Come and ride in the Lakes....***

[Demonclimber]

.....it's fab. Here's a mini favourite, done yesterday afternoon. Start Windermere (or Ambleside). Pedal sedately to Grasmere, heave your way up Red Bank and carry on up and over to Langdale - stay on the 'orrid back road to Chapel stile, pedal sedately to ODG, heave your way up and over to Blea Tarn (a Warren), and descend to and carry on through Little Langdale. Carry on sedately to Conniston, heave yourself over Hawkshead Hill and then speedily descend pasty Drunken Duck to Ambleside, pedal sedately towards Grasmere again and then heave yourself up The Struggle (another Warren) to Kirkstone Inn, descend rapidly to Windermere (or Ambleside). Stop. 40 miles, 4500 feet up. Watch out for rubbish roads, potholes, leaves, cattle grids, tourists ambling down the middle of the road, even more so in the rain.
***as long as you don't mind rubbish roads, potholes, leaves, cattle grids - and all in the rain too , scenery's not bad tho.

 

[Spinney]

Just a few of those hills would see me off. Can't imagine getting myself up the Struggle any time soon - it's hard enough on foot!

Chapeau to that man/woman!

 

[Crackle]

You can't descend rapidly down The Struggle as I discovered last February. It's a brakes on descent, better off going to Windermere. Tough 40 miles that.

 

[Demonclimber]

You can't descend rapidly down The Struggle as I discovered last February. It's a brakes on descent, better off going to Windermere. Tough 40 miles that.

Ah yes, sorry, didn't mean descend Struggle, down main road to Windermere and then main road to Ambleside if need be (or Holbeck Lane for another steep descent) - been down Struggle once and it was terrifying! If you need a tiny, tiny hill to finish on, head to Sun Inn at Troutbeck bridge, turn right & heave upwards for a couple of minutes back to the Kirkstone Road.

 

[Demonclimber]

Just a few of those hills would see me off. Can't imagine getting myself up the Struggle any time soon - it's hard enough on foot!

Chapeau to that man/woman!

Why thank you. The Struggle is not entirely as hard as one may think if a) you have enough gears, b) ignore S Warrens approx time (17 mins!!!!) to the top, and c) realise that approx half way up and just before the final Heave you actually get a bit of downhill and a rest. If you find yourself up this way, call on by and I'll heave my way up that way with you

 

[Spinney]

Thanks for the offer - I stay in Carnforth from time to time - but I fear I would slow you down horrendously! The Struggle is something I may (only 'may'!) attempt at some point on my own, to reduce the shame when I get off and walk.
I already have lower than normal gears on my touring bike, and I don't think I would get up the steep bits (from memory of walking it, there are some short but very steep bits as you leave the main road through Ambleside, and again as you are leaving Ambleside).
(Maybe if I rent a mountain bike with really low gears....??)

 

[Crackle]

It bloody is as hard as you think and even with the downhill bit, the last bit is evil.

 

[Demonclimber]

Thanks for the offer - I stay in Carnforth from time to time - but I fear I would slow you down horrendously! The Struggle is something I may (only 'may'!) attempt at some point on my own, to reduce the shame when I get off and walk.
I already have lower than normal gears on my touring bike, and I don't think I would get up the steep bits (from memory of walking it, there are some short but very steep bits as you leave the main road through Ambleside, and again as you are leaving Ambleside).
(Maybe if I rent a mountain bike with really low gears....??)

No, no - the slower the better! My secret is to pedal just hard enough to avoid falling over! There are a couple of steepish bits immediately leaving Ambleside and another a tad up the road. Not sure about a mountain bike - aren't they heavier beasts, even if they do have more gears? Bring the touring bike and then remove every milligram of extraneous weight for The Attempt.

 

[Demonclimber]

It bloody is as hard as you think and even with the downhill bit, the last bit is evil.

Errrrrrrrrrr, actually, yep, you're right. In fact it's nowhere near as hard as you think, it's harder

 

[Nearly there]

Through the Lorton valley up over whinlatter ride round the back end of derwent water then its honister pass from the borrowdale side which brings you down into the Buttermere valley,then from there newlands pass into the newlands valley then back over whinlatter from the Keswick side nice ride out if the weathers on ya side.

 

[Demonclimber]

Through the Lorton valley up over whinlatter ride round the back end of derwent water then its honister pass from the borrowdale side which brings you down into the Buttermere valley,then from there newlands pass into the newlands valley then back over whinlatter from the Keswick side nice ride out if the weathers on ya side.

Yep, those 3 are a fab ride - isn't there some barking sportive thing that goes up and down those 3, each from both directions?

 

[Spinney]

No, no - the slower the better! My secret is to pedal just hard enough to avoid falling over! There are a couple of steepish bits immediately leaving Ambleside and another a tad up the road. Not sure about a mountain bike - aren't they heavier beasts, even if they do have more gears? Bring the touring bike and then remove every milligram of extraneous weight for The Attempt.

You do realise I'm a not terribly fit 53-year-old female, inclinded to winge a lot when I get tired???

 

[gavgav]

.....it's fab. Here's a mini favourite, done yesterday afternoon. Start Windermere (or Ambleside). Pedal sedately to Grasmere, heave your way up Red Bank and carry on up and over to Langdale - stay on the 'orrid back road to Chapel stile, pedal sedately to ODG, heave your way up and over to Blea Tarn (a Warren), and descend to and carry on through Little Langdale. Carry on sedately to Conniston, heave yourself over Hawkshead Hill and then speedily descend pasty Drunken Duck to Ambleside, pedal sedately towards Grasmere again and then heave yourself up The Struggle (another Warren) to Kirkstone Inn, descend rapidly to Windermere (or Ambleside). Stop. 40 miles, 4500 feet up. Watch out for rubbish roads, potholes, leaves, cattle grids, tourists ambling down the middle of the road, even more so in the rain.
***as long as you don't mind rubbish roads, potholes, leaves, cattle grids - and all in the rain too , scenery's not bad tho.

Crikey that's a ride and a half!! Hawkshead hill is hard work, without the rest on top! I love cycling in the lakes though.

 

[jazzkat]

.....it's fab. .

Shhhh!
Don't tell everyone, they'll all be coming up here!

What's the surface of the struggle like now, I went down it a few months ago after they had spread that horrible gravel surface dressing on it and it was lethal, I think I preferred the enormous pot holes!

 

[Crankarm]

When I were a lad, we had real hills .............