Kendal MRT Members' Epic Round

© Kendal MRT

Over Friday 16th and Saturday 17th November two members of Kendal Mountain Rescue Team took on a massive 180km route through the Howgills and eastern Lakeland to raise funds for the team.

Dave and Kath at the finish  © Kendal MRT
Dave and Kath at the finish
© Kendal MRT

Deputy Team Leaders Dave Howarth and Kath Jackson travelled around the perimeter of the team's operational boundary - a total distance of 90km (56 miles) cycling, 80km (50 miles) mountain walking/running and 10km (6 miles) of kayaking.

'The challenge started at 8:30pm Friday evening at the Endurance session at the Kendal Mountain Festival, where the sell out crowd cheered us on our way' Kath told us.

En route through the eastern fells  © Kendal MRT
En route through the eastern fells
© Kendal MRT

'Onto road bikes for a 50km ride taking us to the coast at Silverdale and across to Kirkby Lonsdale and Barbon. Here we went on foot over the Howgills, seeing in Calf Top before dropping to Sedbergh and climbing back out over Arant Haw and The Calf . At Carlingill we took to mountain bikes for a quick whizz up to Low Borrowdale farm before we were back on foot with a climb onto Wintercleugh and Whinash. A grey dawn saw us on the summit of the A6 eating bacon sandwiches from "Big Nige" (our friend Dave's campervan!).'

'Sore by now but cheered by a day getting clearer and brighter all the time we took in Yarlside and Harrop Pike , Gatesgarth pass and Harter Fell . Dave took in our optional out-and-back to Kentmere Pike whilst I dropped straight to Nan Bield before climbing back to our high point: High Street summit. Thornthwaite Beacon, Ill Bell , Froswick and Yoke took their toll physically but we were rewarded with magnificent views of the whole route and beyond. A painful trudge down the Garburn pass saw us at Dubbs reservoir where getting on the mountain bikes again for the short ride to Windermere was a huge relief.'

'At Windermere Canoe and Kayak's boathouse we took to the lake in sea kayaks and paddled south as the light faded. We were blessed with a clear, still night and a beautiful moonlight paddle to Newby Bridge. All that remained was 40 kilometres of road biking back to Kendal, although it did have a sting in the tail with the hillclimb over Scout Scar right at the end!'

'We got an overwhelming reception from the team back in Kendal and were welcomed on stage at the Mountain Festival's bike night to say a few words and receive champagne before they let us go to bed! Total time was 24 hours and 7 minutes.'

Check out their frankly rather impressive route on Viewranger here.

And to make a donation visit the dedicated fundraising page here.


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26 Nov, 2012
sounds like a 'nice little jaunt' - hope the effort was all worthwhile. Just one minor quibble - the link to Yarlside takes the dynamic duo back into the Howgills (which would be a massive back-track). I'm pretty sure it should be for GREAT Yarlside which is in the eastern Lakes and a completely different hill altogether. It doesn't seem to have a hill entry on UKH but it's at about NY 525076.
Thanks Karl
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