Windermere to West Yorkshire ...

[cubby]

Hi, hope this post is in the correct section,

I'm relativly new to cycling, but have been doing between 30 - 40 miles a week for the last four months on a mountain bike ....

About 5 of us are in the early stages of planning a ride from Windermere (Cumbria) back to West Yorkshire (Halifax) in the summer of 2009,

I know to most of you this will be nothing of a ride, but to us its quite an achievement ...

We are planning on taking it easy and mostly doing it over two days with a half way stop over at a hostel or the likes ...

The ride will be done on moutain bikes not road bikes, so what we are after is any help on the route, we would prefer cycle tracks, bridleways etc rather than the road ...

Can anyone point us in the right direction of maps, routes or any other helpfull tips we may benifit from ?

Thanks in advance ...

Cubby

 

[Soltydog]

Good luck with the ride. I think the penninecycleway should cover most of the way for you & it's a good start

 

[cubby]

Thanks for that Soltydog, just had a look through, think i'll purchase the Penine Cycleway map ..

 

[marinyork]

What's wrong with the A65? I went to Coniston in the summer and I thought it would be quite cool to cycle along there. TBH some of the B roads aren't that great. Once you get to Settle you have a lot more options.

 

[piedwagtail91]

A65 = death trap in summer

 

[Tim Bennet.]

What's wrong with the A65?

Probably the least cycle friendly road around here. Picking any other at random will be better.

The problem is that the A65 does take the line of least resistance and the quieter alternatives tend to be hillier. If you start adding in off road sections, then the time needed for the ride will be way longer than 2 days.

But generally there are two options if you want quieter roads / cycleways: The first is using the cyclepaths and routes that parallel the A65 via Staveley, Kendal, Kirby Lonsdale, Bentham, etc. It's not that hilly and fairly direct. However once you get to Settle your options are less obvious - for the next stretch, avoiding the A65 means some big climbs up around Malham way.

The second alternative is much better, as direct, but probably hillier. You head south from Windermere through villages such as Crossthwaite and Brigsteer heading for Levens. Then follow the (Lancashire?) cycleway down towards Carnforth, Caton and the Trough of Bowland. Then continue to Slaidburn (YH), then cross the upper Ribble fells towards Halifax. I've been this way in reverse and it was a long day in the saddle.

 

[User482]

The Pennine and Lancashire cycleways are both lovely routes, but predictably are extremely hilly. If you've got the time, I recommend the Pennine cycleway - you can pick it up at Appleby, then Sedbergh, Settle, Gargrave, Barnoldswick, Colne, Hebden Bridge and onto Halifax. Note that I did Glossop to Malham in a day and was on my knees by the end!

 

[vernon]

A65 = death trap in summer

Agreed. It's one of the few roads that I've elected not to ride on in the summer months. Narrow, winding and fast - great for motorcycling and driving. Not so great for the intimidated cyclist.

 

[ColinJ]

Agreed. It's one of the few roads that I've elected not to ride on in the summer months. Narrow, winding and fast - great for motorcycling and driving. Not so great for the intimidated cyclist.

Further agreed! I did a summer ride in the Dales once with a mate but without a map. We took a wrong turn somewhere and ended up at Horton-in-Ribblesdale. There wasn't enough daylight (or energy) left for us to take the scenic route back to the car which was parked at Bolton Abbey, so we got on the A65 at Settle and headed for Skipton.

It was a Sunday evening and there was really heavy traffic returning from the Lake District. Loads of 4x4s towing boats and caravans. Fast moving motorbikes overtaking in stupid places. Lorries, cars, coaches. We got cut up repeatedly. And then things turned nasty...

It suddenly started pouring with rain, but the traffic didn't slow down at all. It's bad enough having a caravan go past 6 inches from your right elbow at 50 mph in clear conditions. Having it done to you in heavy spray when visibility was 10 or 15 yards was absolutely terrifying . I was amazed that we made it to Skipton in one piece.

 

[Tim Bennet.]

Quite. One alternative to get past the bottleneck of the A65 from Settle to Skipton, is to take the train for that leg. I hopped on going to the York Rally one year when I didn't have the time or inclination to wander off into the hills unnecessarily, or the death wish to ride that stretch.

 

[marinyork]

Just to clarify when I say A65 I do not mean the entire route, I mean the bit from Kirkby Lonsdale/Ingleton to Settle where there is a lack of alternative direct routes (to the north).

 

[ColinJ]

I think you will be taking on a lot doing this on MTBs in two days, but if you are sure that you'll be able to cope...

(Work out the section from Windermere to Carnforth for yourself - I don't know that area)

Okay, you asked for it! Carnforth, Over Kellet, Gressingham, Hornby, Salter, then a long bridleway over Salter Fell, Slaidburn (Youth Hostel there), Lane Ends, Grindleton, Downham, Barley, Newchurch-in-Pendle, Fence, Brierfield...

If you still have energy for more off-road () then Haggate, Worsthorne, bridleway to join the Pennine Bridleway/Mary Towneley Loop by Hurstwood reservoir, Widdop reservoir...

... short stretch along Widdop Road, Turn left onto the bridleway for New Laithe Moor, Walshaw, Shackleton, descend to Hardcastle Crags, Midgehole, drop down into Hebden Bridge.

If you are exhausted by the time you get to Brierfield, stick to the road. Turn left at Haggate, then go Thursden...

... Widdop, Slack, bear left at Slack Bottom (no tittering at the back!), fast descent through the woods to Hebden Bridge.

Get on the Calder Valley Cycleway near Hebden Bridge station, take that to Sowerby Bridge.

Take the Hebble Trail Cycleway into Halifax

You'll be tired after that little lot !

 

[cubby]

Hey thanks for all the replies ...

One of the reasons we choose to avoid the A65 was because of all the traffic at that time of year ...

The 2 days mentioned was just a starter guide, maybe 3 then ... or even 4 !!

Thanks Colin that route seems like a plan, will have to locate some maps on those area's ....

Thanks again everyone, will keep you all posted on the progress ...

 

[cubby]

But generally there are two options if you want quieter roads / cycleways: The first is using the cyclepaths and routes that parallel the A65 via Staveley, Kendal, Kirby Lonsdale, Bentham, etc. It's not that hilly and fairly direct. However once you get to Settle your options are less obvious - for the next stretch, avoiding the A65 means some big climbs up around Malham way.

Thanks also Tim, sounds like then sort of route we are after ...

 

[Christopher]

hi cubby

getting through Kendal
I'd recommend though that you use the link below to download a PDF:
http://www.celebratingcycling.org/more_info.asp?current_id=125
and the file is called: Lancaster - Kendal p2.pdf
as Kendal is a complete nightmare on a bike if you don't know it - I have had some horrible trips there, getting lost repeatedly.

Another tip is to go to secondhand bookstores and look for old maps that may suit you - most have a box or two for £1 to £2 each, and it hardly matters if they get trashed.