On Thursday 16th September 2021 we were up and on by 10am, sad to leave Caldbeck camping, but excited for some Lake District climbs. We headed south to rejoin Route 10 and then climbed steadily up to 283m at Fell Side.
We followed the Cumbrian Way through Branthwaite as far as Green Head, but opted not to take the shortcut mountain bike route to Longlands, following the road around to the north instead, avoiding a climb in the process, and descending steeply into the hamlet.
We joined the Cumbrian Way once more, turning off Route 10 past Over Water, back up to Orthwaite and down through Park Wood to Bassenthwaite.
To avoid a 10 mile detour via Cockermouth, we now had no choice but to ride 3km along the A591 after passing Scarness and views over Bassenthwaite Lake.
We donned our high viz jackets, plucked up courage and set off down the A road. Fortunately it was gently downhill and not too busy, and we made it unscathed to the turn-off to Milbeck by 12.30.
We then had a glorious ride through dappled sun on the lane past Millbek Farm, dating back to 1650, and built in the style of a traditional Cumberland longhouse. Signposts marked the trail up to Skiddaw, towering 931m above to the north.
We arrived into Keswick by 1.30, and headed straight to the Camping and Carvanning Club on the shore of Derwent Water. The camping attendant advised us to avoid geese poo and left us to it.
We ate lunch and pitched up, before a walk out into the water, its levels remarkably low.
That afternoon we wandered into Keswick, admired some artwork and topped up meths in an outdoor store. Robbie bought a clothes bag and then we sat out with a beer on the street outside the Wainwright Pub. A trip to Booths to stock up on supplies and then back to the campsite to cook dinner.
Friday 17th September took us through the heart of the Lakes from Keswick to Ambleside and Grasmere. We set off east on Route 71, well remembered from our C2C ride in 2019. An impressive new tunnel and off-road section had been completed since we were there previously, taking us up the River Greta valley, and missing out the Castlerigg stone circle.
Just before Threlkeld we turned sharply south onto Route 6, along the valley of St John’s beck and up to Thirlmere. We crossed the dam at the north end and then headed south along the western edge of the reservoir, stopping at Armboth for lunch, once again surprised by the low water levels.
Route 6 carried us right the way down Thirlmere, with views across to Helvellyn to the east. However after a short off-road section came to an abrupt end, we were deposited onto our old friend the A591, here a dual carriageway for 500m. We took courage once more and ploughed onto the road, still relatively quiet, and mercifully downhill to Helmside where we could turn off and breathe again.
We crossed over Easedale Beck and into idyllic Grasmere with its dry stone houses and bushy front gardens. Then back onto Route 6 past Grasmere lake down a gravel path ending on a grey shingle beach. It was tempting to stop and take a dip but we still had some way to go.
We pushed on east now through Baneriggs wood and to Rydal Water, a lake on the River Rothay. We followed the river on minor roads past Ambleside and considered continuing south on Route 6 to try to stay at the National Trust Low Wray campsite, but their website said no availability and we couldn’t get through to them on the phone. If there really was no space, it would mean a long ride and late night to the next available camping spot, and we decided not to risk it. So instead we turned west at the tip of Windermere onto Route 637 and along the River Brathay.
The last climb of the day took us up Skelwith Fold in the evening sun, fine views away west towards Scafell Pike. Then a steep brief descent down back to the river.
At Skelwith Bridge the cycle route turned northwest off road onto the Cumbria Way through some National Trust river meadows, families out walking. We crossed the river at Elterwater, then again at Wainwrights Inn just before Chapel Stile, and finally down the farm track to Baysbrown campsite in Langdale. We picked a camp spot not far from the farm buildings housing showers, next to several camper vans and the odd tent, well spread out. A school group kept to themselves some way away.
After cooking dinner we cycled back to the Inn for a drink. A short wait for a table, a quick pint outside and we were ready for bed.
Saturday 18th September dawned damp and drizzly, with cloud low down on the hills but we were up and away by 10am. We retraced our steps on Route 637 past Elterwater and Skelwith Bridge and Fold, and turned south again on Route 6 down to Windermere and Low Wray. At the campsite there was some welcome shelter from the rain, and a quick walk down to the lake.
Then as the rain stopped, a pleasant off-road ride down the west edge of Windermere for 5km. The path was busy with Saturday walkers and cyclists, and we decided to cross over on the ferry before lunch.
A loose car generated some excitement on the ferry at first but we were soon safely across to the Bowness side and found a bench for lunch overlooking the water, where we could watch small yachts enjoying the gentle breeze.
Bowness and Windermere were chaotic with traffic and people, and we stumbled through on our bikes as best we could, glad to be out of it. It was a rather tedious, depressing climb out of Windermere on a cycle path right along the A591 up to 150 m, which Hannah found particularly tough. After 5km we were able to turn off it into Staveley, and then on minor roads along the River Kent into Kendal.
Passing smart waterfront old buildings converted into apartments we passed through the town quickly and on south through Natland, and then up and down farmland hills to Milnthorpe and the Kent estuary. Here we stopped for supplies at Booths at 5.30. We turned inland past a deer park to Beetham and then through woods before turning off route 6 through the Gait Barrows nature reserve and at last to Silverdale, arriving at Gibraltar Farm campsite at 8pm.
We pitched up on the large grassy area with fine views over Morecambe bay, the sun making a brief appearance late on. Some campers nearby kindly donated us some hot water as we set to cooking a hasty dinner before turning in for the night. It was hard to believe we only had 3 days in the Lake District – it felt more like a week. Certainly one of the most beautiful legs of the tour.
Pedalling_Patagonia 