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A Lake District Grand Tour: Pedalling through Lakeland: The Challenge, The History, The Wildlife, The Scones
"For the armchair adventurer, cycling the Lakes with Mike is an enlightening experience," according to the North West Evening Mail.
In ‘A Lake District Grand Tour’, Mike's third book, he visits all the lakes of Lakeland, pokes into its most distant corners, and cycles over every mountain pass (well, he attempts to).
Cumbria Life magazine writes that the book is "relaxed and chatty with a ready wit,” and The Cumbria Magazine speaks of "a sense of humour in abundance."
As Mike rides, he tells the story of Lakeland. He sees where poets wrote and climbers climbed, he tells of ‘oond trailin’ and fell-racing, and he hunts for golden eagles and elusive ring ouzels.
With his twenty-year-old son alongside him on the ride (actually more often ahead of him, disappearing up a hill) and sharing his sense of humour, Mike’s is a story of Challenge, History, Wildlife and Scones, though not entirely in that order.
As Arrivee magazine says, "Mike Carden’s easy style of writing, with its built-in gentle humour and his eye for detail that many of us would easily miss, belies the fact that he (and his 20-year-old son) have undertaken a serious tour." Join him on A Grand Tour of the Lake District.
In ‘A Lake District Grand Tour’, Mike's third book, he visits all the lakes of Lakeland, pokes into its most distant corners, and cycles over every mountain pass (well, he attempts to).
Cumbria Life magazine writes that the book is "relaxed and chatty with a ready wit,” and The Cumbria Magazine speaks of "a sense of humour in abundance."
As Mike rides, he tells the story of Lakeland. He sees where poets wrote and climbers climbed, he tells of ‘oond trailin’ and fell-racing, and he hunts for golden eagles and elusive ring ouzels.
With his twenty-year-old son alongside him on the ride (actually more often ahead of him, disappearing up a hill) and sharing his sense of humour, Mike’s is a story of Challenge, History, Wildlife and Scones, though not entirely in that order.
As Arrivee magazine says, "Mike Carden’s easy style of writing, with its built-in gentle humour and his eye for detail that many of us would easily miss, belies the fact that he (and his 20-year-old son) have undertaken a serious tour." Join him on A Grand Tour of the Lake District.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2013
31 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
About the author
Mike Carden
5 booksHi and thanks for visiting.
I have two writing personas, one as Mike Carden writing humorous books of my cycle travels, the second as Michael Carden, which sounds much more serious. In that persona I have turned my attention to historical novels.
'Alfred of Wessex' is a novel based on the life of the youngest brother of Kings of Wessex, and who would later be known as Alfred the Great.
It starts with 'Alfred of Wessex. Book One: Inheritance'. February 2024 saw the publication of 'Alfred of Wessex. Book Two: Vengeance' and December 2024 the final book of the trilogy: Alfred of Wessex, Book Three: Resistance
There are three books in my series of humorous cycling travelogues, with reviews such as “Warm, well observed, unpretentious and very funny” from The Adventure Travel magazine.
I have two writing personas, one as Mike Carden writing humorous books of my cycle travels, the second as Michael Carden, which sounds much more serious. In that persona I have turned my attention to historical novels.
'Alfred of Wessex' is a novel based on the life of the youngest brother of Kings of Wessex, and who would later be known as Alfred the Great.
It starts with 'Alfred of Wessex. Book One: Inheritance'. February 2024 saw the publication of 'Alfred of Wessex. Book Two: Vengeance' and December 2024 the final book of the trilogy: Alfred of Wessex, Book Three: Resistance
There are three books in my series of humorous cycling travelogues, with reviews such as “Warm, well observed, unpretentious and very funny” from The Adventure Travel magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 5, 2019
I found this while browsing through the travel guides at the library and it sounded like a unique way to get to know the Lake District. The whole premise is that the writer and his son spend nine days cycling around the Lake District. It’s not a place that’s new to them, but it’s a great way for them to introduce us to bits of history and trivia about the Lakes.
To be honest, I read this book hoping to know what parts of the Lake District to prioritise and what parts could be skipped, but after finishing this book, I feel like there’s no way we can skip any of the lakes. They all sound marvellous, with their own unique points and I want to see them all.
The book was also useful in increasing my TBR list of books to read before our next visit. Apart from Beatrix Potter, this book reminded me that the Lake District is also the home of the Lake Poets, including William Wordsworth. Not to mention Tennyson’s version of the legend of Arthur, which is supposed to be inspired by St. Bega by Bassenthwaite Lake. It also introduced me to a new writer, Arthur Ransome, who’s book Swallows and Amazons is supposed to be based on Coniston Water and Windermere – it might be for children but it sounds like something I would enjoy (still a kid at heart, clearly).
Style-wise, this book is pretty light-hearted. The author gets lost quite a few times and never manages to see all the animals he hoped to spot, but he takes it all in good humour. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and chuckled a few times while reading it.
This has definitely made me more excited for the upcoming trip to the Lake District, although I still have no idea how we’re going to fit everything or what we’re going to prioritise.
This review was first posted at Eustea Reads
To be honest, I read this book hoping to know what parts of the Lake District to prioritise and what parts could be skipped, but after finishing this book, I feel like there’s no way we can skip any of the lakes. They all sound marvellous, with their own unique points and I want to see them all.
The book was also useful in increasing my TBR list of books to read before our next visit. Apart from Beatrix Potter, this book reminded me that the Lake District is also the home of the Lake Poets, including William Wordsworth. Not to mention Tennyson’s version of the legend of Arthur, which is supposed to be inspired by St. Bega by Bassenthwaite Lake. It also introduced me to a new writer, Arthur Ransome, who’s book Swallows and Amazons is supposed to be based on Coniston Water and Windermere – it might be for children but it sounds like something I would enjoy (still a kid at heart, clearly).
Style-wise, this book is pretty light-hearted. The author gets lost quite a few times and never manages to see all the animals he hoped to spot, but he takes it all in good humour. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and chuckled a few times while reading it.
This has definitely made me more excited for the upcoming trip to the Lake District, although I still have no idea how we’re going to fit everything or what we’re going to prioritise.
This review was first posted at Eustea Reads
January 8, 2022
Very enjoyable
This is the third and the last of the three cycling books by Mike Carden and I enjoyed all three. Mike continues in a similar fashion to his previous two books, entertaining us with his dry sense of humour and giving us interesting and useful information on the historical aspects of many of the sites and places that he visits.
This is the third and the last of the three cycling books by Mike Carden and I enjoyed all three. Mike continues in a similar fashion to his previous two books, entertaining us with his dry sense of humour and giving us interesting and useful information on the historical aspects of many of the sites and places that he visits.
January 31, 2022
Thoroughly enjoyable read.
I was expecting a 'how to' guide and instead enjoyed a blooming good read. Great book. Fantastic descriptions of the Lakeland roads and a 9 day journey of discovery. Makes me want to get my bike out and discover the area I live in.
I was expecting a 'how to' guide and instead enjoyed a blooming good read. Great book. Fantastic descriptions of the Lakeland roads and a 9 day journey of discovery. Makes me want to get my bike out and discover the area I live in.
October 2, 2021
The last great cycle story by Mike (at time of writing). No conversations with "Scotty" his bicycle, fewer attempts at local regional accents, but longer chapters and greater range of descriptive commentary.
No spoiler, but they don't seem to get lost as much.
No spoiler, but they don't seem to get lost as much.
April 16, 2015
A surprisingly simple idea, which never really seemed to deliver. The title has many things in it which I like, which probably made me buy the book. It is a cycle tour visiting all the lakes and passes of the Lake District. Father Mike puffs along often behind son Richard, producing an inconsistent travelogue read. Although disappointing, it is rescued by some of the excellent historical nuggets.
February 28, 2021
I bought this book on a whim and greatly enjoyed it; an amusing account of a cycle trip around the Lake District to visit every lake and try to ride over the highest passes, with the author's fitter son often disappearing off into the distance. On the way visiting many of my own favourite places. For cycle tourists, the author’s website is a good resource for bike shops, cafes and places to stay in the Lake District and much else besides (https://lakedistrictgrandtour.co.uk/).
August 27, 2015
Thoroughly enjoyable trip around the Lakes, a gentle pace and a gentle humour throughout - all the better to enjoy the journey.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews