Lake District Dates 2015

[Danders]

As a pretty regular Wednesday night rider, but seldom weekend rider I thought I might try and make amends by being a bit more organised for 2015. Unfortunately my organisation is limited.....

My wife is going to do a trail running series in the lakes - see here:

http://www.trailrunning.co.uk/index.cfm ... th=&page=1

Which means that I have 6 or 7 definitely free days for riding (in the lake district), and I thought I'd extend the invitation to others. (For those of us that have done MTB weekends in the past you will know that running around in circles, or going off and doing your own thing is just as acceptable of cycling around in circles – you don’t have to cycle!)

So, I have a book of mountain biking in the lakes, lots of maps, a compass and a pretty good sense of direction (I’m happy to lead). In most cases I expect to be at a campsite as close as possible to the following locations – most likely for the Friday and Saturday nights. Rides will be too/from the campsite, unless someone can provide a lift (Luan wont be happy if she returns from the race to find the campervan missing….)

My proposition is as follows:

Saturday 18th April @ Hawkshead (Sunday own arrangements)
Saturday 9th May @ Staveley (Sunday own arrangements)
Saturday 5th September @ Keswick (Sunday own arrangements)
Saturday 3rd October @ Consiton (Sunday own arrangements)
Sat and Sun 7th/8th November @ Glen Ridding (not sure about accommodation for this one…… will post some ideas neared the time)

Also 21st March @ Cartmel – but not sure about nearby trails – we might need to travel by car from camping to start of MTB ride.

My intention is to post up ride and accommodation info about 6 weeks before each of these weekends.

That’s it for now folks….

David

[Gill C]

Hi David,
This sound like a great plan.
I am sure we will be up for a trip over to the lakes, but are not very good at forward planning so will catch up nearer the time if that's okay?

[Alan]

Sounds good. i am sure i will amke some of these dates.

[Danders]

So....

March 21st (Saturday right?)

Well, still early in the year so avoiding great heights we'll do a ride at Whitbarrow Scar (book rates it at moderate 21km) and if we're feeling a bit energetic and the weather is good then we can some exploring at Cartmel Fell where there's some great single track.

Being a camper in van with electric hook up and a heater (= happy camper) we're staying here:

http://www.highfellgate.co.uk

which is pretty good looking site about halfway between Cartmel and Grange-over-sands. It's not an ideal location, but hey this is to fit in with Luan's race on the Saturday. I've B&B'd in Cartmel before and good pubs and accommodation so its not a bad place either! We'll be staying Friday and Saturday night, happy to meet up randomly on the Friday and be a bit more organised and eating out on Sat night - possibly going to be bit cold for BBQ's! Sunday is own arrangements if you want to make a weekend of it.

Post it up here if you're coming, or send me a PM if you want to talk it through.

cheers D

[Danders]

Up!

[Danders]

Ok. So Cartmel is still happening, and I know there's interest out there and folk are booking accommodation. Post it here or send me a pm if your coming and I'll keep us all in touch

For hawkshead in April, we'll be booking in for Friday and Saturday at the croft campsite. It's a pretty good one for campervans and tents

http://www.hawkshead-croft.co.uk/?Contact

I suggest we adopt a similar plan - meet if we can/want on the Friday night, ride Saturday, drink and eat together on sat night and Sunday own arrangements. Don't post here just yet though. Let's keep it simple - just Cartmel confirmations at the moment please!

[Phil]

Hi David, Weather forecast for cartmel weekend looks ok at the moment . I have seen a GPS route on http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic ... fell-route I don't know if any of this route is what you had in mind ? but if it is let me know and I will download it on to my Garmin.
Alan and myself have booked some accommodation for the weekend close by at Kents Bank . Phil

[Danders]

Hi Phil

The ride I've mapped out is about 40km between "Staveley in Cartmel" and a place called "Row", all to the north side of the A590. It looks to be a good mix of single track with some foresty bits, farm tracks and a small amount of tarmac.

Its a combo of routes 3 and 11 from "Lake District MountainBiking" by richard Staton and chris gore (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lake-District-M ... pd_cp_sg_0) . These are a pair of blue and red rides, but we can curtail the blue a bit (remove the road sections). They are also branded a 'classic' and 'epic'. The same book has our Dolly Wagon Pike decent from Helvellyn as a black, so think that the blue and red ratings are something we might agree with. Looks to be a dry week approaching the weekend so fingers crossed the weather doesn't make the trails too draggy.

I think the trails shown in the link you attached (well some of them at least) will be being used by the Cartmel race for people who are too stupid to ride a bike http://www.lakelandtrails.org/cartmel/ We want to keep out their way........

I've got a bit of work problem of Friday that requires me to be in London in the afternoon - so it could be a late departure from York for me. I'll be in touch once I work out my timings.

cheers

David

[Danders]

So, if you missed our ride you'll be pleased to know that we had a great time! We weren't fast, but we were good!!!

Next is Hawkshead on 18th April. We'll be staying Friday and Saturday here, a very short walk to some great pubs. http://www.hawkshead-croft.co.uk/?Contact. I suggest you book in advance, it gets full - there's another one just outside of the village if it's fully booked. Our ride will head south east on old paths and bridle ways through the forest, back on the red route in Grizedale forest (see if I can beat my 7th place on Strava - (no chance....)

Then 9th may just outside staveley. Again, we'll be camping Friday and Saturday just outside the village here. http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co ... windermere. I've not worked out a route yet, but plenty to do in the area.

Let me know if your coming,

Cheers

David

[Phil]

Looking forward to Saturdays ride at Hawkshead , looks like the weather might be favourable again after a brilliant weekends ride at Cartmel . Hopefully Alan and myself will be coming up early Saturday morning, see you about 10.00 ish .
Maybe now the weather has changed for the better some others might like to join us !

[Danders]

Great Phil. We'll meet in the car park next to the public toilets in Hawkshead for a 1015 start on Saturday. Weather forecast is looking good for the weekend!

As for Staveley in May - I've booked into the campsite now (see above link). Weather should be a bit milder so hopefully good for camping

If any others thinking of comining please post it here, or PM me if you want to chat over anything

David

[Danders]

Ok, so just a week to go to our next ride in the lakes:

Post it here or drop me a PM if you're intending to come. (Think there will be 4 of us so far).

Cant speak for the rest, but I'm staying in luxury here http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co ... windermere

We'll probably set off on our bikes around 1000 on the saturday morning and hopefully weather will be clear and rear mechs will stay away from spokes so we can get a proper ride in.

looking forward to it!

[Danders]

Saturday 5th September:

Hi, our next outing is approaching and for those planning on camping then this site (castlerigg FARM) seems to have plenty of availability, looks really nice and is only 25 min walk from Keswick. I'm staying Friday and Sat nights

http://www.castleriggfarm.com/index.php

We'll do a ride on Saturday (yet to plan it), and Sunday will be own arrangements - plenty of good riding nearby.

For October and November - not too many campsites open at this time of year so we might to do B&B, I'll post some thoughts.

Post it here if you think you might come in Sept -

[SteveW]

Hi David,

Sounds good - I'd definitely like to come in September.

Regards, Steve

[Chris]

I should be able to come on the 05-Sept! (pre-wedding riding ban will have been lifted...)

Have people booked the Castlerigg farm camping already? Anyone got a +1 space in their vehicle?

Chris