Ouse Bridge, River Derwent

Underskiddaw

Riding a circuit of Bassenthwaite Lake on my Rockhopper mountain bike: Underskiddaw, Dodd Wood, Ouse Bridge, Wythop Wood, Thornthwaite and Braithwaite. No big climbs, mostly quiet roads, bit of gravel path but unfortunately a couple of stretches with fast traffic. Good use of the wide spread of gears on the Expert version of the Rockhopper hardtail bike.

More photos: Bassenthwaite Lake tour - Lake District National Park

So much fun! Mountain bike ride up the Old Coach Road between Keswick and Matterdale. Misty and more, so great weather for the juvenile pleasure of splashing though puddles. The Old Coach Road is always a challenge, both the relentless climb (to 437 m.) and the rocky road surface up from St John’s in the Vale. But unusually busy this July Sunday as the two-day Saunders Lakeland Mountain Marathon (SLMM) was being held on the Helvellyn Range with the start/finish in St Johns in the Vale. It was great to see the thousand-or-so competitors on and around the Old Coach Road rather than it being desolate and deserted.

More photos: MTB ride: The Old Coach Road - Lake District National Park

Ride out from Keswick on my Rockhopper hardtail mountain bike. It started out dry, first Brundholme Wood. I headed on up the Glenderaterra Valley to explore the disused mine workings. But I got caught by a rain/hail shower and then another sharp shower. April showers in May! Paths slippery but grand views of the landscape and clouds.

More photos: April showers in May! Lake District National Park

Brisk ride on my Rockhopper up to Castlerigg Stones to warm my legs up. Then on past the old Royal Observer Corps Post with its watch tower and underground nuclear bunker, like the one I used to own in Norfolk. Back alongside the River Greta and the K2T Path.

More photos: Castlerigg and ROC Keswick/Threlkeld - Lake District National Park