The heat wave has finished and we’re back to more typical English weather, as we were greeted with overcast skies and cooler temperatures when we started this morning.
The longer route today took us on a loop into the Lake District National Park before joining the shorter route before the Kirkstone Pass.
The Lake District was lovely, with lots of steep climbs and great views. The last challenge on this loop was the Wrynose Pass, which started relatively easy but steepened significantly at the top.
After joining the shorter route we started the climb up to Kirkstone Pass, also known as “The Struggle.” It was a bit of a struggle, I agree, but not too bad considering.
I did a grab-and-go at the lunch stop at the top to avoid spending too much time in the cold winds there.
The rest of the ride was through some pretty country roads and a nice stretch alongside the Ullswater Lake.
Soon enough I arrived in Carlisle and negotiated my way through the busy streets to the hotel. A nice day out and the cooler weather made the climbing more enjoyable.
May 29, 2026 by Mike
