Cycling Honister Pass

BUTTERMERE TO BORROWDALE, LAKES TWO WHEELS COULD JUST BE THE TICKET TO ACCESS THE BEST OF THE LAKE DISTRICT VIA BRITAIN’S MOST SPECTACULAR MOUNTAIN PASSES.

RIDE IT

This month’s Hike, Bike, Swim article (p34) stirred up a world of possibilities for mountainous adventures in the Lake District. Honister Pass takes you from the shores of Buttermere into the heart of the craggy Borrowdale valley on a dramatic route, and is just one classic example of how adding a bike into your hillwalking trips can create new and fantastic experiences. All you really need is a scenic pass and mountains, and there are loads of options in the Lakes... For the tarmac variety, think Wrynose/Hardnott (the steepest at 30%) with the Scafell range, or Newlands Pass and the Newlands or Coledale Round. For a longer trip, take a bike tour of the Lakeland mountains and employ the services of a baggage transfer company such as lakedistrictbaggagetransfer.com. But if you want to really test your cycling mettle, you’ll need to head to ‘The Struggle’, an infamous road climb from Ambleside that once got even Bradley Wiggins off his bike and walking up!