The Lake District - talk to me
Discussion
Got some time before starting another job and want to scratch the Hardknott Pass itch. Aim to go up from Reading one day, camp, do the pass, camp and maybe come back the third day. What other places/routes do people recommend around there? I may be able to stretch it to another day. I know I can go exploring but due to limited time I'd rather plan what I can. Quite partial to old railways as well.....
Depends on what you want to see and the type of riding you are happy with.
If spectacular views and slow but interesting and sometimes challenging roads then:
A good place to start and finish would be Keswick.
Head towards Penrith and turn off to Glenridding passing through and over the Kirkstone Pass into Ambleside via the Struggle.
From Ambleside head towards Langdale and over the Hardknott Pass and onto the Wrynose Pass which brings you out at Boot. The Wrynose pass is steep and bumpy in places with some seriously steep switchbacks. Your not far away from Wasdale Head which has great views but is effectively a dead end.
Pick-up the A595 at Gosforth and head north around towards Cockermouth and pickup the road to Low Lorton and head past Crummock Water and Buttermere over the Honister Pass which drops back down into Keswick.
Probably in the region of 120 miles but a full day and plenty of places to stop for food and refreshment along the way.
It will be worth doing a search of the forum as I am certain someone asked this question before. Although I think they were after more general bike friendly and flowing roads.
If spectacular views and slow but interesting and sometimes challenging roads then:
A good place to start and finish would be Keswick.
Head towards Penrith and turn off to Glenridding passing through and over the Kirkstone Pass into Ambleside via the Struggle.
From Ambleside head towards Langdale and over the Hardknott Pass and onto the Wrynose Pass which brings you out at Boot. The Wrynose pass is steep and bumpy in places with some seriously steep switchbacks. Your not far away from Wasdale Head which has great views but is effectively a dead end.
Pick-up the A595 at Gosforth and head north around towards Cockermouth and pickup the road to Low Lorton and head past Crummock Water and Buttermere over the Honister Pass which drops back down into Keswick.
Probably in the region of 120 miles but a full day and plenty of places to stop for food and refreshment along the way.
It will be worth doing a search of the forum as I am certain someone asked this question before. Although I think they were after more general bike friendly and flowing roads.
look out for the professional tea shop hunters - the jubilee is over now so they'll be out in their droves driving their pacific rim specials even slower to make that company pension stretch just that little bit further
otherwise, i have no advice it’s all nice really but i find the west coast area in parts better
otherwise, i have no advice it’s all nice really but i find the west coast area in parts better
I did 6 days in yorkshire last year and tagged on 1 lake district day including hardknott pass.
Nice views in the lakes and a change from yorkshire but as stated slow and very busy. However, for riding yorkshire was far better, great roads, no traffic, still great views.
I won't go back to the lakes with the bike but would happily do another week in Yorkshire
Nice views in the lakes and a change from yorkshire but as stated slow and very busy. However, for riding yorkshire was far better, great roads, no traffic, still great views.
I won't go back to the lakes with the bike but would happily do another week in Yorkshire
If you want to do Hardknott then you want to do Hardknott, I say crack on. However, the Lake District is far some any sort of motorbike or sportscar Mecca. For the most part it's busy, slow and a lot of the roads are in poor shape.
If it was me I'd stick to the Dales, the Pennines or go further up to Dumfries & Galloway and the borders in general. Wherever you go, maybe a stop at Ribblehead Viaduct would suit you if you've not been? It's glorious with some good surrounding roads.
I'll have a think about which roads in the Lakes I like riding and post up later.
If it was me I'd stick to the Dales, the Pennines or go further up to Dumfries & Galloway and the borders in general. Wherever you go, maybe a stop at Ribblehead Viaduct would suit you if you've not been? It's glorious with some good surrounding roads.
I'll have a think about which roads in the Lakes I like riding and post up later.
mabull said:
Forgot to add. At the end of the Wrynose Pass at Boot there is a small gauge steam train station that runs to Ravenglass via the Eskdale Valley. Check out the Little Ratty railway website. They have a small railway museum at the Ravenglass end.
C'mon, it's La'al Ratty not Little Ratty!https://ravenglass-railway.co.uk/
Roads I enjoy in the Lakes (for riding; nice views and nice places to stop for a brew or whatever not necessarily considered):
A595 from Ravenglass down as far as Grange-over-Sands/Cartmel area. Or vice versa depending on where you're coming from. Decent A road following the coast. Maybe get off near Kirby-in-Furness and take the road over the fell to Ulverston which is a lovely town.
The nearby road over Birker Fell is a nice, well-surfaced mountain road with sections where you can see well ahead. It's not named/numbered on Maps but let's say Eskdale to Ulpha, which is close to Hardknott. You could have a nice scenic pootle back eastward via Seathwaite.
The road between Hardknott and Wrynose passes is actually decent as you can basically see from one side to the other and give it the beans if it's clear (road condition dependent, don't recall it being TOO bad when I was last there in the car).
The A5086 from about Rowrah to Cockermouth is good. Cockermouth is a decent little town and not far from the s
t show that is Keswick, though the latter does have a couple of bike-friendly cafes (Bridge Cafe and The Filling Station). Avoid the A66 to Keswick and go over Whinlatter Pass if you want better views and some corners.
Don't bother with the A591 and take the less-busy-but-sometimes-still-pretty-busy A592 (Kirkstone Pass), there's a good stretch that runs right along the shores of Ullswater.
In my opinion, for enjoyable riding the west and south-west of Cumbria and the Lakes is the place to go, nice A and B roads, mountains on one side, sea on the other. Get it when it's quiet and its glorious. Central areas (Keswick, Ambleside, Windermere) do have some nice, quieter places (Little Langdale is beautiful off the top of my head and again is near Hardknott) but nothing fast and flowing really. In my experience, anywhere 'touristy' in the Lakes on a bike is frustrating.
A595 from Ravenglass down as far as Grange-over-Sands/Cartmel area. Or vice versa depending on where you're coming from. Decent A road following the coast. Maybe get off near Kirby-in-Furness and take the road over the fell to Ulverston which is a lovely town.
The nearby road over Birker Fell is a nice, well-surfaced mountain road with sections where you can see well ahead. It's not named/numbered on Maps but let's say Eskdale to Ulpha, which is close to Hardknott. You could have a nice scenic pootle back eastward via Seathwaite.
The road between Hardknott and Wrynose passes is actually decent as you can basically see from one side to the other and give it the beans if it's clear (road condition dependent, don't recall it being TOO bad when I was last there in the car).
The A5086 from about Rowrah to Cockermouth is good. Cockermouth is a decent little town and not far from the s
t show that is Keswick, though the latter does have a couple of bike-friendly cafes (Bridge Cafe and The Filling Station). Avoid the A66 to Keswick and go over Whinlatter Pass if you want better views and some corners. Don't bother with the A591 and take the less-busy-but-sometimes-still-pretty-busy A592 (Kirkstone Pass), there's a good stretch that runs right along the shores of Ullswater.
In my opinion, for enjoyable riding the west and south-west of Cumbria and the Lakes is the place to go, nice A and B roads, mountains on one side, sea on the other. Get it when it's quiet and its glorious. Central areas (Keswick, Ambleside, Windermere) do have some nice, quieter places (Little Langdale is beautiful off the top of my head and again is near Hardknott) but nothing fast and flowing really. In my experience, anywhere 'touristy' in the Lakes on a bike is frustrating.
Edited by horsemeatscandal on Friday 10th June 14:56
I've thoroughly enjoyed my visits to the Lake District, whether by car or bike. But... it's no sportsbike Utopia, and I'd imagine could be a right pain on the wrong bike. All my stuff (Harleys, old Zeds, TR7 V8, NG etc.) can be enjoyed whilst having a spirited bimble, but the roads, their condition and traffic mean high speed hooning is probably not on your agenda. Doesn't mean I wouldn't recommend it, but it's not a place for getting your knee down. Hardknott/Wrynose is a nice enough ride/drive in the right conditions but can be unpleasant if the weather's crap, or on a busy day.
Nobody mentioned Hartside yet? Off the M6 at Penrith then north east to Alston. You can then either go down into the Tyne valley or if you're heading back south go down Teesdale.
Great roads and unlike the lakes the bikes usually outnumber the caravans!
Lakes are lovely and well worth a visit but likely to be rammed!
Great roads and unlike the lakes the bikes usually outnumber the caravans!
Lakes are lovely and well worth a visit but likely to be rammed!
I did a trip last autumn from Hants to see an old mate in the Lakes. I left Thu AM and did the Cotswolds > Peak > Dales. Stayed a night in the Dales and then over to the Lakes, meeting up Fri eve. The Cotswolds were nice and quiet in the midweek, I avoided the A515 and had a good run up to Buxton. From there a bit hit and miss as all roads go through busy towns and nothing direct north due to geography, Keighley Moor was a good diversion to avoid towns. The Dales on a sunny Friday morning was unexpectedly the highlight of the trip.
I was lucky and had a good 'spirited' run through Borrowdale, but the Lakes are never quiet and speaking to my mate and a few others he knew, worse since the post-COVID I-need-a-campervan staycation craze. #followthefrikinherd, or something.
If I were in your shoes, I'd re-run my route up, camp in the Malham area, scratch the Lakes itch (even if busy, it's undeniably beautiful, so tour with a camera) and tour back down through Shropshire etc. When in the Dales, I was going to camp in Malham as there were a couple of decent looking sites, but the forecast went down to -2C overnight, so I wimped it and stayed in a pub, ate pies, drank beer and was happy & warm.
I was lucky and had a good 'spirited' run through Borrowdale, but the Lakes are never quiet and speaking to my mate and a few others he knew, worse since the post-COVID I-need-a-campervan staycation craze. #followthefrikinherd, or something.
If I were in your shoes, I'd re-run my route up, camp in the Malham area, scratch the Lakes itch (even if busy, it's undeniably beautiful, so tour with a camera) and tour back down through Shropshire etc. When in the Dales, I was going to camp in Malham as there were a couple of decent looking sites, but the forecast went down to -2C overnight, so I wimped it and stayed in a pub, ate pies, drank beer and was happy & warm.
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