PASS masters
If you enjoy the challenge of outdoor adventures in glorious countryside, there’s no better location than the Lake District, as Marcus Leach discovers
I TAKE A deep breath in an attempt to calm my rapidly rising heart rate, trying not to look down or think about anything other than the process I need to go through to make it around the edge of the rock face.
A task easier said than done, suspended from a sheer cliff face hundreds of feet above the valley floor, held by little more than a rope and two small carabiners.
I have to admit, this is not the usual predicament a visitor to the Lake District would expect to find themselves in, but then, this has been anything but your usual trip to what is, without doubt, one of the UK’s most alluring regions.
Autumn colour
At the time of our visit to the Lakes, the area’s already beautiful scenery had been heightened by the gentle touch of autumn’s hand. Great swathes of golden brown and burnt orange contrasted with the fading greens of summer, leaving the landscape looking very much like an oil painting.
My original plan had been to spend a day exploring the area on two wheels, weaving my way up and over the many peaks using a mix of gravel tracks and bridleways to get away from the more popular road routes.
However, given that the Lakes are such a huge draw for lovers of the outdoors, this seemed like the perfect chance to extend my trip and find out what makes this area so popular with those seeking adventure.
My son Harrison was back at school, so this would be a trip without the family – although I wouldn’t be heading off alone. Having met and ridden with Nick Howard, Bailey of Bristol Managing Director, during a recent John O’Groats to Land’s End journey, it was apparent that he was just as eager to do seemingly crazy things as me, which made him the ideal person to invite along for company!