Staying between Penrith and Keswick next week for the annual family holiday and looking for some route advice.

Eldest is 6 and on a rigid 20″ with 2.1 small block 8s, she’s reasonably capable going down but gets bored and tired on a long xc type ride. We’ve just done Askrigg to Castle Bolton in the Dales, which was probably her limit of pedalling at about 7 miles and 700ft climbing (we skipped the road climb out of Askrigg).

Bonus points for something we can get dropped off at the top and meet the rest of the family at some sort of attraction \adventure for the smaller kids at the bottom.

Threlkeld to Keswick on the old railway line? Finish in Fitz Park? Probably only 4 miles mind.

Get dropped in Whinlatter then do as much of the blue as you want before dropping down the Bridleway to Thornthwaite.

From Keswick to lingholm farm on along the lakeside is a good one. Footpath plenty wide enough for bikes. I have been down there with a twin trailer a few time with now bother.

Or starting at whinlatter there is a go ape and playground etc then you can ride down back to Keswick and meet them at the end of the day.

Cockpit to Howtown. Lovely mellow ( or fast if you prefer) down hill to Ullswater.

Bonus points for something we can get dropped off at the top

Can’t recall exactly how far up the road climb you are allowed to drive, but it’s a fair way…

Dropped pin
https://maps.app.goo.gl/DTWNW4jY9CbLTwoW9

Then meet the rest at the lake for a swim.

7.07km with 165m of ascent….

For extra dad points, get the steamer back to Pooley Bridge 🙂

For extra, extra dad points, put them all on the steamer to Glenridding and race them there along Ullswater Bridleway, which is awesome.

Cockpit to Howtown

This looks perfect thanks, especially with extra dad points. Would the Ullswater Bridleway be suitable if she feels like continuing?

I’ll probably do whinlatter blue with her as well and take the twins on their own up the railway line (4yo on 16’s)

Would the Ullswater Bridleway be suitable if she feels like continuing?

Only if you take a big break at Howtown…..

Like at least 6 years, and spend that time feeding and training her into a riding machine.

And buy her a proper 26″ + wheel bike.

( just to be clear, on no account continue down UB with her 🙂 )

DAaaaaH. Rethink. Its been a while since my kids were 6. I’m trying to work out whether it is such a good idea.

Lovely mellow

Just to clarify. When I say mellow, I mean mellow for an adult and mellow compared to the rest of the Lakes. It’ll be full on for a six year old.
I love the descent, so it’s not that mellow.

Anyone else care to help me out of the hole I’ve dug myself by either confirming it’ll be great, or alternatively telling otherwise.

Get dropped by car at top latrigg carpark (gale road). Worth a ride/push to the viewpoint overlooking Keswick near Latrigg summit along a well made track (designed for wheelchair users but a bit steep in places for 6 yr old to ride maybe). Then return and head left where the path splits and head down the BW towards Keswick (spooney green lane). The bottom of this is steep, but can head off left just as it steepens to either go out and back avoiding the main steepness, or continue along to pop out above Calvert Trust stables.

The pump track in Fitz park in Keswick is great for all ages.

Thanks for all the replies, due to half our party picking up a tummy bug we didn’t attempt the cockpit – howton route in the end but would have attempted it.

The 4yo twins enjoyed the old railway line ride, especially cake in Threkeld.

Shame. I was well looking forward to finding it how it went. Hope you get it done next time.
🙂

Hope you get it done next time.

Rode it at Easter with some friends, and today took the eldest (now 7) and youngest (now 3) on the route and got the ferry back. She’d have got round last year on her 20″ rigid, but the push up would have been a slog and she’d have walked a lot more. She did actually ride some of the accent, and by the end she was going at a pace that was hard to keep up with a 3yo on a shotgun seat. Ace day out, met granny and the twins at Howtown for a picnic and ferry back.

Lovely picture! Wish my daughter was interested