I'm planning a biking trip across the UK and will have 2 or 3 days in the Lakes on the way up to Scotland. I've largely ridden trail centres, so I'm looking for recommendations of routes that are easy to navigate. Anything between 20-35km per day is good. I don't have a GPS. Is an OS map and compass recommended, or are trails easy enough to find with a printout from MultiMap?
Bike-friendly accommodation recommendations also welcome. Thanks!
You are more than welcome to join us at Keswick on the Tuesday evening ride. 6:30 prompt from the Lakeland Pedlar cafe. The bike shope are good with routes, as are Bike Treks in Ambleside and Wheelbase in Stavely 🙂
http://www.v-publishing.co.uk/publications/lake_district_mountain_biking.php
Any of the Lakes bike shops stock this book, well worth it.
Evans in Kendal, Wheelbase in Staveley, BikeTreks in Ambleside and Keswick Mountain Bikes/Lakeland Pedlar in Keswick all sell Route Maps (and the book), most also run regular shop rides.
Also worth a visit to Whinlatter for the Altura Trail.
http://www.singletrackworld.com/trailguide/category/uk/north-west/
Trail Guides tab at the top of the page has 4 separate route articles each with 2 or 3 different routes listed and mapped out.
Thanks! Some good suggestions here. Given that I'll be arriving on Tues 30th June & departing on Fri 3rd July, should I stick to a single area (e.g. near Kendall)?
Clarey - I don't have nightlights - would that be a problem? (It's not far from the "longest day" on June 21st, so might be OK depending on how long you ride for). What sort of distance, duration, speed & ability? I'm fine on technical stuff, but only a few days into the trip and I don't get regular exercise in London, so I might not have my "legs" by then if you're particularly fast.
Any suggestions on accommodation, anyone?
Stay around Ambleside/Keswick rather than Kendal.
I second crazy-legs advice.
Depends what you are doing but in most cases you should be ok with a decent route map. The VG Guides book has Harvey's maps included and route instructions which are generally easy to follow.
Grizedale bridleways and Garburn Pass are probably my favourite places to ride in the Lakes.
You'll be fine without lights at that time of year.
I think you have time to experience multiple lakeyness.......Ambleside prob has the best range of trails to be fair.
So... Tuesday night with us then Amblesiode for a couple of days riding - sorted 🙂