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THE
LAKELAND LOOP TRIP |
Kidder riding below
Great Borne (616m) |
Chiefy being a mate
standing & watching |
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Riding from Buttermere to Eskdale
Start time 09.30am
Kilometres covered 38.6
Kilometres covered from the start
197.6
Time taken including pub pit-stops
12.30.00 |
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A
good breakfast awaited them in the morning,
all packed & ready for the days big
adventure, the rucksacks weight a ton with
the food pack-ups & kit. Kidder & Chiefy set
off thinking about the big climbs to come &
got lost 350 yard's down the trail, so
doubled it back to the pub for a bearing.
The trail around the lake edge of
Crummock Water was hard going (Crap)
then came the long, long tough lug up to
Floutern Tarn the views well made
up for the slog. Then came a downhill walk
to ride-able ground above Ennerdale
Lake. The last track section before
the tarmac road was like a jungle romp (Cut
& slashed by bramble briers)
The pair big ringed it through Ennerdale
Forest climbing all the way to Black Sail
Pass YHA. A quick stop to sort their lives
out again & watched in amazement some very
old Americans heading off up Grey
Knotts (697m). Black Sail has been a
YHA. since 1933, it was a (Shepherd's
Bothy). History lesson over the pair
moved out for the biggest push yet (850ft)
over the pass, it was physical torture with
heavy kit, bikes & mtb shoes. The pair
pushed on & headed over the other side to
Wasdale Head & the pub. Kidder &
Chiefy sat drinking tea & eating flap-jack
watching the mountain rescue team kitting up
to move off into the mountains to help so
poor hikers. (Maybe the old Americans)
Chiefy growls out the orders to saddle up,
so off they pedal to Burnmoor Tarn
(300ft) the last big climb of the
day. Riding through the waters edge of the
Tarn the pair stop to admire the splendid
views. The downhill run to Boot
was becoming tricky with the light
fading. At the bottom the pair headed for
the pub to place their orders for two big
bowls of pasta & plenty of the black stuff.
Full & now sleepy Kidder & Chiefy cranked it
slowly to the Eskdale YHA. in
the darkness occasionally blinded in the odd
cars head-lights (Like two pissed-up
rabbits). At the YHA. the orders
were to wash-out the smelly kit & then
sleep. (The next morning was not much
fun wearing clean soapy kit, which was
slightly damp) |
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Pit-stops
on route |
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