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Posted: **Mon Sep 27, 2010 5:47 pm**

My lad goes back to Uni on Thursday so for his last weekend rather than join the Norfolk Bash we headed for the predicted sunshine in Cumbria. I had planned to ride the 5 passes at some point this year and this was really our last chance, so we did the lads/dads thing and headed off in the pissing rain on friday morning. The further West we rode the better the weather got. Saturday was a perfect day, one of those crisp clear autumn days and quite warm.

Anyway if you haven't ticked the 5 Lakeland Passes off your biking "must do" list I can highly recommend it. The 3 northerly passes (Kirkstone, Honister and Whinlatter) are the tame ones. Very enjoyable with just a couple of challenging sections. Hardknott and Wrynose are seriously challenging, really testing throttle and clutch control and riding balance at very slow speeds on extremely tight 1in3 hairpins. The road is no wider than one car.
B&B in Ambleside and curry and a few pints in the evening.
Headed back through Swaledale and got home thoroughly knackered but had a great weekend.

Posted: **Mon Sep 27, 2010 6:41 pm**

Looks like fun. I'll have to give it a go some time.

Posted: **Mon Sep 27, 2010 7:59 pm**

Great idea Dave,

Looks like you both had a good time. I've already put the idea up to my mates and hopefully we can get all 5 passes done before winter sets in.

Was the B&B in Ambleside OK can you recommend it (and name it of course)

Might be an idea to do them all in the day? that would be a good run, but with a bit of planning you never know

Just back myself from a trip to Northern Spain and then back up through France, some fantastic roads in the Pyrenees and Southern France in general.(I'd give Andorra a miss though!!)

F9

Posted: **Mon Sep 27, 2010 9:05 pm**

Easily do all 5 in one day Rich but a stop over would be recommended, its quite intense. The B&B we used was Holme Lea in Church St Ambleside - I found it by searching for biker friendly B&Bs. £35 very clean and friendly - Billy the landlord goes to the IOM every year so you'll have lots to chat about.

Posted: **Mon Sep 27, 2010 9:07 pm**

Cheers Dave,

The plan is coming together as we speak. Good heads up on the B&B but we reckon we're going to do them all in the day. Should be a good day out

I'll let you know how we go on

All the best

F9

Posted: **Sat Oct 02, 2010 10:37 am**

Nice idea, was over there last week at Centre Parcs and the weather wasn't too bad. Not too far from Shipley so will pencil in for next year...never thought of of doing the passes