Route Round Lake Windermere

bbg404

Hi all, just bought my first real full suss bike as im wanting to get back in to my bikes and build my fitness again.

Previous bikes haven’t been up to much Saracen Havoc DH, and a Carrera kraken but iv just bought……. A 2009 Trek Fuel EX8 Second hand but literally brand new. Haven’t even took it up the road yet,.

Any way Iv been wanting to a specific ride in the lakes (Round the top half of Lake Windermere) and seen as iv got a really good bike I thought id get it done as asap. So I was planning on parking on the West side of the lake not far from the ferry to start, ride up the west side to Ambleside then down the East side to Bowness-On-Windermere then grabbing the ferry back across to the car. Its about 14 miles I think.

Now im just wondering has any one ever done this route before?? Which ways easier / more fun Heading north on the west or east side?? I know theres loads of trails in Grizdale which I won’t be including this time round.

Thanks In Advance.

pots74

Ok the lakeshore track sounds your best bet. You can access it just off the ferry by turning right at juction with harrowslack. Follow the lakeshore road windermere on your right over cattle grid then onto a gravel road to strawberry gardens campsite site.
The track then enters into claife woods and follow this for 2 miles approx until you you reach belle grange where the track returns to gravel road. Follow for 200m to red nab car park, go through car park and round barrier and follow for 1 mile until you reach high wray bay.
Turn right onto new NT bridleway to wray castle and continue along lakeshore until the short steep hill into wray castle grounds follow to gate and then take the road out of wray castle to junction. Turn right and follow road past low wray campsite and continue for 1 mile to junction with the B 5286.
Turn right and follow for 3 miles back to ambleside. This is basically the problem from here it will all be road, there is no access to the lakeshore from here all the way back to Bowness. There are options of taking in loughrigg west of ambleside and then troutbeck on the eastern side rather than just road. Have a look on your os!

bbg404

Hi there thanks very much for you help that’s exactly what I was talking about.

Which way would be better easier?? I.e. Bowness to Ambleside up the east side then down the west on to the gravel tracks or up the west to Ambleside and back on the road??
Im guessing doing the road work first??? Finish off with the gravel and the down hill part??

I will look more in to extending at a later date I just really want to do this ride and as it’s the first real time on my new back 14miles is a good start.

Thanks for your help.

pots74

Like you say, why not get the main road section out the way first! Its always good to save the off road section till last! Have fun