My Lake District Trip

[siggy]

This is a brief discription of the Offroading Adventure I had with Kankku

Routes Covered; Grizedale east and west; an unknown route up by Torver used by the Land rover Experience; Garsburn pass

On Wednesday 30th October we, my father Peter, my son Daniel (3YO) and I joined Kankku for some off roading in the Lake District. Kankku operate in and around the Windermere Area. The day started about 10:00 with a quick brief of the day’s events by Nick with a quick demo of the walkie talkies we’d be using. Then Pete the instructor for the day, with me following in my Def110 CSW, set off towards the first of the lanes. Which were Grizedale East and then Grizedale West over moor lane to Monk Coniston. The overall route was quite a challenge for a relative novice. We have used pay and play sites before where overall damage isn’t so much of a concern. However the revving of engines spinning of wheels isn’t really the image we should be conveying on public Rights of Way. Pete gave a brief on how to start off on loose gravel and off we went following him in his G4 Coloured 90 td5 doing part of the rally routes along the way. Daniel was a sleep for the first part but soon awoke and giggled for all the rocky bumpy bits and when daddy got ever so slightly stuck with wheels scrabbling for grip on the wet rocks in a particularly difficultly uphill section. Pete patiently talked us through it. Danny didn’t find the rally sections at all interesting and again thoroughly enjoyed the bumpy down hill sections of Grizedale West. He wasn’t that bothered with the three loud bangs, drop down tow hitch, we received on the way down. We did a quick sprint along the roads to the next section, with Danny telling daddy to slow down because he wanted to see the sheep in the fields. The next route, which we were to recce and to which I don’t know the name is a new one for Kankku, but is used by the Land rover experience people. This route was up a farm track through a very short muddy section on farm land (I think it’s still the farm access road) the up a sloping track to were it meets another tarmac’d road. The route wasn’t particularly long nor was it that hard. So Pete asked if we’d drive it again of course we jumped at it, but after a quick driver change. So dad drove back down his route and then followed Pete back to Kankku for a quick lunch and so that he could pick up another customer. After lunch off we set again to do Garsburn Pass, which the National Park Authority has made permit only, so you need to go with a permit holder. The start of this route is extremely tight and slippery which dad found out. Pete our instructor patiently tried nine times to instruct us in the way of getting over a particularly tricky section. However wet rocks and Muddy Avon Rangemaster tyres and slight inexperience prevailed and finally after a quick tow we were off again. This route was/is definitely harder but again a good fun drive. There are a few tricky sections but although they needed care to traverse we didn’t get stuck. The final part of the Pass was done in the gathering darkness. The only downside to the day was the weather as it was damp all day

So thank you Nick and Pete an excellent and tiring day was had and if circumstances prevail we’ll definitely be back.

[muddyplugger]

Looks like a fun packed day Siggy! My 3yr old lad would have wanted to go back at lunch time! (I sometimes wonder if he's mine )

[geoffbeaumont]

Worth the money then?

[siggy]

definitely

Forgot to add that the exit gate on the garsburn pass is the narrowest so if you get down there and you can't get through it you are in trouble because you can't go back to the start as it is a one way lane................

typical authority idoicy(sp)