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lake district route advice please

Posted: 14 Aug 2014, 7:41pm
by hgtevelo
Hi

I am wanting to take in a circular route for Windermere, or near by, that includes the Duddon Valley as I have never been over that way. My guess is I would have to do Wyrnose at some point going that way, done it a couple of times, but not with panniers! would be good to avoid, but prob can't lol

Any idea of mileage would be great too.

Many thanks

Re: lake district route advice please

Posted: 15 Aug 2014, 8:51am
by 531colin
Walna scar "road" from Coniston, if you don't mind a challenge. Years since I have been over there.

Re: lake district route advice please

Posted: 15 Aug 2014, 9:58am
by cycleruk
531colin wrote:Walna scar "road" from Coniston, if you don't mind a challenge. Years since I have been over there.


A bit (very) rough in places.
O.K., or was on a mountain bike but not so sure on a tourer. :roll:

Dunnerdale splits Hardnott & Ryenose in half so you could chose which one you want to ride. :mrgreen:

Re: lake district route advice please

Posted: 15 Aug 2014, 7:04pm
by cycleruk
Start - Cross ferry to west side of lake. (stiff climb from ferry)
Then Hawkshead, Coniston, A593 Torver, Then Broughton Mills.
Head north - Seathwaite, Cockley Beck.
T' junction. (left for Hardnott) turn right for Wrynose and drop down to Little Langdale.(very good brakes needed).
Doing it this way I think takes the sting out of both passes as basically your on the plateau between them.
Near Skelwith Bridge chose back to Hawkshead and ferry over Lake or Ambleside then Windermere.

About 40 miles round trip but a bit lumpy and low gears required. :wink: :mrgreen:

Just a question - When you say Windermere do actually mean the town or the just anywhere near the Lake?

Re: lake district route advice please

Posted: 15 Aug 2014, 8:26pm
by hgtevelo
Ta for that.

Guess I mean the town really, as will be coming in by train. Take it you mean the ferry at bowness? And onto hawkshead, up hammerhead hill?

Yes been up and down wrynose couple of times, but not with panniers on back "reduce speed now!"

Re: lake district route advice please

Posted: 16 Aug 2014, 11:07am
by cycleruk
hgtevelo wrote:Ta for that.

Guess I mean the town really, as will be coming in by train. Take it you mean the ferry at bowness? And onto hawkshead, up hammerhead hill?

Yes been up and down wrynose couple of times, but not with panniers on back "reduce speed now!"


Hammerhead Hill - I called it something else last time I climbed it. :mrgreen:
And yes the Bowness Ferry.

If touring, then when reaching Cockley Beck, turn left over Hardnott to Boot.
Clockwise to Gosforth, Rowrah, Lamplugh, Loweswater, Buttermere.
Chose Honister or Newlands to Keswick.
Back to Windermere - 100 miles 2 days. :D

Re: lake district route advice please

Posted: 16 Aug 2014, 2:45pm
by Bicycler
cycleruk has the best option for a loop from Windermere. If you have done the route through to Wrynose a few times and want to vary it you can detour through Great Langdale (cracking pub there btw) rather than Little Langdale. This adds a few miles and a fair bit of extra climbing to the route but I think it's more scenic. I always make the detour when over that way.

Where are you getting the train from? You could always get the train to or from Foxfield instead (change at Carnforth or Lancaster and usually Barrow) which is on the coast at the start of the Duddon Valley (another cracking pub in Foxfield BTW). That is obviously a bit closer that Windermere to the area you want to be riding. Sadly trains are infrequent and Monday-Saturday only. A different option starting there would be to do a loop involving either Hardknott Pass or the Birker or Corney Fell roads (avoid Corney Fell during the week as it is a bit of a rat run).

I've walked over the Walna Scar Road. It is a lovely route but it is proper rough stuff territory, so I'd rule it out if you are after a road ride.

Re: lake district route advice please

Posted: 16 Aug 2014, 5:16pm
by Dean
Round Windermere, I think I'd be looking at the road past Gummer's How. Fabulous views back over the lake.

Re: lake district route advice please

Posted: 16 Aug 2014, 7:39pm
by hgtevelo
Thanks for all replys

Was going to get train from leeds but might get it to Lancaster now as believe good route to Kendal from there, and looks like a 5hour trip to Windermere on train, only 2 to Lancaster

Re: lake district route advice please

Posted: 16 Aug 2014, 8:06pm
by Bicycler
hgtvelo, maybe the rail journey planner is trying to send you the long way round to windermere via Carlisle? If it's 2 hours to Lancaster there are trains from Lancaster to Windermere every hour or so (sometimes involving a quick change of trains at Oxenholme) and the journey time is under an hour.

If you are getting the direct train from Leeds to Lancaster via Skipton, they stop at Carnforth before Lancaster and that is closer to the Lake District.

Also, if you can get to Oxenholme (next main station from Lancaster down the main line), that has lots of trains and it's basically Kendal station in all but name. You could do a ride into the lakes from there without having to wait for the extra train to windermere.