Planned for a biggie today - 3 climbs in one day with 2 of them in a single ride. This was partially because the next day is/was forecast to be very wet. The plan was to drive to Buttermere, and ride to Honister Pass, then turn round and ride Newlands Hause. Then later in the day I'd have a go at Whinlatter Pass.
All went OK - we drove up to Keswick but then missed the turn for Borrowdale so ended up on the road to Buttermere that would take us up and over Newlands Hause from the opposite direction, so at least I got a look at what I would face later. We parked in a small carpark behind the Bridge Hotel in Buttermere (problems with it not taking my debit card and cash meant we didn't pay) and I got ready to ride. The weather was good - warm and sunny but some wind. I rode up to the road and turned left to put in extra mile or so before turning back towards Honister.
There was a reasonable tailwind but as before I didn't really get properly warm in the time available. I could feel the burn in my legs and my heart rate rose but was not sustained despite trying. The road was rolling and after a couple of miles I got to what was the start of the pass - i.e. there was a warning sign! Despite this the road, like Kirkstone Pass did not really start going up - in fact it probably took another mile of gradual ascent before it really started climbing - I was in the big ring for most of this phase.
However once it started climbing it properly started! There was a short steep section for which I needed the 34-28 but was then able shift up a gear or two for a few meters. This didn't last long though and I was soon back in the 34-28. From this point the climb got harder and harder.
It was incredibly difficult - I was having to stand on the pedals at some sections, and was pouring with sweat. The easiest gradients were around 10-12% but more often than not it was in the high teens and low 20% range.
Slowly I could see some form of building ahead and was hoping it was the summit. Gradually it got closer, just as the road got steeper again. It seemed that it might be the top and I was really digging deep to keep going. A few people were looking down at me from the building so it was clearly not a time to stop. As I approached the building I could see a slight bend to the left and an easing of the gradient. I was finally at the top and cruised a few more yards on past the Youth Hostel, turned around and paused to put my Gilet on for the descent as it was quite cool at the top and the wind was blowing quite hard by then. 30 seconds or so later I was on the descent. Like Kirkstone the gradients weren't stupid steel but the road surface was not great and 30mph was more than fast enough. At one section I was bounced all over the road and needed to brake quite hard - fortunately there was no traffic in either direction and the strong headwind helped to keep the speed down. Once at the bottom it was a slog back to Buttemere to attempt Newlands Hause. Climbing Honister I thought I might be too ambitious to do 2 climbs so quickly but its amazing how quickly you recover and are prepared to go again.
I stopped just outside the Buttermere YHA and took my gilet back off and rode the 100 yards or so to the bottom of the next climb. Immediately it was very steep, and the road surface was poor. I ground my my past the parked cars to the left hander and needed the 34-28 again. It remained steep for another few hundred meters and then eased off for another several hundred meters, even at one point going down hill. This down hill section was just before it kicked back up again for the long drag up the side of the hill to the summit. Here the gradient was a persistent 12-16% or so but the surface had improved. Going off the road to the left was not an option - it dropped away almost sheer so it was sensible to keep towards the centre - and very little traffic helped. It seemed like a long drag but soon there was another left turn just below the top where the road kicked up again to over 20% before easing as it swung right. This was the only part of the climb that I stood to ride up. Before you know it it was at th top. I stopped and took a few photos (with my rubbish iPhone3) before setting of back again down to Buttermere (again I put my gilet on for the descent).
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| My Scott at the top of Newlands Hause |
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| At the top of Newlands Hause looking North East (Ambleside Direction) |
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| Another view looking NE |
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| At the top of Newlands Hause looking SW down to Buttermere (the Official 100 Climbs route up) |
Taking my bike apart again to put it in the boot of the car I noticed how warm the front wheel was. Although there was some sun again at the bottom, there was no way this down to solar heating and it was a lot warmer than the frame, so it was clear how much heat goes into the rim and tyres on long descents. The rear wheel was warm as well, but I used the front brakes much more on the descent as the rear wheel kept locking on these steep hills.
Having completed these 2 climbs we drove off to Cockermouth for some lunch and a stroll around. Perhaps we didn't see it on its best day but there was not a great deal to do or see (and we're not that bothered by William Wordsworth!
We then drove across country to the top of Whinlatter Pass for a go at this climb. We parked in the visitor centre at the top and I rode down through the village at the bottom to the A66, turned round and rode back up again.
Whinlatter Pass was quite different to the other Lakes climbs I have done this week. Firstly it was through trees all the way, apparently because its a lot lower than some of the others. Also its longer and less high so the gradients are nothing like as severe (I think the solitary warning sign was just 15%) and there were quite long stretches of relatively flat road (so flat I was in the 34-15 gear for some time). It was steepest immediately out of the village, and just before the summit. I won't say it was easy but it wasn't Wrynose or Honister.
I rode over the top for a few hundred meters and then back to the car, put the car in the boot and drove into Keswick so that we could ride the old Keswick Railway path (see later post)
Stats for the rides (and the key climbs) are:
Honister and Newlands Hause
Link to ride: Honister and Newlands Hause
Distance: 12.5 miles
Time: 1:00:37
Height Gain: 1995ft
Average Speed: 12.5mph
Whinlatter
Link to ride: Whinlatter
Distance: 5.4 miles
Time: 23:28
Height Gain: 778 ft
Average Speed: 13.8mph
And the 100 Greatest Climbs Segments:
Official 100Climbs No80 Honister Pass
Distance: 2.3miles
Height: 810ft
Avg Gradient: 7%
Time: 15:02 (vs suggested time of 17:00)
Position: 119 of 1557
Official 100Climbs No81 Newlands Hause
Distance: 1.2miles
Height: 678ft
Avg Gradient: 11%
Time:10:52 (vs suggested time of 9:00)
Position: 486 of 3179
Whinlatter Pass - I found that my GPS Trace was too noisy for me to match the Official segment (drat) so there was an almost identical segment
Distance: 2.0miles
Height: 747ft
Avg Gradient: 7%
Time: 13:13 (vs suggested time of 13:00)
Position: 434 of 4152
