Evening Dan, drop me an email me at work tomorrow (paul@archipelagochoice.com), and I can put you in touch with a colleague in Horta who will be able to help.

Where are you ultimately heading for Lowey ? If it’s up to Esk Hause to descend to Styhead (and beyond), it’s much quicker carrying up Grains Gill.

The corridor route is fine as a carry up. We descended to Esk Hause. I doubt I’d bother again: it’s a carry most of the way from the summit to the back of Great End.

Lad Hows is the best descent off Grasmoor. The descent down the front of Grisdale is one of my favourites, but I’d only attempt it after 4pm when all the walkers have headed home.

Robinson’s okay but Hindscarth is better.

Wet and windy and fantastic as ever.

There’s usually some faffing 🙂

Hi edenvalleyboy, as mentioned above we meet in Bell Close car park every Tuesday at 18:30. We normally ride until around 21:30 / 22:00 then head to the Bank Tavern.

The Hotel Morabeza is a good place to stay in Santa Maria, with the Odja d’Agua a close second. Both have pools, sea views, and direct access to the beach. One of the pools at the Morabeza is being renovated at the moment though.

There’s a bridleway descent down to Wyburn church at the southern end of Thirlmere which is excellent, or you could head up Fairfield from Grisdale tarn and take a cheeky descent down to Grasmere. Very popular with walkers though, so best to tackle that one after 4pm.

If you’re looking for a little adventure, and you’re happy to island hop, then Cape Verde is great. Most UK visitors spend a week in a self contained resort on Sal, and if lying on a beach is your thing, then it’s good for that. Sao Vicente is a good place to base yourself, plenty of culture and history. Santo Antao is a short ferry ride from there, and has some great hiking. The island of Fogo is stunning – the village of Cha das Caldeiras is slap bang in the crater of the volcano that created the island, and is still active (although hasn’t erupted since 95):

I work for a company that specialises in tailor-made holidays to Cape Verde and the Azores. I just got back from my first trip to Cape Verde – seven days of island hopping, and every island offers something different.

I’m guessing it would be against the forum rules to add a link to our site ! My email address is in my profile though – drop me a message if you’d like any advice (and we don’t do the hard sell !!!).

Thanks for all the advice. Bearings have been replaced !!

It looks like they might be rebranded DT Swiss 240s – can anyone confirm that for me ?

Thanks for all the advice – I’ve emailed our local building control dept. and I’ll hopefully speak to them tomorrow.

It’s half term madness in town at the moment so book early if you’re looking to eat in the evening. Casa Bella and the Lakes Bistro on Station St are both good. The Filling Station at Crosthwaite do great breakfasts and lunches, but it’s fairly small and very popular. The only decent chip shop in town is The Kingfisher.

Thanks all.

Morning simon80. I’m based in Keswick and have a 2nd hand BFE frame if you want to take a look. It’s medium, black; my email’s in my profile.

Thanks nicolaisam, thanks messiah.

Thanks nicolaisam. Presumably, you just need a tool to press the bushes and bearings into place ?

Thanks all for the advice; I’ll stick with the regular rotors I think.

Hi Steve,

Everything’s rideable. There’s some snow on the top of the North Loop but it’s well compacted, just watch out for the occasional spot of ice (right where d45yth describes !). There’s less snow on top of the South Loop – what is there is very slushy. The Blue Loop is clear.

I might head up there this afternoon; will let you know how it’s riding.

GaVgAs – Member – Thanks for the replies, im kinda thinking we need to stay on the popular routes, to get some kind of rideable trails..

My advice would be: if you want to ride, don’t let Dave lead 😆

Have a great weekend – we’ll be down in The Bank on Sunday from about 7.30pm if you fancy a post-pizza beer !

Cheers fervouredimage.

Google Drive might be a better option, if it’s simply a case of people sharing word docs or spreadsheets.

Keswick was well gritted last night so the roads are clear at the moment. There was approx. 30cm of snow on top of Walla Crag at 6.30 this morning (roughly about the same height as the visitors center at Whinlatter) – it was drifting a lot in the wind.

paulrockliffe – Member parkedtiger, it’s going to snow. Snow lots, you’ll be stuck in your carpark and I’ve already been out today. That’s what I’m telling myself anyway. Are you riding at the weekend, I’ll be up.

Hi Paul – the snow only added to the fun coming off Whiteless on Saturday. Lots of slippyness on Walla and Catbells last night though 😀

Not sure if I’m out at the weekend yet – will Skype you if I hear of any rides though.

paulrockliffe – Member
Great pics, but it’s making me depressed that I’m not in the Lakes anymore

Guess what we’re doing this evening 😀

The plan is Scaffell Pike from Rossett, perhaps via the corridor route? I’ve resigned myself to a hike a bike up and down. To do both, I reckon I’d have to approach from Wasdale and be prepared for several hours of carrying.

Hi Sanny – there’s certainly less carrying if you head up Scafell Pike from Esk Hause via Broad Crag – maybe the last 20 minutes is a carry (approx). The Corridor Route is all carry from the stretcher box at StyHead Tarn.

That is a huge day out, hope you’re feeling fit!

Agreed – that is a big day out !

I’d miss out Fairfield (it’s an okay descent but not the best), head off Helvellyn either down to Swirls or to Wythburn Church, around Thirlmere, up over by Harrop and Blea Tarns, and down to Rosthwaite. You could then head up Langstrath, Stake Pass, right to Angle Tarn, Styhead, etc.

But that’s still a long ride !

Excellent B&B in Keswick, run by a mountainbiker:

http://www.greystokeguesthouse.co.uk/

We’ve still got some snow and ice on the tops, but most of the snow that fell yesterday has washed away overnight. I can see Glaramara has a fair amount of snow still on it, but I can see any further towards where you’ll be heading from here – sorry !

From the Seathwaite / Honister road junction, it takes around four hours to do the whole loop (depending on stops and fitness). If you’re riding from Keswick, and if you stick to the tarmac heading out and back, maybe add another hour / hour and a half.

If you’re parking in Keswick, I’d maybe save adding any sections of the Borrowdale Bash for the return journey – see how you’re legs are holding up 🙂

Parking can be tricky in town – this time of year, and if you don’t mind paying, your best chance of a space is in the car park down by the lake / theatre; that puts you right on the Borrowdale Road.

Good choice – I can see why you prefer it stored on the surface in ageing facilities where it is much less safe.

Perhaps we’d prefer not to have an expansion of the current facilities on our doorsteps. Basic risk management and due diligence really.

It is pathetic. Where would you rather have high level nuclear waste? Sitting at Sellafield or secure underground? The media is mainly to blame for this allowing a totally one sided, scare mongoring, panic driven reporting that has skewed the public perception of the impact of this waste.

Or as Cumbrian residents, maybe we took the time to weigh up the pros and cons as they were presented by both camps, and then asked the county council to make a decision based on our conclusions 😕

Anyway, just heard on R4 World at One that the council have turned it down.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-21253673

My fav bit is with Allerdale and Cumbria County Council: they were against the zip wire up Honister but they’re looking pretty keen on an underground dump. It’s reassuring to know they’ve got my best interests at heart 😯

That picture looks like it was taken at night. Fair play for riding up and down Blencathra on a night ride!

Night time = no walkers 😉

Did the same a couple of years ago coming off Blencathra:

Apologies – it’s not too clear an image, but the steerer broke just above the star fangled nut in a very similar fashion to the OPs. Forks were 140 Bombers, about five years old; no other signs of damage from the SFN and the stem bolts weren’t overtightened.