Right then... time for some feedback. This is what I did...
Firstly set my target time to depart at early morning prayers time. So like any self respecting mtber would do, I prayed my Fajar and then went back to sleep. Awoke at 0800 but needed more, so slept again
Had been trying to sort out the route prior and had a few in my Whoo app. But when I got round to adding em to the Wahoo, the route didn't come across!. Then I tried the other Wahoo and same thing. So just usedwhat was already in there. Opted for the Lakeland Loop. After getting to Keswick I realised I might risk making it back to the car (parked in a friendly B&B carpark so didn't wanna take me p) only after dark. Probably overthinking and might just be me and my hate for road biking.
Looked at the map a little and chose to instead go and check out Honister Pass and Something Hause.
Met some walker after having taken a slight wrong turn. They asked if I was going right to the top and I said yes I'm going to check the gradiwntof Honister. They let out a slight gasp (well,the lady did) and I bid my farewells. The climb only hit 14.5% so I'd obviously forked off early. Got to the cafe at the top after giving way to a few drivers who obviously thought it's shameful to try and walk these narrow, dangerous and winding roads.
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/pqfpTk6.jpeg)
Cooked my noodles as I obviously had no need for them to be waiting now. Original plan had been to have em at the top of Hardknotts. Thankfully that wasn't happening.
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/NsEvYPj.jpeg)
Met this guy, lets call him Jim. Jim obviously wanted something off of me and I was trying not to distrub anyones animal. But in the end after Jim had gone away and come back so many times, I wondered if Jim was a stray and was super hungry. So I thought of what's safest for his tummy and threw a Nairn oat biscuit (without seeds I think). He liked it and came back for more. Took almost the full pack of 6 (singles) until he was satisfied. After a while I saw his owners come out and I pretneded not to know Jim!
Then I checked the map and was decided that Honister and that other triple-double arrowed climb didn't need exploring today. Especially by me. So I tried and tried to find a route across the mountains/hills back down to nearer Grasmere. There was only rocky paths showing in the OS maps - well, I later discovered they were very very rocky.
Walked the main one towards Borrowdale to ensure I was still builidng character. Gave myself a good talking to myself and then turned back north to go back via the way I'd come. 40 miles and it was a wonderful day out. Especially since I arrived back at the car for 1700 and now at the (super cheap) hostel with a lovely (super expensive £2.95) ginger beer
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/EOXJ2GH.jpeg)
Why not just walk the road and leave your expensive toycars somewhere at the bottom! All for a cuppa tea..
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/n5utjPo.jpeg)
The first pic I took. Ain't she gorgeous Alhamdulillah (all praise God).
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/Qkn4mOJ.jpeg)
Thw wrong turn climb I took. Felt like a baby at the time but 14% isn't anything to be laughed at. Maybe that's why my legs are feeling it now
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/GnHSiRB.jpeg)
Thw view from the noodles-bench. What would Dave Andy and the roygh stuff fellows do. They'd go ride/walk it obviously. So I did
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
like an idiot.
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/jwur0yA.jpeg)
But there was 7% of it that was actually rideable and not worthy of just a DH bike. So not all bad.
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/oxzFVJu.jpeg)
Some bits were just too much gnarl and slippery... Embarrasing when people saw me with the road bike so I had to kinda joke it away... Didn't tell em too much that I was building character for Wales.
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/43LmiO5.jpeg)
A few more pictures later and it was the last pic... Then I rode happily ever ever after (to the car).
Thanks again Bob/Jon.