There’s no secret to this journey (unless you’ve never been to Hawkshead before) but it’s worth talking about. In the summer I borrowed an electric bike from Country Lanes Cycle Hire on Windermere train station. My plan was to attempt to circumnavigate Lake Windermere, something I hadn’t done for at least ten years.

I used to be a keen roadie with a nice titanium racing bike but after many years of scootering I was seriously unfit. The wrong side of 50, several stone overweight and with a cardiac condition I just didn’t get on with my uncomfortable road bike any more. So I was interested in trying out an e-bike.

My first impression was how heavy it was, at least double the weight of my racer. It was also more mountain bike than road bike. The wheels were huge and the tyres wide but they made for a comfortable ride. The range on one charge is around 40 miles but this depends on the riders weight and how many hills you go up. I was a little worried about the battery running out, leaving me to pedal a very heavy bike back to the shop. There were four power settings High, Standard, Eco and Eco+. So I put it in standard and set off. From Windermere station I rolled down to Bowness and headed down the East side of the lake. This is a road I know well, having commuted down it for five years on a bike and then on a scooter.

The e-bike got me up to 15.5mph really quickly and then the minute it hit 16mph the motor cut out leaving me do all the work myself. There were some rolling ups and downs that the bike managed easily while I got used to it. Before I knew it I was at Lakeside (down the bottom of the lake and up the other side a bit). I stopped off by the Aquarium I used to work at. It was really sunny so I decided to whack on some sunscreen and have a drink. The bottle was still full. That was interesting, normally i’d have drunk half of it after 10 miles. After five minutes or so I was feeling good and I set off again. The west side of the lake is much quieter and a bit safer than the east. My plan was to head to Hawkshead but if was feeling tired or the battery was low i would head for the car ferry from Near Sawrey. Or Far Sawrey… one of the Sawreys anyway. So i pedalled along happily in the sun keeping my eye out for Sawrey and the short cut home. Before long I rounded a corner and saw a familiar looking Youth Hostel, I couldn’t quite believe it I had passed the turn off to the ferry and arrived at Hawkshead way before I expected.

So I pottered around the town for a while mulling over the journey so far. I was still blown away by how fast I got to Hawkshead. I checked the battery still around 38% left and I realised I had enough energy in the bike and in my legs to finish the last leg through Ambleside and back to Windermere. I relaxed and thought I’d get some food. I found a pub I could sit outside and ordered fish goujons with chips… and a pint of beer. I have never once in my life had alcohol on a bike ride. I know other people do it but it just never appealed to me. But on this sunny day i sat and enjoyed the fish and the chips and the bit of lemonade I had in the lager. Marvellous!

Before long I was back in the saddle for the last bit. On a narrow road I had my only mishap of the day when I pulled in a bit to let a truck get past I lost my balance and righted myself with my elbow on a dry stone wall. There was some blood but nothing serious. Ambleside passed by in a blur and I was soon within sight of the train station and the end of the ride. I think it took about two and a half hours or so. I had covered 28 miles and I felt great. A little stiff and sore so I knew I’d done some work, it wasn’t all the bike. There was 20% left on the battery, I had tried to preserve it by dropping down to eco on the flat bits and I never even tried the high setting. When I got home I dug out my old cycling log to see the last time I had done 28 miles or more on a ride… thirteen years. There it was in black and white. I knew e-bikes were the future. I realised I could sell my Vespa and commute to work by bike without getting too sweaty and I could go home the long way. Over the hills! Thats what e-bikes really do well, they take the pain out of the hills and in the Lake District that is a godsend.

But don’t take my word for it, try one for yourself you can hire them from Country Lanes in Windermere.