Started out at Seatoller Farm NT carpark and headed up the honister pass as a warm up. When we got to the slate mine we followed the bridleway (still going up) to the left of the road heading to the quarry at the top. Once at the top we went down to Buttermere on a track that made last Wednesdays ride look like a walk in the park. Rocks? Pah, these were boulders :-) I nearly endo'd over a rock when my front wheel got caught - I was balanced for what seemed like an eternity before somehow bringing the back end down - we sat down, half laughing, half in shock of what had nearly happened before continuing our descent. I managed to get a little wall ride in too - the track swung round to the left and there was a handily placed slate slab on the right so I just let the bike ride up it to send me round to bend.

Once at Buttermere, we went up the bridleway to Scarthgap Pass, some of it was rideable, but not much, so most of it was spent with our bikes on our shoulders Still, we made it from bottom to top in only 45mins - quicker than all the other walkers who were out, who were giving us very strange looks (rightly so if you ask me).
From the top of the Scarthgap Pass we went down to Blacksail Youth Hostel (mostly rideable, but maybe not quite as much fun as the last one), had a spot of lunch and then went up the Blacksail Pass. However, it would appear that we were a bit late on this one, as someone had nicked the trail so we had to just head up the side of the hill, with bikes on shoulders once again.

From the top of the pass we headed down to Wasdale head, where big boulders, rocks and waterbars were the order of the day before we were hit with a glorious section of singletrack descent that actually flowed and we could get some speed up!
At Wasdale head we had a bit of a break for more food before heading up to Styhead Pass. The first bit was ok, but it got steeper and steeper and before long the bikes were back on the shoulders. Legs were feeling very tired now and wishing it all was over, but the reward was worth it!
Heading down from the top was great - a little bit of track that was unrideable but then it was big steps, rocks, boulders and the rest down to Seathwaite, but all mostly rideable and really good fun. Very steep at times too - saddle was way down and my arse was grazing the rear tire!

It took us 6.5 hours in the end to cover about 25k and we were riding for less than half of it! I'm not sure I'd do it again, but I'm glad I've done it!

My arms feel worse than my legs today though - they took an absolute pounding on the descents!

Vince