Personally I would rate the 2017 as the hardest one
Thank you , Ivo. I feel a whole lot better reading that from an experienced randonneur. TBH, I said that I would ride it just the once and the conditions that I experienced confirmed that decision.
However, one week on from LEL , I drove over the A66 past Barnard Castle and northwards beyond Moffat.
On Wednesday, the wind was from NNW, so would have been a tailwind up and over Yad Moss, and it was relatively dry.
Yesterday (Thursday), the hills were bathed in warm sunshine and there was a gentle SW breeze. Very tempting to reconsider.
Mind you,on Tuesday it rained heavily all day.
Luck of the draw on the weather front .