The Lakes and Dales Loop
Some people celebrate big birthdays with a party or a meal; others (e.g. my sister) decide to cycle 200 miles around the Lake district.
The Lakes and Dales Loop takes in some fabulous scenery in the Lakes and Dales. It’s a tough cycle (depending of your level of fitness of course).
Distance: 196 miles
Elevation: 5,172 metres
Time taken: 5 days
This is a fabulous ride. As it takes you around the edges of the Lake District, I was wondering whether it would be a bit scenically disappointing compared to the wild beauty of the better known areas in the middle. This is not the case. It takes in some lovely rugged and remote vistas, wild moorland, lush forests, valleys and, once you get into the dales, more undulating hills which are no less beautiful and very green.
The second day which takes in Birker fell is the hardest, and overall I found it a tough ride. Super-fit people will do it in three days or maybe less, but for me five days was the right amount. I still struggled to keep up with my sister, but this is normal and she wouldn’t have it any other way 🙂
Day One: Penrith to Cockermouth (38 miles)
After a full English vegetarian breakfast at the very friendly and welcoming Tynedale Guesthouse we set off through Penrith on the C2C path we did six years ago – but going the opposite direction. The roads were quiet and we were soon seeing some splendid views of Blencathra, Skiddaw, Braithwaite Water and the River Derwent.
It was disappointing that the quirky cyclists cafe at Greystone has closed done, so we stopped at The Boot and Shoe for a coffee. (It seemed like a nice pub but I strongly advise against the coffee).
With the taste of ropey coffee in our mouthes, we set off again, conquering a good few hill and enjoying the fabulous scenery. At lunch the pretty village of Heskitt Newmarket miraculously appeared so we stopped for cheese sandwiches and a lemonade at The Old Crown. To this point I more or less managed to keep up with my sister so all was well.
The afternoon was tough but beautiful and wild. I loved the open moorland on the way over to Bassenthwaite.
Just when I was starting to get really tired, we started to drop down to Cockermouth. For some unknown reason, I thought it was going to be a grim town on the edgelands of the Lake District; it’s not, in fact it’s really quite pleasant.
Day 2: Cockermouth to Brought-in-Furness (47 miles)
It was a lovely morning with a long sweeping road, gently undulating down to Ennerdale Bridge where we stopped at the fabulous community cafe – The Gather for coffee and a chocolate brownie.
It seems with any challenge, day two is always hardest, and the Lakes and Dales Loop was no exception. We went through some hard uphill through the forest with delightful views of the mountains of Galloway – and Sellafield Nuclear Plant. At Calder Bridge we stopped for lunch although the only thing available was cooked meal – we settled for a cheesy omelette which was very tasty but fatty, greasy and sat heavily in our stomachs.
And then came Birker Fell which went up and up and up. This was by far the toughest part of the trail but absolutely beautiful, wild open moorland with views of distant mountains. I am sure even some cars were struggling to get up which made me feel a bit better about my own efforts. It is hard, steep and just when you think you’ve got to the top, another uphill appears.
Toward the end of the day, we started to feel quite nauseous which we thought might be our heavy, fatty lunch but I now know that dehydration can have the same effect. We finally arrived, absolutely exhausted, at Broughton-in-Furness to the The Black Cock Inn (which from 2023 I believe has temporarily closed down).
Day Three: Broughton-in-Furness to Levens
This was altogether an easier day. Some very steep ups out of Broughton-in-Furness into empty desolate moorland and undulating hills. We dropped down into Grange-over-Sands and ate our pasties on the seafront. This is an interesting place, and sadly, it is where, in 2004, twenty-one Chinese cockle-pickers were tragically swept to their deaths in the swift currents of Morecambe Bay.
The last section over the Methop Moss Nature Reserve was a lovely easy ride.
We stayed at the Hare and Hounds and had courgette, stilton and caramelised onion pizza for dinner.
Day Four: Levens to Orton
A fabulous day starting with a lovely ride to Kirby Lonsdale where we stopped for coffee in the square, and then on to Orton. The trail took us though this superb valley where we stopped for lunch next to the lovely babbling Barkin Beck. The next part of trail takes you through the beautiful, green undulating dales; it’s less dramatic than the fells but no less beautiful. We cycled on through lovely rolling hills, happy in the knowledge that we could soon relax with a G&T when another killer hill appeared before us. It was a a tough day but eventually we made it to our destination of Orton
We stayed at The George Hotel which wasn’t the most salubrious but the staff were friendly and food was fine – in fact anything tastes good when you are this exhausted.
Day Five: Orton to Penrith
Our final day and only 35 miles. We started the day through open moorland, listening to the whistle of the curlews. The hills were good – you can get enough momentum going down to get you back up the other side. We stopped in the nice little town of Appleby for coffee. The remainder of the day was through gently undulating hills and some remote and slightly strange villages. One last hike up before arriving back in Penrith and well deserved gin and tonic. The End!
And that was it – 200 miles around the Lakes and Dales. What a fabulous ride. It was enough challenge – I mean it was very challenging for me but I am not particularly fit – but on the other hand, it was never too much.
