. We definitely earned a feed but these might need two laps before you’ve room for these beasts. Anyone with a massive appetite should accept the challenge ad go for the Cumberland sausage option.

Words & Pictures: Pete Scullion