Road sportive events are hugely popular across the UK, with their blend of waymarked routes, feed stations, mechanical support and timing offer a challenge to riders who want to enjoy a great ride and compare their fitness, but aren’t quite ready for full bore racing. The Lakeland Monster Miles is one of the few off-road sportives, mixing roads, tracks and trails to offer a tougher challenge among stunning terrain. Held in October in the Keswick area, the event attracted a fantastic 644 riders aboard a variety of machines from mountain bikes and hybrids to cyclo-cross bikes.

Keith Foster, Publishing Director for IPC Media Ltd, said: “This new type of event – a mix of road and off-road riding we’re calling ‘Adventure Cross’ – was a first for us, so we were a bit apprehensive about how it would be received.

“But, thanks to everyone’s magnificent efforts, particularly the Rather Be Cycling team, we needn’t have worried.

“The feedback so far has been overwhelmingly positive and encouraging.

“Participant numbers were almost twice what we had realistically expected, so at this moment in time, I can’t see any reason why the ‘Lakeland Monster Miles’ shouldn’t become a regular annual event.”

TheLake District route, started and finished in Keswick, and as you can see from the video, was both picturesque and challenging, and offered something for everyone. The route was a mix of bridleways, flowing trails, tracks and minor mainly traffic free lanes that showed off the full range of what the Lakes have to offer and circumnavigating the Skiddaw Massif.

Keep an eye out in MBR or Cyclingweekly.co.uk for updates on next year’s event