PeddarsWayJason wrote: ↑Tue May 06, 2025 8:57 am. If the local water gets low, are the food stops very few and far between?
With water levels being low, I'd not trust any 'local water' without a full filter set up—they're a bit manky. You should be ok if you top up everywhere you can water-wise though, and depending on time of day you're never more than a few hours along the route from a shop/pub if you need food.
I've got a filter but only use it as a very last resort, so if stops are only a few hours apart I should be okay
Using Staveley as the starting point you've got pretty frequent watering opportunities as far as Coniston. Then: pub at Seathwaite; pubs in Eskdale; NT campsite, shop and pub at Wasdale Head; Black Sail YHA might have something even if you aren't staying; Honister slate mine; Grange; Keswick; Threlkeld; Pooley Bridge. No commercial opportunities from there back to Staveley
There are a few water sources I'd be happy with even unfiltered as they are fast flowing and well above human interference: the beck on Walna Scar road; below Black Sail pass on Wasdale side; Mosedale Beck on the Old Coach Road; Haweswater reservoir. Probably a few others as well.
Better weight than wisdom, a traveller cannot carry
Started at Pooley Bridge, which as Bob points out above is the start of one of the longer "dry" sections as far as services goes, so perhaps not a bad place to start: just pack whatever you need to get you to Staveley.
Started at Pooley Bridge, which as Bob points out above is the start of one of the longer "dry" sections as far as services goes, so perhaps not a bad place to start: just pack whatever you need to get you to Staveley.
Just checked his Insta, looks dry out there. My wife is away for a week early June; so this will likely be my best window for a trip up there. Hope this weather holds till then
PeddarsWayJason wrote: ↑Tue May 06, 2025 8:57 am. If the local water gets low, are the food stops very few and far between?
With water levels being low, I'd not trust any 'local water' without a full filter set up—they're a bit manky. You should be ok if you top up everywhere you can water-wise though, and depending on time of day you're never more than a few hours along the route from a shop/pub if you need food.
I've got a filter but only use it as a very last resort, so if stops are only a few hours apart I should be okay
Using Staveley as the starting point you've got pretty frequent watering opportunities as far as Coniston. Then: pub at Seathwaite; pubs in Eskdale; NT campsite, shop and pub at Wasdale Head; Black Sail YHA might have something even if you aren't staying; Honister slate mine; Grange; Keswick; Threlkeld; Pooley Bridge. No commercial opportunities from there back to Staveley
There are a few water sources I'd be happy with even unfiltered as they are fast flowing and well above human interference: the beck on Walna Scar road; below Black Sail pass on Wasdale side; Mosedale Beck on the Old Coach Road; Haweswater reservoir. Probably a few others as well.
Pooley bridge might be a good start point then. Pack enough to get to Staveley with spare, then top up on the rest of the route if I get low. I'll make a note of those water points too, thanks
Logistically, Pooley Bridge makes sense, but perhaps try and work out where that'll leave you overnight and decide if you want to be tackling that in the dark. As mentioned up there somewhere ↑ it all needs riding whatever, but some stretches are definitely easier in the daylight from a navigation perspective if you wanna spot where you're going rather than just blindly follow a breadcrumb on your GPS.
Actually looks like Rich started from the little car park at High Row, which is pretty much where I started. Only a few miles of road from there to Pooley B though. Not a bad start point if you're happy leaving a car in the middle of nowhere. More than likely to be campers keeping it company anyway.
Hyppy wrote: ↑Thu May 08, 2025 9:24 am
Logistically, Pooley Bridge makes sense, but perhaps try and work out where that'll leave you overnight and decide if you want to be tackling that in the dark. As mentioned up there somewhere ↑ it all needs riding whatever, but some stretches are definitely easier in the daylight from a navigation perspective if you wanna spot where you're going rather than just blindly follow a breadcrumb on your GPS.
Good point - depends if you're planning to ride in the dark though. For reference, when I started from Matterdale, I bivvied somewhere in the Dunnerdale Fells after Stephenson Ground having ridden an hour or two in the dark.
All this talk makes me want to do it again. I've wanted to go back and try a sub 24 without kit, but not sure I've got enough big miles in my legs ATM.
Hyppy wrote: ↑Thu May 08, 2025 9:24 am
Logistically, Pooley Bridge makes sense, but perhaps try and work out where that'll leave you overnight and decide if you want to be tackling that in the dark. As mentioned up there somewhere ↑ it all needs riding whatever, but some stretches are definitely easier in the daylight from a navigation perspective if you wanna spot where you're going rather than just blindly follow a breadcrumb on your GPS.
Hyppy wrote: ↑Thu May 08, 2025 9:24 am
Logistically, Pooley Bridge makes sense, but perhaps try and work out where that'll leave you overnight and decide if you want to be tackling that in the dark. As mentioned up there somewhere ↑ it all needs riding whatever, but some stretches are definitely easier in the daylight from a navigation perspective if you wanna spot where you're going rather than just blindly follow a breadcrumb on your GPS.
That leg from Pooley Bridge the daylight though …
IMG_2404.jpeg
Ohhh that makes me want to go right now..!
Here you go, some hike-a-bike to calm you down. And you don't wanna see my sunburn.
