THE LAKE DISTRICT
Windermere – Threlkeld – Troutbeck – Windermere
The Lake District area in and around the Cumbrian mountains has been a popular destination for bikers, for decades, and continues to be so to this day – so there’s no way we couldn’t have included it here! Some of the roads and scenery are as stunning to thrash and behold as anywhere else in the UK, and often a match to much you’ll find far further afield, too.
The sheer number of other routes and roads you can enjoy in the general area would astound you, so for this one we’ve kept it short (but very sweet), and will let our wonderful readers fill you in on other juicy bits a little later on!
Starting from Windermere, head up the A591 northbound with the top of Lake Windermere on your left. Enjoy the decent roads until you near the top of Thirlmere Lake, then keep an eye out for a right turn on to the B5322. It’s tight and you go through some village type areas but it’s undulating and very enjoyable nonetheless. When you reach Threlkeld, hang a right on to the A66 and stick on that until you take a right at Troutbeck on to the A5091 towards Ulswater. Take a right on the A592 when you see another lake in front of you, heading back south, which takes you all the way back to Windermere.
That’s a cracking wee thrash, but there are others, as reader Lee Brogden points out: “The A591 from Keswick down to Ambleside is a great road if you can get out later on a summer evening, but it’s far too busy on a Sunday through the summer.” Nicolas Gibbs also loves that area:“My Ducati route is from Ambleside to Ulswater and over Kirkstone pass, a really nice run out. Any route in the Lake District is great, if you want a faster more flowing route then the route up the west coast is a good one. Tip – try to do the Lake District in early or late season as in summer it’s too busy with cars.”
David Hinks has his own route around there he urges you to try out: “Take M6 right up to J44, then take A595 or A596. That will take you right across to Cockermouth. Then take the road to Buttermere and on to Honistor pass, or left across New Lands Valley, both are great routes and then head on to Keswick. From there pick up the A591 to Ambleside then a good route is to go on to Great Langdale and Chapel Stile. Amazing roads there, then follow roads to Coniston lake. Real twisty stuff around there – but be warned, it can rain up there, a lot!” Sounds ace, David!
Lastly, Neil ‘Captain Scarlet’ Barker would like to swap our route for one of his own, too: “Decent route, but I would swap the run from Windermere and go from Kendal to Penrith on the A6. You will find it flows a lot better than the touristy routes. Dinner either at the Red Rooster or double back over Kirkstone pass with lunch at the Inn. The pass is always good but irksome in the height of tourist summer. The Whinlatter/Honister pass loop is very scenic, too, and doesn’t get as choked up.”
Plenty to chew over there folks.