The annual 112 mile Fred Whitton Challenge is so oversubscribed that organisers, The Lakes Road Club, have launched the Four Seasons Fred Whitton, which allows people to ride the route anytime of the year.

Having teamed up with Cumbria Tourism and The Lake District National Park, this new Four Seasons Fred Whitton allows anybody to ride the challenging route 365 days of the year. A timing system from Sportident enables riders to record their ride time with timing boxes placed around the route.

It starts in Coniston with check points at Kirkstone Pass Inn, Buttermere Youth Hostel and Gosforth. Upon arriving at the finish the time is instantly logged and published on the Fred Whitton website, and shortly afterwards a certificate will be issued.

The timing system is programmed to take notice of an overnight stay and would only give the riders actual riding time. So don’t feel you have to do the route in one day, and take several days if you so wish.

The Lakes Road Club, together with Cumbria Tourism and The Lake District National Park are promoting this ride, acknowledged has one of the hardest single day rides in the country, and the first of the amazingly popular cycling sportive rides now taking part all over the country.

The Four Seasons Fred Whitton will launch on 1 August and there’ll be more details at www.thefredwhittonchallenge.org.uk