WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY DAVID ‘SANNY’ GOULD
For some time, I had been eyeing up a mini epic in the Lakes. Every time I put it out of my mind, it wormed its way back into my subconscious. I had an itch that needed scratching. Even on paper, it looked like a fearsome proposition. Helvellyn, Skiddaw and Scafell Pike in a day. The rules were simple; as long as there was bridleway to ride, it was fair game.
Poring over my faded and torn OS map, a circular route starting in Rydal jumped out at me. Including classic descents such as that from Rossett Pike down to Seatoller via Angle Tarn, all I needed was a weather window and a willing victim/ ride partner. The latter was easy – enter stage left mountain biker extraordinaire Nick Craig. As soon as I mentioned that there would be three peaks involved, he was hooked. As a multiple winner of the Three Peaks cyclo-cross race, my idea tickled his fancy. A couple of weeks later and in an unexpected stroke of luck, a perfect autumn day offered itself up. Game on.