Lake District circuit route advice

[Pale Rider]

I am planning to do a circuit in the Lake District on Thursday.

Starting from Windermere/Bowness-on-Windermere, across on the ferry to Hawkshead, then Coniston - the town - then Ambleside and back to Windermere.

A not too hilly 25 or so miles.

My main question is when I get off the ferry, is there a path/route along the side of the lake?

Looks like there might be one which I could follow for a couple of miles before chucking a left somewhere towards Hawkshead.

I will be on a 20" bike with balloon tyres so can manage cinder tracks but no real rough stuff.

From Hawkshead my current plan is the B5285 to Coniston, then I understand there is a cycle path to Ambleside, at least part of the way.

Ambleside to Windermere appears to be the A road or nothing, probably because a lot of the big properties along there have private lakeside frontage which rules out a public path.

Does my route hang together OK?

All comments welcome.

 

[Spinney]

This is from memory, so someone with more recent cycling in the area might come along...

The track along Windermere is stony, but I'd probably attempt it on my touring bike, so balloon tires should be fine. It turns into a road at the north end that spits you out at High Wray.

The 'cycle path' near Ambleside is, I think, just a bit of track that lets you parallel the A593, but not sure if it goes all the way.

Ambleside to Windermere - you just have to grin and bear it - but it is 30 mph limit for quite a way south of Ambleside, and bits of it have a cycle path marked on the road.

An alternative on less busy roads (and the road along the east shore of Coniston Water is lovely.

 

[Pale Rider]

Spinney,

Thanks for putting that together so quickly.

Looks easy to follow.

I am just looking for a sub-30mile circuit, so missing Ambleside etc makes no difference, and I wasn't looking forward to the A road back from there.

 

[Spinney]

My suggestion is possibly a bit more lumpy than yours, but both have Hawkeshead Hill in them! The main disadvantage of my route, if you do it anticlockwise (that's the way shown in the elevation profile), is that the main cafe possibilities are in Hawkeshead, near the beginning. But you could always go round the other way...

Planning cycle routes is more fun than working!

There's also some nice cycling in the Lyth Valley (the bit south and east of Bowness) - but if you're only doing one trip, taking in the Windermere ferry and Consiton shore is the better option.

As far as being easy to follow - the leg from the south end of Coniston Water back to the ferry involves little lanes, and there are quite a few of them. Worth having an OS map (or some electronic widget/satnav thingy) to make sure you don't take the wrong one and end up doing a longer route than you anticipated!

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Spinney's route looks good , except that personally I would turn left in Near Sawrey and go round the western side of Esthwaite Water as it's usually slightly less busy than the direct route (doesn't have the regular pulses of traffic that have come over on the ferry).

For what it's worth, on the original route mentioned the lakeside path is tarmac for about the first mile then is a decent quality gravel track (rebuilt a couple of years ago)before branching onto either a tarmac lane that comes out at High Wray or a continuation of the gravel path that comes out by the gatehouse for Wray Castle. If heading for Coniston you could turn right at Wray Castle and follow the marked cycle route (part lanes, part gravel paths) until you reach the turning that takes you past the Drunken Duck and over Hawkshead Hill via the quieter road.

For the return from Coniston I don't think you'd like the marked cycle route to Ambleside. It starts off okay on gravel paths but becomes quite rough on the section between Low Tilberthwaite and Little Langdale. The path between Elterwater and Skelwith Bridge had a damaged section last time I was there but may have been repaired by now.

The main road between Ambleside and Windermere isn't much fun to ride on. There is a cyclepath along part of it but it's not very well thought out and in that direction will require you to cross the road twice.

One last thing - not too hilly and the Lake District don't really go together.

 

[Spinney]

One last thing - not too hilly and the Lake District don't really go together.

But there's Hawkshead Hill and then there's Hardknott Pass - all things are relative!

 

[Shadow]

Spinney's route looks to be an excellent alternative route. If only to avoid the main road from Ambleside back to Windermere. I was up there in May and even driving that road was horrible!

 

[thecube]

I did a lap of Windermere from Ambleside, it was great but the bit from Ambleside to Bowness was not good, so missing Ambleside is probably a good thing - it is so busy. Cycling around there is normally undulating! I did the Kirkstone pass from Ambleside, I can see why they call it "the struggle" it certainly was on my bike!

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

But there's Hawkshead Hill and then there's Hardknott Pass - all things are relative!

True, by Lake District standards Hawkshead Hill is only a moderate hill. (Just don't tell our south-eastern readers that it's a bigger climb than that there Ditchling Beacon.)

 

[Pale Rider]

Thanks for the replies, all of which are helpful to me.

I'm going to duff my original route, too many wrinkles, which taken together, probably won't add up to a pleasurable experience.

Spinney's circuit looks just the opposite and should make a good ride.

Looking at the map, it does appear more lumpy, but there are only two or three of those nasty little black arrows pointing in the wrong direction.

Speaking of maps, another good thing is the route is all on one Landranger sheet - my route took in two.

I fancy anti-clockwise, I don't want to miss the bit beside Coniston which I would if I went the other way and baled out for some reason (weather or just get the hump with it).

Coming back on the west side of that smaller lake looks a good idea, a bit more direct and slightly less hilly.

There are lots of little roads at the bottom of the route to get lost on, but that's what maps are for, and any navigational fail will only add a mile or two until the next turning.

Coffee stops are not a concern, I will have a flask on board.

So all-in-all, I am well set.

In these online times, I think it's easy to over-research anything, including cycle routes.

Look at it too much and you lose the sense of fun and adventure to the point where it's hardly worth going.

What we've done in this thread is just right - for me.

Thanks again.

 

[Hover Fly]

One alternative to the Ambleside-Bowness road:
http://www.stagecoachbus.com/PdfUploads/Timetable_51124_800 (Kendal Bike Bus).pdf
Pity I won't be in work tomorrow, I could have waved you off on the ferry.

 

[Pale Rider]

Ride competed - in fine weather despite the forecast.

I went clockwise to get the complicated bit out of the way first.

Things got off to a bad start when I turned left too early after the ferry.

Poor effort on my part and I'm still annoyed by my ineptitude.

My early turn sent me straight back down to the shore of Windermere, losing me all the height I had just gained.

I spent the next few miles in a state of mild route anxiety, stopping at every junction.

No real harm done, but stopping so often meant I was unable to settle into the ride.

I'm no hard charger, but I do like to get on the bike and keep riding it.

All the stops meant extra conversations with fellow riders - I spoke to two, one twice, who were both on a variation of the route difficulty theme.

Selecting the preferred road out of the little hamlets proved hard, even with a map and compass.

By the time I reached the start of the Coniston path at Spark Bridge, I was crying out for some uninterrupted cycling.

The road beside Lake Coniston did not disappoint, no nasty climbs but enough undulations to keep it interesting.

Good sight lines and some lovely sweeping bends - I imagine a fitter and faster rider than me would have a marvellous time.

Add the lake views, and I reckon that's one of the best stretches of road I've cycled.

Quite a climb up to the Hawkshead B-road, which was also where I encountered the my first significant traffic.

The drivers behaved themselves fairly well and I tried to let them past where I could.

I clocked almost exactly 30 miles back to the ferry - my early route fails added a few miles to what was planned.

Road surfaces all the way around were good, and even the narrowest lanes were wide enough not to have to worry too much about oncoming traffic.

An excellent ride which I would recommend to anyone - just don't ask me to show you the way.

 

[Kevoffthetee]

Hi guys, sorry to drag this one up. Does anyone have a GPX or TCX file for any of their rides. I'm heading over there next weekend with the family and am getting some me time on the bike