UKC

For a weak fenland dweller, whats the least bad major Lakeland pass to contemplate having a bash at ? Kirkstone from Windermere ? cheers !

In reply to GrahamD:

If you go up to Keswick this weekend, you could have a go at six of them and then report back. There's a sportive as part of the Keswick Mountain Festival. There are also options to ride as few as two of them, and you'd have loads of company.

In reply to GrahamD:


"least bad"? Surely that's the wrong attitude? Climbs are good. Climbs are fun. If you find them "bad", then either (a) don't do them--instead do something you find "good"-- or (b) eat more Weetabix

In reply to GrahamD:

Newlands from the North is not too bad and a much nicer ride than Kirkstone from Windermere. You could then loop round and come back over Whinlatter.

In reply to r0b:

It's 'kin steep at the top though! Did it on a sportive a year or two back and there were loads of people walking that top ramp.

In reply to Tim Chappell:


Its a realistic attitude for someone who lives in Cambridge

In reply to r0b:

Worth bearing in mind. Should have added I'm likely to be based in Kendal so a circuit that starts there is preferable though not essential.

In reply to GrahamD:

Kirkstone from Windermere is really not very hard at all. The ascent is spread over miles so it's never very steep, or continuous.

Whinlatter from Braithwaite isn't bad, and the descent to the west is good fun (and there's a cafe at the top that sells awesome cakes).

In reply to GrahamD:

Kirkstone from Windermere is okay, one of those that has loads of short rises followed by short flattish bits. I did it on my weighty old bike not long after taking up cycling and was fine.

I then went up through Dockray to the A66 and back down past Castle Rock, Thirlmere and Grasmere. Coming down the hill off Dunmail Raise was fairly exciting as there's no corners to slow down for, just pedal as hard and fast as possible and pray there's no potholes!

I thought a pretty nice ride, and the roads were fair quiet really.

In reply to GrahamD:

I did Kirkstone from Windermere on a mountain bike with fully laden panniers for 10 days camping at Glenridding.

Nearly killed me. The 7 miles took me 55 mins....

In reply to GrahamD:

I would suggest the following route

kendal to staveley ,staveley via ings to troutbeck, troutbeck over kirkstone and ride the length of ullswater ,then head through pooley bridge and back over shap into kendal.

About 60 miles in total, plenty of climbing but nothing too steep.

In reply to Radioactiveman:

Thats the sort of circuit I was thinking of, but maybe heading over to the other side of the M6 for the Southern part of the loop.

In reply to GrahamD:

Kirkstone from Ullswater wasn't too bad when I did a couple of weeks back.

Whinlatter I found easy.

Honister is hard - particularly from Borrowdale.

Hardknott and Wrynose are extreme! I don't even like them in a car

Newlands Hause from Newlands valley is lovely - only last 50m is painful. It's harder from Buttermere.

In reply to GrahamD:
Slightly off-topic, but does anyone know of anywhere in the lakes that does road bike hire (proper lightweight road bikes, not hybrids)

In reply to GrahamD:

Have a look at the A Day in the Lakes Triathlon bike route, goes close to Kendal and takes in Kirkstone from Ullswater.

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/38049338

In reply to Chris the Tall: google is your friend, no personal recommendations sorry, but I just googled to see if Wheelbase did it, and quite a few options came up

In reply to r0b:

Cheers for that. Some ideas to go at.

In reply to GrahamD:


Long and gentle (1489)....the Struggle is, well a struggle.

Others:

HardKnott Pass 1290
Wrynose Pass 1270
Honister Pass 1190
Newlands Hause 1096
Whinlatter Pass 1043
Dunmail Raise 782

Hardknott being the steepest I think: 1 in 3

In reply to GrahamD: Kirkstone from Windermere is my favourite, the climb is a nice steady pull, the scenery is breathtaking, and the descent is great fun. Newlands is also lovely, with a nice little ramp at the top to keep you honest. Whinlatter is also a nice climb, and has a different character to the others with it's covering of trees.

I don't enjoy Honister, Hardknott or Wrynose, more for the descents which are challenging in the dry, and just plain dangerous in the wet, as they were for the Fred Whitton on Sunday.

And Cold Fell and Fangs Brow are both long, challenging grinds, as you're normally flat into the prevailing wind. If suffering is your thing, you'll love them. I kind of have a grudging respect for them both, for the challenge rather than the enjoyment.

All of these are a major change from my local hill (Snailwell, which I think is about 13,000mm to the col).

nr.

In reply to Michael Ryan - UKC and UKH:

Hi Mick, what are these numbers a measure of ? and obviously Kirkstone from Windermere misses the struggle !

In reply to GrahamD:

What radioactiveman said is a great ride, although I tend to do it the other way round.

In reply to Exile:

Another great ride from Kendal: head east. Kendal, Kirkby Lonsdale, Ingleton, Hawes, Kirkby Stephen, Tebay. (Short cuts available: see map.)

I've only driven this route, unfortunately. I'd love to do it properly, and ride it. Two wheels good, four wheels bad...

In reply to GrahamD:
In answer to the original q, the west side of Whinlatter is straightforward.

When I'm down seeing me folks I like to do a figure of 'g'.
Park the car near keswick then go over the east side of whinlatter, up to buttermere village, then the west side of newlands, the back of derwentw*ter up to grange then the east side of honister then down the buttermere valley to the west side of whinlatter and back over this to the car.
It is particularly enjoyable if you make a very early start in order to avoid too many cars.

In reply to JCurrie:
Just ignore me, missed the post about staying in kendal...

In reply to JCurrie:

All good to know, though, thanks.