SMTBE Lakes 2017 Day 3 – The Classics

SMTBE Lakes Day 3 – Classics Ride – 32km 885m (Strava estimate)

After bacon butties and for the more heath conscious of us gruel for breakfast bikes and bodies were transported from base camp to Hawkeshead where we climbed a stone bridleway for 2k into Grizedale forest. Beer and cold legs making the climb more challenging than perhaps is should. The first ascent of the day dispatched we joined the North Face trail for a short section and on to Moor Top to wait a few minutes for Charley’s mate Adam to arrive. Adam smug to have avoided the climb out of Hawkeshead, momentarily forgetting later he would need to retrieve his car, so the climb postponed not avoided!  It was at this time that a moment of faff fell upon Andrew whose brake pads were deemed to be border line metal so in need of changing.

Pads swapped we moved on through Grizedale forest toward the Fox our roadies deep in lycra discussions becoming detached from the main group, the group  no doubt arguing the rights or wrongs of tubeless and 1×11 setup: Charley having to turn tail to retrieve Craige and Rob from their woodland meanderings. With the crew reunited it wasn’t long before we found ourselves at the top of our first classic Lakeland descent of the day. The beginning marked by a strangely squirrel like carved limestone fox and an almighty puddle.

Welcome to the Lakes….it can be wet. Up passed your cranks on this occasion! Craige in true roadie style found a route around whilst we mountain bikers rode through. To be fair to Craige by the end of the day his feet were as wet as anyone’s and he grew in stature and riding ability, clearly assisted by wearing his MB shorts and knee pads. The Fox descent ran for over a kilometre to the south end of Esthwaite Water, a steep bed rock descent with great line choices and drops just crying out to be ridden fast. Andrew, Stuart, Matt and I dually obliged in an unstoppable train to the bottom. Kudos thought Rob who arrived grinning, knee blooded from an off but still pinging down on his hardtail.

From the shores of Esthwaite the road took us back onto the fells and passed Scale Tarn the skies looking a little more broody while we looped back towards Hawkshead for the final descent of the morning: This one a whopping 2.5km of loose stone on bedrock. Point and go fun! So different to The Fox but still first class! The 3 FFF; fast and furious fun. 50m from the end I pay the price of thin walled tyres and tubes with the second pinch flat of the trip. It was then that the first spots of rain appeared. By the time we rode back into Hawkshead rain had set in.

Refuelled as all mountain bikers must with coffee and cake, we once again peddled up via a road that gave way to a ridgeway’esk bridleway and the obligatory 4 wheel drivers towards Ironkeld and beyond into little Langsdale. Our resident roadie started getting a little too excited at the sight of Wrynose Pass and Hardknot at the head of the valley.  Once calmed we were able to drag him away and continue the slow climb to Hodge Place, where Stuart took on a long river crossing while we all acted like roadies and walked across the bridge. A little further along it was time for Stuart to become excited at the sight of a radio mast and stopped to talk with a guy about his erection; that’s the mast he was working on.

Once Stuart returned we made our way up the Fir Bank climb and into Swarey’s Wood to the 3rd big down of the day. Chapel Style Descent. Steep and gnarly, best described as roots, rocks, drops and slabs in any order. Charley, Stuart and Matt gliding down consummately while Andrew followed me camera rolling in the hope of a ‘what you doing down the Dave’ moment. Which I dually provide before deciding speed on this descent was definitely not a friend. A more considered pace rewarded with better line choice and a safe landing at the bottom. We didn’t have to wait too long before Craige and Rob came through the last set or rock n roots looking relaxed and 100% mountain bikers.

A final road climb and a rocky off road split to test our skills and we found ourselves flowing down into Grassmere to the tented beer garden and the Grassmere beer festival. Unfortunately the weather had closed in and the beer drank dry, alas not by us, we move on to The Inn a warm fire and a more affordable ale before a taxi ride back to Ing Lodge.

A fantastic day with great scenery, 3 classic but totally different Lakeland descents and of course first class company!

By Dave Bates

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