Mountain Biking in the Lake District

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A guidebook for 24 original and exciting graded mountain biking routes in the Lake District, offering some of the best MTB riding in the UK. Includes circular routes suitable for all abilities, from Kendal to Cleator Moor in the north-west and Keswick to Winster in the Lyth Valley, including a circumnavigation of Windermere.

Cicerone says

A guidebook of 24 short, medium, long and full-day mountain bike routes in the Lake District. The Lakes offer some of the best MTB riding in the UK. The graded circular rides are arranged by difficulty, from Kendal to Cleator Moor in the far north-west and Keswick to Winster in the Lyth Valley. The Lake District has plentiful and varied trails, and the routes described in this guide offer spectacular views of the famous lakes and great memories time and time again. Choose a route by grade, percentage off-road, length or time at a glance. All routes have clear directions and tips on what to look out for on the way with numbers linking text, OS map extracts and profiles together to show you quickly where you are and where to go next.

Our Verdict

For nearly 50 years Cicerone have been producing guidebooks on recognised treks, regions, areas and general tips for hikers.

We have used them countless times and they’ve always provided excellent insight and knowledge that you only get through experience, giving you the edge to make your trip a success and more enjoyable too.

If you’re a gram counter you can easily remove sections of the book to take with you making your own ultra-lightweight guidebook with only the essential sections that you require.

– Reviewed by Ultralight Outdoor Gear

Features

• Seasons: Although it is recommended that a few of the routes should only be done during periods of good weather, most can be ridden all year round
• Centres: Threlkeld, Pooley Bridge, Cleator Moor, Muncaster, Torver, Grizedale, Hawkshead, Ambleside, Elterwater, Kendal, Staveley, High Newton, Spark Bridge, Winster
• Difficulty: Routes are graded blue (medium), red (hard) and black (very hard). Novice MTBers with reasonable bike-handling skills should be able to complete the blue routes, while experts should be challenged by the red and, more so, the black routes.
• Must See: The dramatic Garburn and Gatesgarth passes; views of Coniston Water, Esthwaite Water, Grasmere, Rydal Water, Elterwater, Ulswater, Derwent Water and Haweswater; circuit of Windermere

Specifications

• Weight: 230g
• Published: 15 Feb 2011
• Reprinted: 5 Sep 2021
• Edition: First
• Number of pages: 192
• Size: 17.2 x 11.6 x 1.2cm

Table of Contents

Contents
Introduction
Getting to the Lake District
Accommodation
Equipment
Food
Bike checks
When to ride
Rest and recovery
Routes
Maps
Timings
Rights of way
Trail centres
The dirty dozen
Pre-ride checklist
Short Loops
Route 1 Tour of Loughrigg Fell
Route 2 Spark Bridge
Route 3 Borrowdale and Whinfell
Route 4 Kendal and Brigsteer
Route 5 Hawkshead and Hodge Close
Route 6 Howtown and Askham
Route 7 Elterwater and the Langdales
Medium Loops
Route 8 Muncaster
Route 9 Winster
Route 10 High Newton and Cartmel
Route 11 Tour of Claife Heights and High Wray
Route 12 Kentmere Special
Route 13 Cleator Moor
Long Loops
Route 14 Torver and Kirkby Moor
Route 15 Grizedale Grunt
Route 16 Loadpot Hill
Route 17 Blencathra and the Old Coach Road
Route 18 Garburn and Longsleddale
Route 19 Haweswater and Gatesgarth
Route 20 Dunnerdale Enduro
Full Day Loops
Route 21 Parkamoor, Satterthwaite and Hawkshead Monster
Route 22 Tour de Windermere
Route 23 Mealbank, Borrowdale and the Breasthigh Road
Route 24 Longsleddale, Kentmere and Troutbeck

Appendix Bike shops in the region