England : Cumbria Easy bike rides in Lake District?

[FlyingCyclist]

Are there any easy(ish) bike rides in the Lakes?

One ride I'm planning is cycling from Ambleside anti-clockwise round Loughrigg Fell (on the road and maybe path!!) between now and next Friday.

Surface I'm looking for is mostly road, but with some easy paths shared with walkers.

 

[Spinney]

Where are you staying? Ambleside? There are some nice rides further south, in the Lyth Valley (south of the main road between Windermere and Kendal), it's good to go across the Windermere Ferry and cycle in the lanes between Windermere and Coniston Water. It's a bit of a pull on the west side of the lake from the ferry up towards Sawrey, but by the time you get to the foot of the hill all the cars from the ferry have already overtaken you, so fairly quiet while you're struggling (if your legs are as rubbish as mine, that is!)

 

[FlyingCyclist]

I'm not staying in Cumbria. It's a 2 hour drive from Keighley. I've walked up and over Loughrigg Fell 3 times now, but never cycled over there.

 

[Spinney]

Ah, OK, then what I said about the Lyth Valley is good. I stay at Levens and ride from there up through Crook to the ferry, then back down the west side of the lake and loop around sometimes through Grange and back along the flat lanes south of the Barrow road.

 

[ColinJ]

I liked the quiet road between Penny Bridge and Coniston along the east side of Coniston Water. It is 18.5 km so to Coniston and back would be 37 km, or about 23 miles. It is pretty flat apart from a few minor lumps.

 

[Pale Rider]

Worth bearing in mind the Windermere Ferry is closed - the boat needs a new engine.

Some talk online of it reopening in October, but it was still closed when I was there last weekend.

There's a small passenger ferry from the piers at Bowness which notionally doesn't take bikes.

However, the impression I got was they would throw a bike or two on if there was space.

https://www.cumbria.gov.uk/roads-transport/highways-pavements/windermereferry.asp

 

[Deleted member 26715]

I was intending to do the Coniston loop when I was up there in September, figured it was about 15 milesish, but I chose the day that Hurricane Ali decided to come visit, got 3 miles out & a tree across the road made me turn around, glad I did as I wouldn't have liked to have been out on a bike for the next hour.

 

[nickyboy]

Worth bearing in mind the Windermere Ferry is closed - the boat needs a new engine.

Some talk online of it reopening in October, but it was still closed when I was there last weekend.

There's a small passenger ferry from the piers at Bowness which notionally doesn't take bikes.

However, the impression I got was they would throw a bike or two on if there was space.

https://www.cumbria.gov.uk/roads-transport/highways-pavements/windermereferry.asp

The pedant in me is saddened by Cumbria County Council (of all people) referring to Windermere as "Lake Windermere"

All fellow pedants know there's only one lake in the Lake District (and Windermere ain't it)

 

[FlyingCyclist]

I noticed there was a ferry on Windermere, but I would do the whole circle of the lake.

Wastwater looks good.

 

[Spinney]

I noticed there was a ferry on Windermere, but I would do the whole circle of the lake.

Wastwater looks good.

The A roads up the eastern side are quite fast and busy, particularly between Windermere (the town) and Ambleside.

 

[Houthakker]

I did the loop aroud Coniston last month, truly beautiful. Went anticlockwise and then extended the loop up and around Tarn Howes. Only a few extra miles but a bit more climbing. 18.5 miles and 1450 feet. Nice cafe stop at Brantwood as well.

 

[Slow But Determined]

Glad this thread is here, we have booked a cottage in Grasmere early December, any recommendations for rides from there?

 

[iluvmybike]

I noticed there was a ferry on Windermere, but I would do the whole circle of the lake.

Wastwater looks good.

It's a long drive round to Wasdale from Keighley and the road up past Waswater along the Wasdale Valley is a dead end (unless you are a mountain biker)

 

[FlyingCyclist]

It's a long drive round to Wasdale from Keighley and the road up past Waswater along the Wasdale Valley is a dead end (unless you are a mountain biker)

Yeah I know. Doesn't matter if I double back a few times.

Not going cycling there this week, and doubt I'll go this year now.

 

[Pale Rider]

The ferry across Windermere is operating again after getting a new engine.

A bit late in this cycling season, but it means relatively easy lake loops are doable again.

Incidentally, I'm sure one of the ferry attendants was/is a member on here, but I can't remember a username.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-46009137