Cycling up Kirkstone Pass

It is always nice to get away from the computer. Last weekend we visited the Lake District again.

On Saturday I got the opportunity to go for a ride with fellow Sri Chinmoy CT rider, Ed Silverton. We cycled two hours through grizedale forest.

On Sunday I had chance to ride Kirkstone pass.

Kirkstone Pass

From Ambleside to Kirkstone it is about 3 miles. At places the gradient is between 20%-25%. In the middle there is a short bit of flat, and some downhill. Kirkstone pass is 1,489 feet (454 m). It is the highest pass (for motor vehicles in the Lake District.

This gives you a little chance for recovery but the second leg is really tough because it finishes with the steepest section right at the end.

It took me 15 minutes from the bottom in Ambleside to the top. I was racing up the first half, recovered a little in the middle section, but then struggled on the last part. it is like doing 2 really hard hill climbs one after the other.

I descended the longer , shallower descent to Troutbeck, as I didn’t particularly fancy wearing a set of brake blocks descending the 25% hairpins in the rain.

• Kirkstone Pass Pictures

In the afternoon I attended a beautiful concert given by Ananda and Shindhu in Ambleside.