The lake district is a great place to travel for a cycling holiday, especially if you are not daunted by the odd very steep hill. These are some of the highlights of cycling in the lake district.
Kirkstone pass. There are 2 ways to cycle up the Kirkstone pass. the First way (easy) is a long drag from Bowness up until Kirkstone inn. The gradient is never more than 16% and averages much less, there are even sections of downhill, which give you a bit of a breather. However, the climb is long from Bowness to the top is about 5 miles. Has the feeling of an alpine climb, and the scenery to your right is fantastic.
The other way is from Ambleside upto Kirkstone pass. Straight out of Ambleside you hit a section of 20-25%. This bit is really tough and means you are going to be suffering for the rest of the climb. After about a mile, there is a short respite with a small section of downhill. The final ascent is another section of hairpins at 20%, this is really tough after the previous sections. When I climbed the hill, it took 15 minutes from Ambleside to Kirkstone pass. Note – the weather at the top of the climb is often different to the weather at the bottom (always a sign of a good climb)
If you are looking for relatively easier rides, the lake district offers some nice roads around Grizedale forest. They are not flat, but rolling, the climbs are nothing extremely challenging and make a nice ride for the moderately fit cyclist. In addition, Grizedale forest has some excellent off road sections for those who want to do some mountain biking.
In the north lakes there are many more testing climbs such as Wrynose and Hardknott. – Make sure you have plenty of spare brake blocks, the descents are steep hairpins – you will find that cars in front soon slow you down.
- Final Tip. The only drawback to cycling in the lake districts is the almost inevitable rain. Also it is likely to be a bit colder on the top of climbs, therefore, be prepared for the worst. I have needed gloves, even in the height of summer.
Picture from Rydal Mount, Lake District by Tejvan Pettinger
Spent a lovely, but cold afternoon cycling around the tracks at Grizedale on New Years Day 2007. I can recommend the routes around Sawrey at High Cliffe which also take in part of Grizedale Forest.