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MOUNTAIN BIKING IN THE LAKES


In the past five years mountain biking in the Lakes has grown in popularity. Keswick, Windermere and Ambleside are among locations offering easy bike hire opportunities. Among off road options is the new Altura Trail at Whinlatter Forest. The 19km (11.8 miles) route near Keswick, is owned by the Forestry Commission and is a red grade which means it is challenging and only for experienced cyclists.The Altura Trail is a 19 kilometre red grade mountain bike route which includes 15 kilometres of new single track. There are challenging single track sections and popular features like berms, jumps, rock features, skinnies, cork screws and table tops. There are also fantatsic views of Derwent water, Bassenthwaite, Helvelyn and Skiddaw as the trail takes the rider to an altitude of 500m (1600ft) above Keswick. At the trail head a new purpose built cycle shop run by Cyclewise of Penrith offers cycle parts, clothing, maintenance and new bike sales.A guide to the Altura Trail (3mb pdf) is available at the Visitor Centre or Cyclewise Shop at the trail head. This gives route and grading details and should be read by all riders before attempting the trail for the first time.

Passing through the central Lake District is the Coast to Coast (also known and signposted as the CtoC or C2C) mountain biking route provides around 130 miles of riding. Your start point can be either the lighthouse in Workington or the harbour in Whitehaven (Here there is a tradition of dipping your wheel in the Irish Sea and doing likewise in the North Sea). And on the east side finish in Tynemouth (4 miles longer) or Sunderland. The Sustrans map also shows a further link from Carlisle to Penrith. The Sustrans route is signed as 'C2C'
The route is predominantly on minor roads and disused railways. There are some tougher (=more climbing) options, e.g going from Whitehaven crosses Whinlatter Pass but starting from Workington (6 miles shorter) does not. And east of Keswick the 'alternative' Old Coach Road takes you way up on to rough moorland tracks while the 'main' route parallels the A66 on minor roads.

The CtoC links into the recently created West Cumbrian cycleway network near the Mirehouse housing estate in Whitehaven. The cycleway is largely tarmac-topped and follows the lines of disused rail links that used to serve the are's iron and coal industrial past.
More details of the C to C cycleway can be found at: Excellent site giving details of the Coast to Coast Cycleways.
Thanks to Sustrans many disused rail lines now double as cycleways around Keswick and between Workington and Whitehaven.

Ravenglass railway
Eskdale is ideal walking and mountain biking territory, something that the famous Laal Ratty miniature railway has supported. Not only can you now hire mountain bikes at the Dalegarth terminus of the railway, but you can let the 'train take the strain' and plan a route that takes you freewheeling down towards the coast while hopping the train for the return journey back up to the Eskdale valley. Find out more at www.ravenglass-railway.co.uk


  Hadrian’s Cycleway is a new 170 mile long distance
Coast to Coast cycle route being developed by Sustrans and is due to eventually link Tynemouth to Roman Ravenglass.

 OTHER USEFUL WEB LINKS

Bunkhouse near Shap: New Ing Farm, Shap, Nr. Penrith, Cumbria, CA10 3LX tel: 01931 716719

Details of West Cumbrian cycleways.

Keswick Bike Hire optionKeswick Mountain Bikes

Mountain Biking details on Keswick based site Lake District Outdoors

Quirky bike friendly cafe @ Greystoke Cycle Café

General information about cycling in Cumbria can be found at
www.cyclingcumbria.co.uk

Bikemagic UK site....Bikemagic.

Cycleway information... Sustrans

Rivals Net Mountain Biking webRivals MTB

MTB biking magazine link http://www.gofar-mtb.com

American MTB site...MTBReview.com

Extreme site: http://extreme.nas.net/

Fattires! http://fattire.com/

Try this one.... Cool biking link

Cumbrian cycle club;honister92.com/

Area worth exploring by bike-The Solway Coast


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