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I'm planning ahead for a family weekend up near Troutbeck.
Has anyone got any family friendly, easyish, mixed terrain routes that are:
- suitable for young teenagers and lazy fat adults
- 15-30 miles long
- okay on hybrid or a HT
- away from busy roads
- not too boggy
thanks
Back of Skiddaw - up minor road towards Mungrisdale to start, BW on east side of Glenderaterra Beck to Threlkeld to finish (ie avoid Lonscale Fell), or back across to Mungrisdale via Mosedale.
Mostly decent doubletrack, only one particular steep climb. Descent from Skiddaw House towards Mosedale is a bit rougher, but should be OK with care on a hybrid.
Thanks
What are lanes and tracks out near Greystoke / Skelton / Caldbeck like ?
Recommend heading up from trout beck to Matterdale end and along the back road to the start of the coach road. Take this all the way to St Johns in the vale, along to threlkeld, tea and cake at the cafe then along to scales, and the gated road to Mungrisdale. Head back to trout beck from there by heading to a66 and along the C2C. Did this when family were little on islabikes etc.
Did a route once at the far end of Ullswater… Pooly Bridge, up over to Askham, then looped back over to a nice long descent to Howtown and back up the lakeside road to Pooly Bridge. Can’t remember where I found the route but it shouldn’t be too hard to piece together beforehand. Some of the descent to Howtown might be a little much for a hybrid but apart from that it’s all on double track, easy trails and quiet roads.
Thanks
There a bunch of trails on the Lowther Castle / Askham estate that link through to Pooley Bridge and the cycle path along the Eamont from Askham to Eamont Bridge and Penrith.
I've only ridden little bits of the trails but lots of possibilities. The lanes South of Askham are really quiet and picturesque for cycling too. Cafe in the courtyard at Lowther Castle is good as is the one at Brougham hall just S. of Eamont bridge.
https://lowthercastle.org/cycling-walking/estate-trails/
Also if you want a destination to ride to then have a look at King Arthur's Round Table (spoiler: it's a stone age circle), the Eden Millennium monument and Mayburgh Henge. Explained on this walk leaflet:
https://www.edenriverstrust.org.uk/things-to-do/brougham-and-eamont-bridge-trail/
Parking is free at Lowther Castle, huge car park (also worth a visit).
Which Troutbeck?
The one up by A66 ( not the Kirkstone Pass one)
Did a route once at the far end of Ullswater… Pooly Bridge, up over to Askham, then looped back over to a nice long descent to Howtown and back up the lakeside road to Pooly Bridge. Can’t remember where I found the route but it shouldn’t be too hard to piece together beforehand. Some of the descent to Howtown might be a little much for a hybrid but apart from that it’s all on double track, easy trails and quiet roads.
I've not done the Askham bit but the Howtown descent is bloody fabulous. Really really good and relatively mellow.
But I emphasise the relatively. I'm not sure whether one of my favourite Lakes descents however mellow, is a good option on a hybrid? Depends what slant of hybrid it is.
There are the whinlatter forest tracks. But they’re steepish.
Otherwise the lanes around Greystoke/ east side of Blencathra are nice (family live there).
You could ride on the old railway line to Threlkeld, then take the A66 bike route, then the lane around the bottom of Blencathra.
I did this on a gravel bike a few years back, so terrain-wise, would probably suit. But 50km and 1100m of climbing might be a challenge for the young teens and lazy fat adults!
Check out my activity on Strava: https://strava.app.link/Jj1b5oeCcpb
As some have said -
https://lowthercastle.org/cycling-walking/estate-trails/
The old railway line from Keswick to Threlkeld and back
Whinlatter Blue Trails
Penrith Routes - http://www.visiteden.co.uk/outdoor-adventures/cycling-in-eden/cycle-routes-penrith
Thanks everyone - this is great stuff.
I think the best thing to do is see who's up for a ride each day and see how comfy they are off-road
We stay in Troutbeck a lot. The Coach Road is a nice leisurely pootle from Matterdale. Its well surfaced and nothing too steep. The views across the valley to Skiddaw and Blencathra are great too.
Its good to do as an out'n'back into Keswick, past the Stone Circle (Strava route), or you can do it to the end of the coach road and then take the small, trafic-free lanes from Thekfeld back to Troutbeck (Strava route).
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51297797161_d54361515a_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51297797161_d54361515a_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2ma1BUD ]The old coach road[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/14162682@N00/ ]bin lid[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51297823166_8181bc43f2_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51297823166_8181bc43f2_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2ma1KD1 ]View towards Keswick[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/14162682@N00/ ]bin lid[/url], on Flickr
How a bout a trundle round the forest roads of ennerdale? Up to blackmail hut and a mooch round the other side of the valley under pillar etc?
How a bout a trundle round the forest roads of ennerdale? Up to blackmail hut and a mooch round the other side of the valley under pillar etc?
Top plan. That place is well remote ( for England) and very atmospheric.