Lakeland 200 – anyone done it?

http://www.selfsupporteduk.net/routes/Lakeland200.html

this^^

we are planning to do the route but over 3 days (cowards) but still over 40 miles per day

Don’t mind a challenge but are there any bits of the route worth avoiding? Any pointless hike a bikes or is it pretty well thought out

just been marking up OS maps and it looks quite intimidating!

Any advice gladly received!

thanks

Know the guy who set it and was thinking of doing it this ‘summer’. Nothing to avoid, it’s all pretty good.
Biggish bike hikes from wasdale to ennerdale and then on to buttermere.

This looks appealing over 4 days which YHA would be on route to rely on?

thanks boxelder

one thing I noticed is that the route takes a great big detour to the south off Walna Scar road – is there a reason for this? Is detout particularly good or straight across particularly bad? Straight across looks a possible short cut if running out of time!

Postierich – we are staying at Windermere before the start, then driving to Stavely for the start, then staying at Eskdale and Patterdale near Ullswater. If 4 days guess you could stay Coniston then Wastwater (about 3 / 4 mile detour but flat road pretty much), then Patterdale or there is probably something between Patterdale and the finish

Charlie are you doing soon this might be up for it!

rich – yup going up 24th may then riding friday to sunday. Back for bank holiday monday………

There are a few ‘long detours’ – otherwise it wouldn’t be ‘200’

The one you refer to doesn’t avoid walna – it goes over walna, then through the old quarries above the intake wall, down the delightful(ly wet) River Lickle and round the gorgeous singletrack of Stephenson Ground (unless the MXers have chewed it to shite again), to drop down rock alley to Dunnerdale.

EDIT – the short cut is fine

The folks setting it are of the big long challenge persuasion – great divide race etc.

Oohh why did I read this. I’m just not into days of arse ache and pain but something inside me feels this is what I need.
I love the bike and the lakes, it’s really got me thinking. I’ve not got gps so can’t view the route file but would be interested in reading your thoughts etc after the ride Charlie. Please post on here or email in profile.
Personally don’t think I could avoid pre booking accom, albeit not in the rules.
Looks like the guy in pic is on a hard tail which for that mileage in that time would probably be best, although I can’t see route or terrain. Would be keen to know more. As with most out door fun, the weather will make or break it.
Good luck to all who are having a go. Keep us mere mortals updated after.

thanks – feeling under pressure now! Bikebob – we’re cheating – pre-booked accommodation and 3 days. Agree with you about the weather

@ boxelder – thanks. Looks like the “proper” route is worth doing, but short cut an option if we are running really late (a distinct possibility). Although I have the route on my Garmin, I still foresee some navigational “challenges”!

Planning on doing this next Sunday for 3 days with one other, Struggling to load the route to my Garmin anyone out there able to load it to the GpSies site as its a doddle to upload from there.
Have looked @ the route and might be do a few small route changes to take it rideable FPs

Route looks interesting. I have downloaded and overlaid it over my Memory Map software.

I would be interested in any feedback you have after you’ve ridden it. I’m trying to ascertain if its possible to do this in a long day. (No laughing)

I was going to do it the other week…I didn’t fancy doing the hike-a-bike sections with all my bikepacking stuff though.

pjm84 – I doubt it…give it a go though! I’m going off something like the BearBones 200, which, give or take, can be done by top riders in 18hrs. It doesn’t have the same amount of hike-a-bike or ascent as the Lakeland 200 (6400m of climbing!).

EDIT: I see the BB200 has been done in 15hr18m.

1 day – hahahahahhahaaaa………..

may be possible but blardy impressive if you can do it!

Here’s our report

http://www.7oakstriclub.co.uk/members/members-news/news-archive/2242-lakeland-200-ish-charlie-alan-and-sally-.html

Funny write up!
How much was Boot YHA ? Did you book ahead
Torn on Bivi or YHA
Garmin is going to be a problem I have got maps for back up!

yup booked ahead – YHA’s at Windermere, Boot, and Ullswater (I think)

All were about £20 / head inc breakfast (including £3 YHA member discount)

I got route on my Garmin okay – there’s a Day 1 and Day 2 link on the site – have you tried those? Think I used Bikeroutetoaster

Nice write up.

Sounds like the ground is slow, particularly the bog fest parts.

Windermere to Coniston was pretty flowing and quite fast. One 5 minute-ish carry / push and some sharp steep rocky bits which were generally rideable if you were keen enough

Walna Scar is a bit of slog. The loop around Stephenson ground took us a long time but I think we were off route a bit so may well not be too bad if you find the right way through. We skipped Harter Fell which is apparently pretty hard work

Boot to Buttermere was a lot of Hike-a-Bike. Half a mile or so of boggy stuff around Burnmoor Tarn but again suspect there may have been a clearer way through.

We missed the loop north of Keswick and the bit east of Ullswater so can’t comment.

Our 3rd day – not any bog, just the long hump up to high street

Looks like I’ll have nip up there and recce those bits. I suppose I was hoping that it was more flowing.

It might have to be a project for next year.

Did the Walna scar Stephenson Ground loop after a Bivi in Elterwater and it was pretty well cut up in parts and was not expecting the grassy slog up around the other side. Enjoyed the ride up Wrynose to get back.
Wrists were pretty battered today as I loaded up the bike with full kit possibly will be putting a more powerful brake on the front has my old mono mini was struggling.
Staying in a Pod at Eskdale and not sure how far we will get on the 2nd day!
Setting off Sunday 9am Staveley if anyone fancies it 🙂

Well enjoyed the ride in hot conditions missed a few bits of the ride off due to the heat and me liking beer/food!
Would love to do it again soon
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/343546721
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/sets/72157634672946804/
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DSCF3436[1][/url] by Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr
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DSCF3497[1][/url] by Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr

I’m having a crack at this in a couple of weeks, hoping to take advantage of the long days and the dry spells as need to fit it in a weekend.

Was speaking to Alan Goldsmith who set the route up, he assures me that there is some cracking riding to be had in addition to the hike a bikes, Blacksail etc.

Bikepacking kit will be kept to a minimum, total pack weight just 1,200 grms on what I would take on a normal ride, not quite brave enough not to take a bivi!

How do you get your additional gear down to 1200g? That’s quite impressive – just sleeping bag and bivi or anything else?

Well attempted this last weekend and failed, suffered a cut tyre wall after Seathwaite, ended up walking back to the Newfield in and having a couple of pints before biviing just behind the pub near the bridleway.

From the 51 miles I did I can certainly say that there is some tough riding, but I am familiar with much of the route from Black Sail Pass onwards and I’m not unconvinced that a strong and determined rider couldn’t do it in one hit. I plan to have another crack at in September, aiming for sub 40 hours, still not brave enough not to take a bivi!

The biggest mistakes I made were that I took the wrong bridleway on two occasions (had a v basic gps and was map reading) then had to double back to make sure I covered everything and got credited for my time. If you have a nice big colour gps it should be easier to hit the turns faster.

I also took too much water, I had a 3ltr camelback and 2 water bottles on the fork legs. The water bottles never got touched as there were so many drinking opportunities from streams etc ( I was using water sterilising tablets).

The only other change I would make is the food I was eating. Coconut oil eaten raw was amazing rocket fuel. energy bars and cereal bars were just too hard to get down without gulping water.

The only section I didn’t like too much was the loop around Dunnerdale fells, bit of a boggy mess and riding through long grass, slow going. The rest was amazing, can’t wait to go again.

@AlasdairMc – Cumulus Ultraligh Sleeping bag 620g, Klymit inertia x Lite 173g and an Alpkit Hunka bivi 388. Barring that I only took usual spares and more food. Additional weight I guess I should count the wildcat handlebar harness at 140g and my ortlieb 13ltr drybag, though not sure how much it weighs.