| Great escapes: Lake District 4 |
| On her bike |
| Hire a state-of-the-art mountain bike in Ambleside, then make
a tour of the nearby fells for a handle on the region's varied terrain |
As you would expect, Cumbria offers some of the richest and most challenging cycle trails in Britain. Though there are plenty of flatter routes for those that prefer them, serious mountain bikers will love the rugged off-road terrain. For really fit cyclists there's the 'coast-to-coast' cycle route through the Lakes, a 140-mile route linking Whitehaven in the west to Sunderland in the east. There's also the Cumbria Cycle Way,
a 259-mile circular route around the border of Cumbria.
As we mentioned in our hiker's route (p65), our plans were rather hampered by foot-and-mouth restrictions when we were in the area, but not to be deterred, we picked out the following route with the help of Calvin Rae at Ghyllside Cycles in Ambleside.
It is also possible to hire bikes from Ghyllside Cycles if you haven't brought your own (see overleaf for details).
1. Get yourself some wheels
In your car, zero the trip meter and drive out of Park Coppice Caravan Club Site, turning right onto the A593 for Ambleside. At 8.5 miles, cross the bridge, bear left at the traffic lights and follow signs for the A591 in the direction of Rydal and Keswick. On arrival in Ambleside turn left into the town's main car park, on Rydal Road, at 9.2 miles (cost of parking: up to 8hrs, £4.50; up to 12hrs, £6). Now walk back towards the
centre of town, turning right down Compston Road. After 250 metres turn left up The Slack for Ghyllside Cycles to hire a bike.
2. Start pedalling
Now in the saddle, exit Ghyllside Cycles and go back down The Slack to the traffic lights. Take the left fork at the tea rooms opposite, down past Ambleside Infant School, making sure you dismount as you enter Rothay Park (cycling is prohibited here). Cross the River Rothay on the far side of the park at the footbridge, then mount your bike. Turn right onto the single-track surfaced road, which is signposted Under Loughrigg.
At 11/2 miles, just before Pelter Bridge, turn left past the Cote How guesthouse then join the bridlepath at the Glen Rothay Hotel. Follow this, crossing a footbridge, then where the path divides at the gate to the National Trust Loughrigg Fell
site bear right and descend to Rydal Water.
The cycle way runs alongside the edge of this beautiful lake; at one point a rocky outcrop will force you to get your wheels wet.
Continue across Loughrigg Terrace, which is a rocky and sometimes quite steep ascent overlooking the lovely lake of Grasmere on the right. At three miles, having passed through a gate and a wood, the track reaches a lane at the top of Red Bank. Keep right at the junction at the top of Red Bank, signposted Langdales, and climb to High Close Youth Hostel. It's tempting to go full speed down to the main road here, but try and resist: the stark outline of the Langdale Pikes is among the views that best illustrates the scenery of the
Lakes as a whole, and deserves to be savoured.
Cross the main road when you reach it and continue to Elterwater village. At 300 metres, cross the bridge and turn right at The Barn. After another 200 metres take the bridlepath on the left, signed Little Langdale. This section is uphill and quite a slog, but once you get to the top it's all downhill to the lane. Make your way down, then turn left towards Little Langdale.
From Little Langdale, take the tiny lane on the right, signposted Tilberthwaite. Cross the river on the footbridge and continue along the bridlepath, turning left where it splits after a further 1/2 mile,
signposted Hodge Close.
This is slate-quarrying territory, and it's a rattling ride up to the cottages at Hodge Close but there are some impressive views to be had out across the quarries.
At Hodge Close turn right into the lane. Follow it for two miles to the main road. Turn left here onto the A593, pass Yewtree Tarn after a mile, then ascend for a further mile to the top of the pass at High Cross.
At High Cross turn sharp right onto a lane, signed High Arnside, which soon forks right onto Old Mountain Road, an excellent
off-road track without too much rubble. In two miles you'll reach the lane at Knipe Fold. Turn left here, and after another mile stop for lunch at the Drunken Duck Inn. You'll have earned your rest.
3. Lunch and home again
An up-market 17th-century inn with its own brewery and a superb selection of food, this is one of the best pubs in the Lakes (though at a price; sandwiches on ciabatta start at a little over £4). Open for lunch between 11.30am and 2.30pm, and for dinner from 6pm-9pm.
After your food and drink have
settled, resume the route by turning left out of the inn, then going straight on at the buildings at Skelwith Fold and continuing on Bog Lane to the B5286. Cross the river, then take the A593 back to Ambleside via Rothay Bridge and from there back up The Stack to Ghyllside Cycles.
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Distance 20 miles Time 3-7 hours
Start/finish Ghyllside Cycles, Ambleside
Terrain Mixed, including steep hills
Suitable for The moderately fit
Refreshment
Drunken Duck
Tel 01539 436347
Information
Ambleside
Tel 01539 432582
Cycle hire
Ghyllside Cycles, The Slack, Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 9DQ
Tel 01539 433592
• You really need state-of-the-art mountain bikes with suspension front-forks if you intend to leave surfaced roads as we did. Hire from Ghyllside will cost you £14 per day, or £70 per week. Our thanks to Calvin Rae at Ghyllside for his invaluable encyclopaedic advice on where to ride and where to stop for refreshments.
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