Travellers’ tales: Cycling the Lakes and Dales Loop on a trike
At the start of May 2024, my wife and I set off to cycle the Lakes and Dales Loop. It’s a long-distance road route around the Lake District that dips its toes into the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
Starting and finishing in Penrith, it travels 196 miles anticlockwise, amassing 5,001 metres of ascent. I was riding my trike and my wife a hybrid. Both of us had very low gears!
It is a wonderfully varied ride. You cruise along the coastal plain by Grange-over-Sands then travel up and over misty high fells with steep, two-mile climbs. We were heavily loaded with kit and spares, which was prudent: the first and last cycle shop we saw was in Penrith.
We booked B&B accommodation in advance. We always found somewhere to refuel in the day, including at a fantastic community centre at Ennerdale Bridge.
Many of the roads are good but some are singletrack roads with more grass than tarmac, sometimes strewn with gravel or rocks. The Lakes and Dales Loop is a challenge for anyone, but especially for those using cycles for disabilities. You need experience of such terrain.
It was a strenuous and enjoyable trip that gave us a sense of accomplishment. We rewarded ourselves with ice-creams in Sedbergh later.
You can view the route and plan your ride at Lakes and Dales Loop.
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