More cycle route research, round Kirkby Stephen. Fabulous ride yesterday up the highest tarmac road in Britain and Ireland. The access road to Great Dun Fell’s radar station is closed to traffic and drivers need a permit – but it happens to be a bridleway, so you can cycle it. A smooth, car-free, tarmac road up to 850m!
View from Appleby. This is why it’s called ‘England’s Ventoux’. Except there’s no overpriced cafe at the top. No cafe at all, in fact.Here’s where the public road finishes and the cycling fun begins……If your idea of cycling fun is 6km of relentless climbing up 530m.It’s supposedly a NATS radar station, for air traffic control. I doubt that will convince conspiracy theorists. And from here, of course, it’s all downhill, back the way you came. Down to Dufton is 10.5km of downhill, in fact, dropping 670m. The only time in Britain I’ve ever averaged 25mph over 7 miles.
