Lakeland Loop (Off-road) - 150 miles (April 2003)
by Pete (& Gary for day 1 again!)
Lakeland Loop, Tim Woodcock (http://www.mbruk.co.uk/)
The 8 starters, but how many would be left at the end?
Day 1 (Fri 19/04/03 ) Patterdale to Buttermere
Warm
and sunny. Looked like the best day, so Pete and Guy opt for a full day on
the hills, with a push up High Street, traverse of Ullswater's south bank,
the Coach Road past Clough Head to Threkeld, round the back of Skiddaw, the
west banks of Bassenthwait and Derwent Water, before a final thrash past
Watendlath and up to the YHA at the
top of Honnister. The rest of the party did likewise minus the High Street bit. Gary, remarkably, managed the entire day riding one-handed, but the strain on his damaged shoulder (he had been advised to do a maximum of 1/2 hour by his physio) limited his further participation.
top of Honnister. The rest of the party did likewise minus the High Street bit. Gary, remarkably, managed the entire day riding one-handed, but the strain on his damaged shoulder (he had been advised to do a maximum of 1/2 hour by his physio) limited his further participation.
Photo 1: Day 1: Preparations
Photo 2: Day 1: Climbing High Street
Photo 3: Day 1: High Street
Photo 4: Day 1: HighStreet Ridge
Photo 5: Day 1: End of High Street
Photo 6: Day 1:
Photo 7: Day 1: Skiddaw
Photo 8: Day 1: Back of Skiddaw
Photo 9: Day 1:Bassenthwaite
Photo 10: Day 1: Wotendlath descent
Photo 11: Day 1: Wotendlath descent
Day 2 (Sat 20/04/03 ) Buttermere to Coniston
Another long day planned (we were attempting a 6-day
route in 3), but an early indiscretion on Honnister Pass by Gary's friend
Richard saw half of the group travelling to Carlisle by ambulance/car after
he had roughly assaulted a drystone wall at 40 mph whilst trying to pass
Guy (he broke both lower forearm bones, plus some other nastiness at elbow
joint. An operation the next day pinned/screwed/wired it back together then
the wound sealed with 27 staples).
The remainder (Pete, Guy, Brian and Martine) taking a short-cut over Sty Head to Wasdale, then Eskdale, a big push up Harter Fell (south end of the remote Berker Moor) to Ulpha Bridge in the Duddon Valley on a so called "bridle way" which in reality was a sheep trail through the long grass and gorse that promptly petered out to leave you stranded in the middle having to take a compass bearings to try and find the right way out. Then, finally, over to Coniston on the new, improved, Walna Scar Road.
The remainder (Pete, Guy, Brian and Martine) taking a short-cut over Sty Head to Wasdale, then Eskdale, a big push up Harter Fell (south end of the remote Berker Moor) to Ulpha Bridge in the Duddon Valley on a so called "bridle way" which in reality was a sheep trail through the long grass and gorse that promptly petered out to leave you stranded in the middle having to take a compass bearings to try and find the right way out. Then, finally, over to Coniston on the new, improved, Walna Scar Road.
Photo 1: Day 2: Sty Head
Photo 2: Day 2:Wasdale
Photo 3: Day 2: Birker Fell
Photo 4: Day 2: Birker Fell Summit
Photo 5: Day 2: Stephensons Ground?
Photo 6: Day 2: Very focussed
Photo 7: Day 2: Very focussed
Photo 8: Day 2: In trouble
Photo 9: Day 2: Still in trouble
Photo 10: Day 2: At top!
Day 3 (Sun 21/04/03 ) Coniston to Patterdale
A short day through Grizedale Forest and then up onto
High Street and long steep descent to finish and meet up with walkers Murray
and Jinny, and shoppers Gary and Carrie.
Photo 1: Day 3:Coppermines YHA
Photo 2: Day 3: Ferry
Photo 3: Day 3: Garburns
Photo 4: Day 3: Up High Street
Photo 5: Day 3: High Street
Photo 6: Day 3: Ridge up High Street
Photo 7: Day 3: High Street Summit
Conclusions
Guy: Yes a delightfully masochistic route!!Information
Mountain Bikes Used
Gary: Specialized, 2002 Stumpjumper M4 Disc 19" (27 sp.)Pete: Specialized, 2001 Stumpjumper M4 18" (27 sp.)
Guy: Specialized Enduro
Brian: Cannondale F4000SL
Martine: Kneisiss Maxlight
Carrie: Specialized, 2002 Stumpjumper M4 Disc 15" (27 sp.)
Richard: Specialized, 2002 Rockhopper Disc 19" (27 sp.)
Megan: Specialized, 2002 Rockhopper Disc 15" (27 sp.)
Accommodation/Transport
Patterdale Day 1: Friday 18th April 2003Beetham Cottage, Hartsop, Patterdale, CA11 0NZ Grid reference NY405129 (FRCC Members only)
Buttermere Day 2: Saturday 19th April 2003
Honister How YHA, Seatoller, Keswick, Cumbria CA12 5XN
Phone: 0870 770 6113 Outside UK (+44) 1629 592708 Fax: 01629 592627
Patterdale Day 3: Sunday 20th April 2003
Coniston Coppermines, Coniston, Cumbria LA21 8HP, 0870 770 6113
Patterdale Day 4: Sunday 6th April 2003
Beetham Cottage, Hartsop, Patterdale, CA11 0NZ Grid reference NY405129 (FRCC Members only)
Booklet from: http://mbruk.co.uk/mbruk_guides.html
Trip report: http://home.btclick.com/alasdair.arthur/web/lakes.htm
Practical Lakeland loop info http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/alasdair_arthur/llpract.htm
www.yha.org.uk
Allerdale Council for Accommodation http://www.allerdale.gov.uk/
