Mick

As soon as I saw that this book was due out I couldn't resist asking VP for a copy. I go to The Lakes quite frequently and am always looking for more routes which I can cycle. I would normally take a mountain bike because I struggle to link up enough rideable legal rights of way for a long gravel ride. Picking random bridleways in the Lake District can easily lead to a bit of unpleasant hike-a-bike.

The format of the book is the same as we are all used to in their mountain bike guides. I think that these are the gold standard for cycling guidebooks so it's definitely going to get 5 stars for this. It has a map showing where the rides are near the front which shows that the rides cover most of the Lake District. Every route has a description and OS map before detailed steps for navigating the route. Most people (myself included) will just use the GPX files which are provided. I have used one of the GPX files for one of the longer routes and it was very accurately plotted (unlike some of the ones available for download from other sources).

There is a good selection of routes, ranging from less than 20km up to 270km and some easier than others. There are plenty of inspiring photographs scattered throughout the book. Some sections of the routes are pretty tricky on a gravel bike but I think that's part of the fun!

I was initially disappointed with the number of pages /routes (102 pages/15 routes) in the book but when you compare it to my VP Lake District MTB guide for the same price in 2010 (191 pages and 26 routes) then it seems more reasonable.

I'm really happy that someone has strung these legal ribbons of trail together and am looking forward to trying a few more. Even if I don't follow the exact routes the book is great for learning where rideable gravel is. If you want to ride gravel or easy mountain biking then this book is definitely worth purchasing.