Ride the Lakes

Setting off from Kendal rugby club, the routes wind along quiet country lanes towards the village of Staveley and enters the Lake District national park. At this point the short route splits off and follows its own course along more meandering lanes back towards the event HQ, covering a family-friendly 12 miles in total. The medium and long routes continue further into the Lakes and towards the first major ascent of the day, the Kirkstone Pass.

At 454m, the riders will climb to the highest point of the day and then be rewarded with some spectacular views on the descent towards Brotherswater. Following the shores of Ullswater, the route continues north with a gradual ascent to Matterdale End followed by a steady descent.

Keswick sees the first feed station of the day. It is from here that the long and medium courses split, as the long continues west onto the climb of Whinlatter Pass and the medium reaches its halfway point and begins to turn for home. After climbing Whinlatter, the long course heads north-west through Cockermouth, along the shores of Bassenthwaite Lake of returns for its second feed stop back in Keswick.

The long course then rejoins with the medium and heads south from Keswick onto the climb of Chestnut Hill. Following the A591, the route rolls nicely through the centre of the national park, alongside the impressive Thirlmere reservoir and towards Ambleside for the major challenge of the day. The Struggle starts steep and rarely relents as it ascends from the centre of town for almost 5km with extended sections above 20%. The pro peloton took on this classic Lakeland climb in the 2016 Tour of Britain as huge crowds gathered to watch the world’s strongest riders grind up its killer slopes. Make sure you’ve saved some gas as this climb is seriously tough.