Adventure Plans
Three Days from the Lakes to the North Pennines and Back, 19–21 May 2023
Three Days from the Lakes to the North Pennines and Back, 19–21 May 2023
A three-day bikepacking loop linking the Lakes, the North Pennines, and the ride home. Across the full trip we covered 321.45 km with 4941.4 m of climbing, with a ferry crossing, a late arrival at camp, a very long middle day, and a fast, memorable finish into Reeth.
Quick Summary
From 19–21 May 2023, we rode a three-day loop through the Lakes, out into the North Pennines, and then home again. It had a nice shape to it: a gentler opening day, a very long middle day, and a final ride rounded off by a descent into Reeth that stayed with me afterwards.
What We Got Up To
The first day took us through the Lakes and started with something new for me: taking a bike on a ferry for the first time. That gave the trip an immediate sense of being underway. We reached camp later than planned, but it still felt like a good start and an easy way to settle into the rhythm of a few days out.
Day 2 was the biggest day of the trip. We left the Lakes and pushed on through the North Pennines, covering a lot of ground with plenty of climbing along the way. The day was broken up by repeated Co-op stops, quick refuels, and the odd bit of roadside interest that somehow becomes part of the memory of a ride. It had that familiar bikepacking pattern of riding, eating, topping up supplies, and heading back out again.
The third day was the ride home. We slept through sunrise, got moving, and finished with one of the best moments of the whole trip: the descent into Reeth. It was a fun way to close things out before the final push back.
Conditions and Gear
The original notes are light on weather, so I’d rather not fill in details I can’t properly remember. What I do remember clearly is the shape of the trip and how much that mattered: one shorter first day, one very long second day, and then a solid final ride to finish.
The setup was simple, which helped. On a trip like this, I mostly want the bike to disappear underneath me so I can just keep riding without much fuss. The regular shop stops helped as well, since they meant we didn’t need to carry loads of food from the start.
Highlights and Learnings
A few things stood out once we were back:
- Taking the bike on a ferry for the first time.
- Making the late camp arrival on the first night work anyway.
- The long crossing from the Lakes into the North Pennines on day 2.
- The descent into Reeth on the final day.
The main lesson was a familiar one: over three days, pacing matters more than one especially strong hour. It also helped to stay flexible with food and resupply rather than trying to overplan every stop. The whole trip felt slightly scrappy in places, but in a good way — just three days of moving through good country and getting home tired and happy.
Photos
A few images from across the three days are below, covering the Lakes start, the long middle day through the North Pennines, and the final ride home.
