More about the English Lakes
| More about the English 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.
 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