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Hi,I'm planning to do this via the Blacksail Pass and Walnar Scar route in early September.Any advice on accomodation,equipment etc would be gratefully recieved.I will be using the only bike I have,a Kona Tanuki.I'm currently running 2.2 Rubber Queens,but am considering changing to 2.0 X-kings for the ride.
Tan,Ian
P.S. Yes I can and have used the search function and Google but would prefer recent up to date experiences.
For the Lakes, stick to the bigger tyres - not racing are you? How many days? Take a decent waterproof jacket. YHAs are good accom options.
Aiming for 5-6 days,but am flexible,starting Mon am so hopefully trails will be quieter.I'm currently incresing my weekly mileage gradually,now up to 75/week,but aiming for about 150/week before I start.
I did it last July but carried a tent and wild camped. It took me 6, reasonably leisurely, days, including half days on the first and last days due to transport arrangements. I used packhorse to transport and they were great. it you are thinking of Youth Hostels book early as they do get full quickly.
The reason for me choosing to go self supported was to have more freedom to stop and start when I wanted. The trade off is that I therefore travalled slower and wrestling a bike with full bikepacking gear up Black Sail Pass was a challenge.
I thoroughly emjoyed the experience, the scenery is stunning. I was lucky with Harter Fell in that it was relatively dry. The worst of the route for me was the section from Kirkby Steven to Tan Hill Inn, partly because it involves bog trotting across sphagnum peat bog with no decernable path and partly because I have convinced myself it was 'down hill all the way' after the Lakes.
Make sure you look after your feet, mine looked like I had trench foot after the bog trotting and rain.
I intende to do it again but would stay in youth hostels to give me a different perspective.
Enjoy the trip.
Oh by the way I used Maxxis Ikon 2.2 rear, 2.4 front which were great but I did have a dry conditions after a long period of little rain.
I think I'll stick to the Rubber Queens then,as I,ve used them in rough conditions before.
Me and 3 mates are doing it in 6 weeks over 3 days staying in YHA we had probs finding one with space for the 1st so we have to do 85 miles the 1st day think I better get training
The-milkybar-kid, if you'redoing the Blacksail-Walna scar route that's a big first day,with about 12,000 feet of climbing.
85miles on the first day wow!we did it over 5 days and only managed 30 miles on the first day,good luck with that.
Sounds like it could be a long day 🙂
We are doing the pedal north route at the end of April and carrying all our gear and rough camping.
http://www.pedalnorth.com/content/mtb-c2c
We chose this one mainly because it avoids black sail pass. I did the 4 passes route last year and it was hard enough without kit.
done it a few times now, both times self supported first with bivi gear second with a tent. both times were 3 1/2 days and travelled by train to st bees and then back from whitby which is a bit of a drag after finishing in rhb. lakes was the hardest bit imo, couple hard days to get through there then relatively easy/quick for the rest of the way. if you havent got it get the book (email me if you want a pdf copy for reference as hard to find it) as although its dated the directions & descriptions are useful and helps to plan the day/night ahead. the route is very remote in places so be prepared for the worst... also i seem to remember not passing that many shops for food etc so have plenty to hand & any energy type products too as your unlikely to find any on the route (more like tea shops or garages!). only bike shop on the route is ambleside iirc.
i'm planning to do it this year with mates but this time be supported by family as not everyones up for the bikepacking lark. hopefully be a bit easier going on the legs without the weight!