LAKELAND MUST-RIDES

The South Lakes offers real mountains, trails that range from mellow to hairy, Instagram-friendly views, and pubs and tea shops galore. What more do you want?

GARBURN PASS 27.8KM (18.3 MILES)

Lunchtime lap or part of a day-long epic; Garburn Pass has become a staple for many riders in the South Lakes. From Staveley there’s a bit of road work to be done before the gradient picks up, but it’s still a pretty mellow climb up to the top of Garburn Pass itself. It’s also very photogenic so keep a camera handy. The descent is the kind of mix of loose and fixed rock that this part of the Lakes does so well, keeping your eyes glued to the trail. From the bottom of the pass it’s an easy spin back to the start, or you can hop over into the next valley, or head out towards Nan Bield or… you get the picture.

bit.ly/garburnpass

WALNA SCAR 29.7KM (18.4 MILES)

Walna Scar is a South Lakes classic, but over the years it’s lost some of its appeal as a descent thanks to resurfacing work. Thankfully, it can be used as a weatherproof climb on the way to more interesting descents. The singletrack in the Dunnerdale Fells is one of the Lakes’ best kept secrets and it’s worth leaving the wide and well-ridden trail to find them. As you’d expect for this part of the world, views aren’t in short supply, with the central Lakeland Fells in one direction and Morecambe Bay the other.

GPS download bit.ly/walnascar

IRON KELD 17.3KM (10.7 MILES)

You don’t always have to scale an actual mountain to get to the good stuff in the South Lakes. If you’re looking for all the fun without the usually obligatory hike-a-bike then Iron Keld is the ride for you. A relatively easy climb is rewarded with a belting high-speed descent. This ride might major on picture-postcard scenery, especially around Elterwater, but it also shows some of the area’s starker post-industrial side with looming spoils from the once-busy slate quarries.

GPS download bit.ly/ironkeldride

MUNCASTER 24.2KM (15 MILES)

With the Muncaster Castle estate at one end and the infamous Hardknott Pass at the other, Eskdale marks the border between north and south Cumbria. The ride starts with a climb up to the grassy savannah of Birker Fell and Devoke Water.

This part of the South Lakes has a very different feel to it, less rocky, more moorland. Dropping back towards Muncaster Castle, things become a bit more what you’d expect and by the time you’ve wound your way back along the river Esk, there’s no mistaking which part of the Lakes you’re in. If you’re looking for variety in your ride, this fits the bill perfectly.

GPS download bit.ly/muncasterrideit

BLACK COMBE 15.3KM (9.5 MILES)

Perched overlooking the Irish Sea, Black Combe is the most southerly of the Lakeland Fells. Black Combe is an uncomplicated lump and with just one track over it, finding your way is, literally, straight forward. In an area where fog and cloud are often the norm, this is very much a good thing. Best enjoyed after a dry spell, the views over the water to Lancashire, and even Wales, make this out-of-the-way part of the South Lakes every bit as worthwhile as the usual hotspots. GPS download bit.ly/blackcombe

If you can perform any of the following assessments correctly, move on and focus your time and energy on the ones that you struggle with. They all double as great mobility exercises that can be performed daily, or you can integrate the ones you need to work on directly into your warm-up routine.

CHIN TUCK/EXTENSION

This is a simple but effective way to check-in with your current neck tightness. It is also easy to incorporate into your daily activity when you remember.

CHIN TUCK Relax your shoulders back and down before starting to tuck your chin as far as possible to your chest. You may feel the stretch in your neck or upper traps.

THORACIC MOBILITY

Sit on the floor and lower yourself until your back contacts the roller where your lower rib meets your spine. Cross your hands over your chest while keeping your hips in contact with the floor and bend your back over the roller. Try to touch the floor with the top of your head while keeping your hips in contact with the floor at all times.

When developing strength in the upper back and neck, we want to focus more on the lower traps, so we won’t be doing traditional body-building

BAND PULL-APART

exercises like barbell shrugs or lifting heavy weights directly with our necks. There’s also a lot of carryover from the big compound exercise we emphasised

This movement seems simple at first glance but it is essential you keep the tension in your mid-back and not high up into your traps. With that in mind, hold a light band in front of you with straight arms, engage your core and move your arms outwards to finish with the band in contact with your chest. Return under control and repeat for sets of 15-20 reps, 3-5 times. last month in our ‘bulletproofing the lower back’ article. So if you’re doing a balanced training programme, your upper back will get plenty of stimulus.

ISOMETRIC HOLDS FOR THE NECK WITH A BAND

Attach a band to something secure at head height. Face 90° degrees to where the band is attached, then loop it over your head. Take small steps away from the attachment point to increase tension on the band until you feel notable resistance. Hold with your neck straight for 20-30 seconds, rest as needed then repeat on the other side. Once you feel confident, increase the load by adding a heavier band or moving further away. Be careful not to hold to failure and always increase difficulty in small increments.

SINGLE-ARM DUMBBELL ROW

Use a box or bench to place one knee and one hand on for support. Your torso should be parallel to the ground and spine completely neutral (normal lower back curve maintained). Once in position, pick up the dumbbell from the floor and row it to your chest. Resist any movement through your body and try to isolate the back, shoulder and arm. To build pure strength, aim for sets of 5-7 reps, 3-5 times or increase to 15-20 reps 2-3 times for more endurance. Either way, keep the movement strict and under control throughout.