Wee trip down south.

[sinto]

Well as most of you are coming to Scotland for your trips I thought I'd go south!
I'm planning a trip for the first week in August down to the Lake District area, so, can any of you guys recommend a few nice places to visit/stay in that area?

I'm not too keen on the camping malarky so cheapish b&b's would be great preferably in villages and such as I do like to socialise in the evening

Cheers.

[limax2]

From Ambleside the road over Wrynose Pass and Hardknott Pass is a must do. Include a stop at the station at Dalegarth where the Eskdale narrow gauge railway line ends. Good for a brew and a bite to eat as well as studying the trains. The other end of the line at Ravenglass is also worth a visit. Another good one is Honister Pass from Keswick. Both are slow routes and not to be rushed.
Be aware that the Lake District all through summer will be very busy with traffic. That is why I avoid the central part in the height of summer. Down the west side is not as bad and the A595 is a good road. The roads over the fells on the west and south west of the mountains are always quiet with some good views out to sea. A run into the Yorkshire Dales would also get you away from the worst of the traffic.

[Hedgetrimmer]

The A5086 from a bit below Cockermouth to Cleator Moor is a lovely bit of smooth twisty tarmac that's often quite empty as everyone tend s to use the 595 there. It'll take you to a turn off for Wasdale Head which is great for mountain views, but a rough road. When leaving there, I like to go over Birker Fell where you get great views of Scafell etc.


Pleased to say that the A591 from Keswick to Ambleside is open again after it was destroyed by the floods. Lovely bit of that heading south from Keswick - it splits into dual carriageway, and the southbound bit is the twistiest section of dual carriageway you'll find anywhere!


As limax has said, do the Hardknott and Wrynose passes - very steep! Best done without all the luggage on board!


I would avoid Windermere like the plague in summer. A total tourist trap without much to recommend it - why everyone heads there I'll never know.


Sinto, give me a shout nearer the time and we'll see if I can join you for a ride or two 

[sinto]

I said lake district as a general area, but like most I like to keep off the heavy tourist trails but fancy going down the west coast to compare it with our west coast of Scotland
I've done every nook and cranny (I think!) up here in Scotland so I fancy something different.

I'll give you a shout hedge, as said before it'll be the first week in August as a wee birthday treat to myself
I know of the roads round Carlisle, down to Cockermouth and such as I've worked out of our Carlisle branch a few times but it'd be nicer on a bike compared to the truck I'm sure and would be nice to try the road from Cockermouth to Penrith on a bike

[Hedgetrimmer]

I haven't explored the Cumbria coast yet, but I don't think it'll be a patch on Scotland's west coast. Crossing over the M6 from the Lakes, you've got the roads over the north Pennines, Hartside cafe etc. From Alston down to Middleton is a cracking ride too. If you take a full day, you can go all the way down through Hawes to Settle, then come back up via the Lakes. About 200 miles, more good roads.



Cockermouth to Penrith is the A66. Not great, much of it is boring dual carriageway, but you do get some good views of Blencathra as you go from east to west. I only really use it as a way to get out to the turn off for Ullswater, well worth following that all the way through Glenridding and Patterdale, and on up over the Kirkstone Pass.


Another biker cafe is the Filling Station in Keswick, just off the A66.

[joebloggs]

Laurel and Hardy museum Ulverston worth a butchers if your a fan, there's a small cinema inside where you can sit and watch hours of there old films.

[Tmation]

The Lakeland Motor Museum is well worth a visit if you are in the area


https://www.lakelandmotormuseum.co.uk/

[sinto]

Interesting places to visit


So plan is down to Carlisle take the coastal route heading down to Gosforth (Probably need to book in there somewhere? Anybody onow any nice places there? then take in laurel & hardy (although I wont be watching the films ) & also the transport place.

Will probably head back up/across to Newcastle after that as I've a mate that stays there don't want to go too far down as it becomes quite contested with motorways and the like


The Cockermouth to Penrith is boring as you say Hedge, well has been on my trick and as I recall it now it wouldn't be a great road for the bike even though from what I recall it has a a wee twisty section but probably not worth the hassle trying to fit it in tbh.

[HarryHornby]

Don't forget to visit the pencil museum in Keswick...... 

[sinto]

Don't forget to visit the pencil museum in Keswick...... 

Was there years ago with the family, didn't see the point!

[joebloggs]

Don't forget to visit the pencil museum in Keswick...... 

Was there years ago with the family, didn't see the point!

I didn't want to go but I was lead.......

[Hedgetrimmer]

Don't forget to visit the pencil museum in Keswick...... 

Was there years ago with the family, didn't see the point!

I didn't want to go but I was lead.......

I'm surprised he hasn't erased it from his memory.

[sinto]

Don't forget to visit the pencil museum in Keswick...... 

Was there years ago with the family, didn't see the point!

I didn't want to go but I was lead.......

I'm surprised he hasn't erased it from his memory.

"you can push a pen, but a pencil has to be lead"

[celticdog]

Well, drawing a line under things,    the high force waterfall in Teesdale is well worth a visit if your going cross country from the lakes to the Newcastle direction 

[Hedgetrimmer]

  the high force waterfall in Teesdale is well worth a visit if your going cross country from the lakes to the Newcastle direction 

   Charging an entrance fee to see a natural feature of the landscape!  That really gets my goat! 

[sinto]

  the high force waterfall in Teesdale is well worth a visit if your going cross country from the lakes to the Newcastle direction 

   Charging an entrance fee to see a natural feature of the landscape!  That really gets my goat! 

I was just looking that up there and came back and you'd already posted about the charge, that's a no no for me too.

We have 1000's of miles of beautiful scenery/natural scenery in Scotland and it's ALL FREE

[celticdog]

Oh dear!     There's no doubt about it, it's a blatant exploitation! I came across this-

Response from the ownera year agoThanks very much for your review. The charge we make on the car park and the walk down to visit the falls is there so that we are able to continue to maintain the facilities provided for visitors, this includes footpath maintenance and car park maintenance. As a private landowner, without the admission fee, we simply wouldn't be able to keep the site in the good condition it is in for the benefit of visitors. I hope you understand.

NO 

[sinto]

Oh dear!     There's no doubt about it, it's a blatant exploitation! I came across this-

Response from the ownera year agoThanks very much for your review. The charge we make on the car park and the walk down to visit the falls is there so that we are able to continue to maintain the facilities provided for visitors, this includes footpath maintenance and car park maintenance. As a private landowner, without the admission fee, we simply wouldn't be able to keep the site in the good condition it is in for the benefit of visitors. I hope you understand.

NO 

In that case....I'll be on my bike, not the car, I'll not use the footpaths or facilities

[limax2]

That's one of my favourite stretches of road (not counting Scotland of course 😉), but a good plan to slow down going past the falls because of people wandering across the road.

[sinto]

That's one of my favourite stretches of road (not counting Scotland of course 😉)

Just as well

but a good plan to slow down going past the falls because of people wandering across the road.

I thought you got more points if you get more all in the one go?

[Oldgit]

I heard that viagra puts some lead in your pencil.