Cycle the Lake District
Explore the scenery that makes the Lake District so truly remarkable from the saddle of a bicycle. This four-day Cycling experience offers a comfortable yet active way to discover a part of Britain that has inspired both poets and cyclists alike. Base yourself in the charming market town of Keswick and cycle your way alongside the serene waters of Derwentwater and Buttermere and up the challenging but rewarding Honister and Newlands Passes. You’ll also pass the ancient Stone Circle and bridges, yet still have enough time to enjoy a quiet brew at Keswick Brewery along the way.
- Riding gives you the time to appreciate some of the finest scenery in the UK in the Lake District National Park.
- Ride back 5000 years in time as you take in the sight of the ancient Castlerigg Stone Circle.
- Challenge yourself on the serpentine slopes of the Honister Pass – there will be more than enough stops to soaks up the scenery.
- Finish your ride at the Keswick brewery for a refreshing ale or two, a reward right for a full day in the saddle.
Day 1: Lake District - Keswick
Welcome to Keswick, the charming heart of the Lake District. Today is arrival day and there are no activities planned until your welcome meeting at 6 pm, so take your time checking into the guesthouse. Unpack your bags and make yourself comfortable, knowing that you’ll spend the next three nights here, with no need to repack until departure day. If you have time, why not head out exploring. Keswick has a wide range of things to see and do. Saturdays and Thursdays are market day when the town really comes to life, but also consider a visit to the Derwent Pencil Museum (home of the first ever pencil), the Keswick Museum & Art Gallery or the Victorian church of St John. After the welcome meeting you may choose to head out for dinner with the group, a chance to get to know your new travel buddies.
Day 2: Lake District Cycling
After powering up with breakfast this morning, get a bike fitting with the group followed by a short test ride to make sure everything is working properly. Today’s ride is an excellent introduction to cycling in the Lake District, a short but at times hilly ride that takes you west of Keswick to the small town of Braithwaite and up the Whinlatter Pass. It’s a short climb that will get your legs and get your heart going but the ridgeline views are amazing. From here enjoy a mostly downhill cruise to our rest point at the Spout Force waterfall. Then retrace your tyre tracks back up to the ridge to enjoy another downhill ride all the way to the northern shores of Derwentwater, with great views on the way down. Return to Keswick in time to enjoy a well-earned brew at the Keswick Brewery, a locally owned and operated eco-friendly business that takes pride in returning part of its profits to community causes.
Day 3: Lake District Cycling
Today features a longer and more challenging ride of approximately 49 kilometres (31 miles). You’ll set off uphill to the nearby plateau, home of the famed yet eerie Neolithic Castlerigg Stone Circle. Continue uphill to soak up glorious views back over Derwentwater, before a fast descent down to the shores of the lake. Enjoy a rare flat section before climbing back up to the ridgeline via the challenging yet rewarding Honister Pass. You’ll definitely need to use your easiest gears, but the views are spectacular, and the freewheeling descent make it all worthwhile. Rest up a while then turn back east, following the undulating scenery to the western side of Derwentwater. From here it’s down to the village of Grange then back into Keswick via the Ashness Bridge to rest up those weary legs, perhaps at Kat’s Kitchen or the famed Mrs F’s Fine Food Emporium – don’t miss out on the cheese scones!
Day 4: Lake District Cycling
Today you cycle further east, again passing the haunting Castlerigg Stone Circle, before starting a long but not overly steep climb. Much of the early part of the ride is in the shadow of Skiddaw and the imposing Blencathra hill, and continues through the moors before dropping down to Legburthwaite and glimpses of the Thirlmere Aqueduct, a 95 mile/154 kilometre-long watercourse on the quiet shores of Thirlmere. From here it is a gentle ride all the way back into Keswick where your Lake District adventure comes to an end.
Includes: Meals - 3 breakfasts, Transport - Bicycle, Accommodation - Guesthouse (3 nights)
Included activities:Keswick Brewery