Читать книгу Cycling in the Lake District. Week-long tours and day rides онлайн

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Over the last 150 years, the growth of tourism and outdoor activities has transformed the region, particularly the eastern and central parts that are more easily accessible to those visiting for a weekend or just a day. Today, Ambleside, which a century ago was still a small market town, has accommodation and eateries to suit all pockets, outdoor shops in every direction and an increasing number of specialist retailers selling excellent locally produced foods. Then to mitigate the risk of tourists staying away during the colder, greyer months, there is an increasingly busy calendar of festivals in the region covering everything from beer and food to film and jazz. This means that the main towns of the district are now tourist destinations in their own right almost regardless of the fells and lakes that surround them, adding another layer of interest and variety to this beautiful part of the country.

There are numerous opportunities for easy, family-orientated cycling on traffic-free trails and quiet lanes around the shores of many lakes. But that’s not what this guide is about. This book caters for those who want to tour through the mountains and valleys of England’s largest national park, perhaps crossing one or more of the six famous passes which are all over 305m above sea level with gradients that occasionally touch 1 in 3 (33 per cent). While none of these climbs is high by European standards, the narrowness of the valleys in the Lake District means that roads have to take a direct route to the top rather than meandering their way up, resulting in sections with gradients that would be classified as hors catégorie in the Tour de France. Thankfully, they are just a fraction of the length of the classic climbs found in the Alps and the Pyrenees, but they are challenging to ride so need a good level of fitness.