Epic lakeland loop

Several days later and I'm still undecided on how to write about our 4 day journey. A little bit more epic than we had imagined. More pushing, more carrying, bigger hills and even bigger days. 

 A little bit drier than we could have hoped for. Some striking scenery, peaceful paths and smile-on-your face descents. And lots of good cakes, so all was not entirely lost and on one occasion the ‘epic-ness’ of it all allowed me to have two in a row.  Just to be sure it was all going to be ok.  I now have more respect for the Lake District. Perhaps I underestimated it.  Even the road climbs were fearsome. 

For me, the highlight of the trip was the High Street and the long ride stretching out along the ridge, with the feeling that you’re on top of the world. 

Ending the day at Skiddaw house, a remote Youth Hostel, run by some rather interesting and exceptionally welcoming wardens was a great end to the first day.  Somehow, 10hr from Winderemere didn’t seem so bad.  So what if we got lost a few times, we’d do better the next day and remember to check the map (wouldn’t we?). 

The lowlight came late on the second day.  With Whinlatter and Honister passes already in our legs, as well as some fun trail centre riding.  It was dark and wet and most walkers were well on their way homewards.  In my heart, I knew it was coming, the bit where Lisa turned round to me, after 45min of carrying our bikes up a boulder-strewn track, to say ‘Do you think maybe we’re on the wrong path?’ 

Several hours of carrying later and we reached Ennerdale hostel.  Safely tucked up in bed by 9pm, I couldn’t help but think how we’d just have to carry our bikes right out the other side the next day, over Black Sail Pass, alongside some of the highest and most famous mountains in the Lakes.

More riding, more of the Lake District, more walkers, lambs and cakes.  The last two days we treated ourselves to some roads rather than boggy bridleways.  Still remote, beautiful and tough.


Anything to keep the legs going. And finally a big, fast, fun reward around Grizedale Forest. I think we’d had enough of the old skool hikey-bikey by then.  Some fun trails were more than deserved. Then a quick hop across the lake on the ferry to hit the reality of Windermere itself on a bank holiday.  We were a bit shell-shocked by the hordes of people and traffic, compared to the gentle hills of the past few days.  But glad to be at the end and get to bed.  Certainly a tough few days. I’m sure now it was worth it. I might not have said that at the top of Scarth Gap pass but no one will ever know that for sure!