The lake district intro to bikepacking weekend
Fri 14 - Sun 16 Jun 2024
2
Days Riding
2
Nights Accommodation
75km
Total Distance
1434m
Elevation Gain
3/10
Overall Difficulty
£295
Total Cost
Join us for a fully immersive, Adventure Cycling experience that gives you the knowledge and confidence to take your next step into the world of Bikepacking. Bikepacking and Adventure Cycling are simple concepts, but with so many different styles and with rapid advances in clothing, equipment and technology, it can be quite daunting.
We’ll cover every aspect of Bikepacking and Adventure Cycling by going on a carefully planned overnight expedition, imparting over 20 years of expedition experience to cover the full range of Bikepacking skills, including: route planning, navigation and access, kit selection, campcraft, cooking and nutrition, bike set up, maintenance and personal security, hazards and emergency planning. You’ll arrive full of excitement and with lots of questions and leave inspired; equipped with the knowledge and the confidence to plan your own adventures.
Friday
Arrivals Day at hoathwaite campsite
Our meeting point is the Hoathwaite Campsite on the shore of Coniston Water, where we’ll welcome team members and get to know everyone. The rest of the afternoon and evening will be spent discussing the weekend ahead and learning about the different ways to plan a route. We'll also talk about kit and equipment and our options regarding packing bikes before enjoying our evening meal together.
Saturday (Day 1)
hoathwaite to great langdale
38km
725M
After breakfast, we'll spend the first part of the morning finishing off packing to include the food we'll need for the next two days. Once we're all ready, our expedition starts by following Coniston's shores north. After passing through the iconic town, we pick up forest tracks, meandering on secluded bridleways and forgotten roads, heading towards Great Langdale. We'll pause for lunch and discuss typical hazards in remote terrain, looking at river crossings in some detail. The afternoon will be spent exploring the Langdales, searching out the perfect wild campsite, before turning our attention towards campcraft, cooking and bike maintenance. We'll watch the sunset and share adventure stories around a well earned brew.
Sunday (Day 2)
great langdale to hoathwaite campsite
37km
709M
We'll be up early to break up camp and prepare ourselves for day 2 of our expedition. Our return route takes us through some of the most beautiful parts of the Lake District and we'll have it all to ourselves for at least a few hours. We can practice navigation skills and run through a range of challenging scenarios and how to deal with these out in the wild. We'll retrace our steps initially and then make our way into Grizedale forest for lunch. Surrounded by towering pines, we’ll follow forest trails and flowy singletrack to Low Parkamoor and one of the finest views of Coniston Water and the Old Man. The final descent of the day takes us down to Coniston Water and we'll follow its western shore back to our start point, stopping off at a great swim spot for those who need to cool off. Back at camp, we'll eat cake, dekit, clean and sort bikes, shower and eat more cake before saying our farewells. You'll now be full of confidence and have the knowledge to plan your own adventure. Where will you go?
Expedition Highlights
Riding between tarns and fells on beautiful and secluded singletrack.
Exploring Cathedral Quarry by headtorch.
Blending theory and practice during an immersive weekend of learning and sharing.
Watching the sun set and the stars come out in Great Langdale.
Parkamoor and the views across to The Old Man of Coniston.
Traversing Grasmere Lake and Rydal Water with the option of a wild swim.
FAQ
What bike is best for the Lake District Intro to Bikepacking weekend?
Our journey travels through quite varied but mostly non-technical off-road terrain. There are a few short sections that might require some pushing but everything else is fairly easy. You can choose between a gravel bike with tyres wider than 40 mm or a standard hard tail mountain bike. Please call for a chat if you think this will help.
Do I need my own bike?
No, we can arrange rental for you and it can be picked up and ready for you to ride. Please let us know if you need a bike and we’ll discuss options but rental prices start at £79 for the weekend.
Do I need my own bikepacking bags?
Yes. But if you don’t have any of your own, no problem, we can advise which ones to buy or arrange rental for you. A complete set of bikepacking bags will cost roughly £50 for the weekend. If you are keen to hire bikepacking bags, let us know during the booking process.
What clothing and equipment will I need?
You can find a recommended clothing and equipment list by clicking...
If you are unsure about any of these items, or you need to purchase any of these items, you are more than welcome to get in touch for some help and advice. We've bought our fair share of kit over the years and we're very happy to share what works for us.
How physically fit do I need to be to enjoy the Lake District Intro to Bikepacking Weekend?
We’ll embark on a 2 day expedition but given the teaching and learning nature of the weekend, we won’t be travelling quite as far as some of our other 2 day expeditions. You’ll need to be able to ride a ‘semi-loaded’ bike roughly 40-50 km each day. The route takes in some hills but is not very technical and not particularly strenuous.
What sort of prior experience do I need to have, to enjoy the Weekend?
None! As long as you can ride a bike roughly 45 km each day on off-road terrain, you have a genuine desire to immerse yourself in a camping weekend (with a bike) and everything that goes with it, you’ll be fine. Our Intro to Bikepacking Weekend is designed for beginners of course but experienced Bikepackers who want to consolidate knowledge and pick up some more advanced skills will love it too. This two day expedition is perfect for sharing ideas, learning from each other and having a great time and your guide will do everything they can to look after everyone's specific needs. Finally, before anyone takes part in any of our expeditions, there will have been a very sensible and supportive conversation that makes sure you're suitable. No one benefits from taking part in an experience where there isn't a good fit.
How many hours will we be riding for each day?
We’ll cycle between 6-7 hours covering up to 50 km a day and spend a good portion of each day working through some practical sessions. Some aspects of Bikepacking are best learned by doing, whilst others require a bit of show and tell. We’ll choose what we feel is the most suitable method but we also want the weekend to have some flow.
How many riders will make up the group?
We usually require at least 4 riders to make the expedition viable and will never have groups larger than 8.
Will riders stay together during the day?
Yes, we'll stay together as a group. There may be short sections (usually inclines) where those who want to stretch their legs can enjoy a challenge but we'll move together, and for safety reasons, we will always descend together, as a group.
Where will the expedition start and what's the best way to get there?
Our meeting point is the beautiful Hoathwaite campsite, on the shore of Coniston Water. You’re welcome to join us from 3 pm on Friday. We’ll gather as a group during the afternoon, enjoy a meal together and prepare for the weekend ahead. If you're travelling by car, directions can be found by clicking...
If you're travelling by train, the nearest station is Windermere and we're very happy to pick you up and bring you back to the campsite. We'll drop you back off at the station at the end of the weekend too, if this is helpful. You just need to arrange this with us during the booking process.
When and where will we finish on Sunday?
Day 2 will be spent making our way from Great Langdale, back to our meeting point at Hoathwaite Campsite and we'll aim to get back by mid-afternoon. We'll clean bikes, sort kit, have a shower and say our farewells.
Do I need to bring spare clothes and will these be transported for me during the trip?
We’ll depart from our campsite on Friday and return to the campsite on Sunday before you travel home. We can leave our cars in the campsite over the weekend. You will be able to put a bag in the support vehicle, as a backup but we'll try to be as self-sufficient as possible during the overnight expedition, and we'll pack a few spare items to take with us.
What will I need to carry with me during the day?
You'll need to wear appropriate clothing to suit the weather and once we leave basecamp on Saturday morning, we'll all be carrying everything we need for the next two days. Your guide will take care of group safety items and they will also carry a range of more general spares.
Is there a limit on what I can bring?
The only limit we have is space within the support vehicle. All we ask is that you fit whatever you need transporting into one bag / holdall / suitcase that is no bigger than 100cm x 45cm x 45cm. These measurements equate to a large expedition holdall and should be more than enough for the weekend.
What type of accommodation will we be using?
We’ll be camping on Friday and Saturday night. We’ll meet up and base ourselves at Hoathwaite campsite on Friday before heading out on our overnight expedition on Saturday. On Friday we’ll use a large communal tent as our basecamp so we can eat together and plan aspects of the weekend. On Saturday night, we’ll wild camp. You can bring your own 1/2 person tent or you can borrow one of ours, free of charge. Please note, if you choose to bring your own tent, please ensure it's a single or a regular two person tent. Anything bigger would create unnecessary issues with the campsite owners. We try to use tented accommodation wherever possible for all of our expeditions as this affords a greater degree of flexibility and helps develop skills that can be transferred to more remote and self-sufficient adventures.
Will I have to share a tent?
No, but you can if you choose to. All of our tents are two person semi-geodesic. They are comfortable for two or palatial for one.
Will there be structured sessions on the components of Bikepacking?
Yes. The Intro to Bikepacking weekend is all about sharing information and learning new skills. Some of this will be achieved in a ‘show and tell’ format and some will be done by doing. For example, we’ll look at route planning, kit selection and packing before we depart for the overnight trip. During the trip, we’ll pause periodically to discuss aspects of navigation, riding techniques and potential hazards. When we arrive at our wild camp, we’ll switch to a more learn by doing. By the end of the weekend, everyone will have the knowledge, skills and confidence to embark on their own adventures.
What's the catering plan?
We’ll provide all meals and snacks between the time you arrive on Friday until we say farewell on Sunday. We love food and know how important it is during an expedition. All meals provided will be healthy and plentiful (cake will just be plentiful). A sample menu can be found by clicking...
Once you've booked onto an expediton, we’ll ask you which meals and snacks you like, so that we have the best chances of offering foods you love.
What if I have allergies and / or dietary requirements?
No problem. Let's discuss this during the booking process and we'll do our utmost to support your needs.
How do I book onto this expedition?
You can start the simple booking process by clicking...
and we'll contact you to arrange a quick chat, just to make sure you've picked the perfect expedition that matches your ability and expectations. Once we're both happy, we'll ask you for a deposit (50% of the total cost of the expedition), then we'll confirm your place and take you through the rest of the booking process. This involves getting some information from you and us sharing everything you need to know in preparation for your expedition. If you would like to discuss any aspect of this expedition before making a booking, no problem, go to the 'Ask Us Anything' section below and we'll answer your query as quickly as we can.
If we've not covered an area you're keen to explore in the FAQ above, please do get in touch using the 'Ask Us Anything' form below and we'll answer your query as quickly as we can.
Book an adventure in 3 Easy Steps
Start the simple booking process by clicking and we’ll arrange a convenient time to call you. We just need to make sure you’ve picked the perfect expedition for you. If you’re keen to chat before deciding whether to commit to an expedition, no problem, contact us via 'Ask Us Anything' below and we’ll get back in touch as quickly as we can to answer any questions you have.
Once we're both happy that you've picked a suitable expedition, we'll ask you for a deposit (50% of the total cost of the expedition), then we'll confirm your place, via email, and take you through the rest of the booking process. We’ll need to get some more information from you and we'll send you some more details about your expedition.
We’re happy to field any questions you have leading up to your expedition but roughly 14 days before your expedition is due to start, we’ll contact you to make sure you’re ready to join us. We’ll share the final GPX file of your route and update you on any relevant information to include details about other expedition members.