I’m off to the Lakes next week with the family.  I’m taking my bike and hope to get a few early morning rides in as I’m not going to be able to get any full days to myself.  I am looking for some decent routes near Kendal that will entertaining for a 2 hour ride or so.  I normally in the Langdale area but this time were further out and I’m not sure on where to go to get the most ‘bang for my buck’ with such little time to myself.  Any suggestions (or GPX) greatly appreciated.

Nan bield
Garburn Pass

Something starting in Staveley- as both those do -which is about 15 mins drive away – you can cycle there the back along the river and on back roads via Burneside to Kentmere if preferred

I can do GPX if they are required

Staveley – up road to Park House onto Staveley Head Fell – Green Quarter Fell, Green Quarter (Kentmere) – up from Kentmere Hall then when you drop to a gate with a beck in front of you, turn left and down to Croft Head via the Three Rivers descent, road back to Staveley. Apart from the first climb to Park House and the last couple of km it’s virtually all off-road.

You can extend the above loop by taking the BW from just after Park House across the moor and down in to Longsleddale, up to Sadgill then there’s a steep climb back up and over to Kentmere.

Another loop would be Staveley, lanes and BW to High Borrans, Dubbs reservoir to the track up Garburn Pass, over this and down to Kentmere Hall, then the same finish as above.

The forum currently won’t let you add multiple links so here’s the top of The Three Rivers descent.

IME If you don’t know the area then studying a map is preferable to blindly following a GPX where you don’t have a feel for the lie of the land.

You’ll have to be very quick to get around Nan Beild in 2hrs. Check the freezing level before you ride this week if you plan to do Garburn Pass, as there’s quite a lot of ice on Northerly aspects above ~250m at the moment. Another vote for riding in Kentmere (15 mins drive from Kendal) for guaranteed goodness.