Barbondale Challenge

Leaving the sleepy town of Sedbergh, we head down the west side of the Lune valley on quiet country lanes, crossing the river towards Middleton and then Barbon (and a possible coffee stop). This is where the challenge kicks in - it's a six-mile steady climb through Barbondale, then a very quick downhill to meet the River Dent at Gawthrop. From here, we meander along the valley, climbing briefly onto the open fells before dropping back down to Sedbergh.