This issue’s routes are a treat for downhill fans, taking in some of the longest descents around the UK. With the ground still suffering after a long winter and soggy spring, we decided to head to the Lake District for our Big Ride, because the rocky terrain there copes well with wet weather. Unfortunately, the towns at the bottom of the mountains can get horribly flooded as the rain sheets off the slopes and is channelled down into the valleys, and there are still tell-tale signs of this when we arrive, in the form of sandbags along shop and house fronts. All is well for now, though, and the streets are buzzing with tourists. This National Park, understandably, attracts a lot of visitors each year – over 10 million – so it’s best to visit out of peak season, when the trails are quieter and it’s easier to find parking and accommodation.
Although we’ve picked a classic destination, the ride we’ve selected is a route that often gets overlooked, in favour of climbing and descending one of the more well-known peaks, such as Skiddaw or Helvellyn (with Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in England, at 3,209ft, not accessible by bike). It doesn’t lie in the heart of the National Park, and isn’t on the biggest hills, but does offer an extended and superb descent, which just teeters on (and occasionally off) the perfect edge of
