09/09/2024
The Lakeland 200 is hard. Everyone knows it’s hard because there is YouTube and Instagram and because it was devised by Alan () Goldsmith.
But hard isn’t bad, it’s a challenge and gets you different places and experiences; physical and mental. So it went on the ToDo list.
I’m not the best rider in any one thing, but I can plan the s**t out of something so I can do OK. I’m also a bit belligerent, which helps 😂. Having completed a couple of 100 mile Jenn Rides in dawn-dusk days I laughingly watched the amazing FKT video from Neil Phillips and based my times on Jade Fields winter ride; after all I was going to have perfect late summer riding to make it way easier. A personal Cairngorm Loop time of 28h also seemed comparable with the FKTs on both (i.e. I’m about half as quick).
So, 27 hrs was the plan and duskier September daylight hours meant opting for an early start, get through Black Sail and Scarth Gap Pass before dark at 9pm and then “easy” riding on more familiar trails before sunrise on Hight Street. Well, as I say you gotta have a plan…
The first weekend in September ended after 25 miles with broken-bike-bits and turned into what would be a handy reccy. I put my plans on hold until May but then came another perfect weather window so I headed back for a 6am start on Friday 6 September 2024.
Whilst there was a gusty westerly wind all night it was warm and already T-shirt weather as I left the campsite a couple of miles from Staveley (why make it shorter, eh?). I had a bivvy and summer sleeping bag for flaking out and a jacket, because it’s the Lake District, but needed neither.
This time the start went very well, up on schedule at Grizedale and blown up Walna Scar (not fast but moving) and heading for Dudderdale where I had ridden in Lakes Mountain Bike Orienteering earlier in the year. The bracken was still out, but waning and navigable. The sun was also out too and after 8 hours heading west it was starting to have a serious impact on my glowing left arm, but I also had Factor 50 with me! I really enjoyed the trails to this point and had completed about 8,000 ft of climb in about 50 miles but knew things were about to get a lot slower. I was drinking (filtering and filling a frame bladder) OK, probably not eating enough but that’s all normal for me. Ate a bit more flapjack and looked forward to the pizza slice and samosa for laters. After the slow traverse into and down Eskdale I was pretty sure I was going to miss food options in Keswick but still needed to get as far as possible in daylight.
Two iced pints (not beer!) from the inn at Boot at 4.30pm and it was a slog into that NW wind ripping over Burnmoor – along with the soft sappy grass trails. Not like the slate and grippy rocks of earlier that were almost all rideable. Finally down into Wasdale and passed the many, many Friday campers heading for the pub. No time for that today, it was already 6pm and the Black Sail Pass registered as the next 2,000ft climb at 16%. Stone path was tough. Some time later as the sunset lit the western sky down Ennerdale I saw the twinkling lights of the Black Sail youth hostel below the silhouette of Hay Stacks. I turned on my own headtorch, stumbling down the precipitous track and past the warm windows of cheery faces. I like to think they were as envious of the biker still out on a beautiful evening as I was of their comfort and camaraderie.
Scarth Gap was a bit of a slog to push up and down. Not lots of fun but in my head the last big unknown challenge. It was incongruous to pass another head-torch hiker in the opposite direction, us both saying “didn’t expect to see anyone else out tonight”. Finally, after some cursing the bouldery descent, tarmac and the climb up to Honister by starlight; campervans and tents scattered in every layby and then a shout from the darkness; “do you fancy a beer?”. Who, me? Well, it was past closing time but the trailmagic kindness of strangers lured me into an awning and a beer was provided. We shared commonalities and I was away again into the night. I am fairly sure I was not dreaming.
After Borrowdale (always miss that little track to the left on the way down), Keswick, and around the Glenderaterra loop for another turning point. Heading back South now. I stopped, it was about 4am, ate a pizza slice and a too-spicy samosa and wondered at the milky way overhead. I was still in a T-shirt and the wind was still warm. It is a special memory.
Part of my planning is to know most of the route, and options and so I knew I now had only one option; to get to Pooley Bridge for the little shop opening at 7:30am. More than enough time for the Old Coach Road but not enough time for a proper kip so onwards. Past more 5am hikers and finally to see the sunrise from a snoozy bench high above Ullswater. There was mist in the frost pockets along the road and even long-sleeves left me shivering and wobbling on the fast tarmac descent to breakfast land.
Bikepacker Trash, sitting amongst the keen early morning hikers and SUP-ers of Pooley Bridge with my potato salad, tea and ibuprofen – the breakfast of champions. Oddly, the idea that at 8am, after 26hrs, that I still had an 8hr ride ahead of me wasn’t daunting. I was heading for Staveley and I knew the way. Almost knew the way. My Garmin estimated 6hrs battery left and I needed the right descent off High Street and then onto Garburn Pass before the maps died so crack on.
Easy riding to start and another push up and brake-smoking descent from Boredale before the meat of the day up to Hayeswater and High Street. If I had a £1 for everyone who said “that looks like hard work” as I pushed up, I’d almost have a fiver. The blazing sun of Friday had turned to high cloud thankfully but it was still an effort. I rested on the way, to change rear brake pads and screw back in my rear thru-axle that had unwound itself – could have been a disaster but wasn’t!
Crazy descent off High Street and lovely Troutbeck before the Garmin finally gave up just before the summit of Garburn. But I knew the way now and even a mechanical couldn’t stop me. Last push down (of many) and an awesome bumbag-mushed ham salad roll as a celebration that it would be wheels-down riding all the way to the finish now. Even the last bit remembered through the farm and onto the wee bridge.
Lakeland 200 done.
Turned out to be a bit harder than I thought!
132 miles
23,900ft
34h 46m
https://www.strava.com/activities/12351761260
https://www.strava.com/activities/12352312410
Barn.Cycleworks
