South Lakeland Cycle Rides

Guidebook to South Lakeland's excellent cycling routes, with many quiet roads and historic tracks. 21 circular cycle routes for all the family, graded from easy to challenging.

View Sample Route Map

Ride 1: Bowland Bridge and the River Winster

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Total Distance: 11 miles / 18.6km
Terrain: easy, mostly flat

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This is a picturesque circular route suitable for children of all ages. There are two very short climbs and the route is very light on traffic, particularly on the return journey.

The Hare & Hounds pub at Bowland Bridge is welcoming to children, providing high chairs and a good range of children’s meals. It also provides excellent meals for the adults to enjoy and an outdoor play area for the little ones.

This trip can be combined with a visit to Grange over Sands to feed the ducks and visit the park and promenade or the numerous teashops. You could also take the children for a swim at the Netherwood Hotel, Grange, while you use the steam room, but you will need to pre-book this with the hotel.

Starting point
From the A590 take the road into Lindale. At the mini roundabout in the centre of Lindale turn right (from Kendal) or left (from Barrow) down a minor road which is not signposted (next to the Lindale Inn), although there is a signpost as you approach the roundabout – ‘Cartmel Fell’. Bear right at the next T-junction to go under the dual carriageway and carry straight on for approximately 2 miles until you reach a crossroads where parking can be found on the verge.

The ride

• Begin by riding along the road signposted ‘Cartmel Fell’ from the crossroads.
• After approximately 1½ miles, you pass a furniture maker on the left – worth a look at if he’s open.
• Ignore a turning to your left signposted ‘High Newton’ and continue for a further 1¾ miles, and then take a right turn at the T-junction signposted ‘Kendal’.
  The road then descends to Cowmire Hall and a T-junction. Look out for a public footpath sign on the right by a wood. This is a good place to stop for a picnic if you wish.
• At the T-junction, turn left (signposted ‘Bowland Bridge and Bowness’) down a short hill.
  
• Take the right turn a little further along the road.
  Continue along this undulating road until you reach a T-junction.
• Turn left here signposted ‘Bowland Bridge and Ulverston’ and continue to Hare & Hounds pub on the left (ignoring one turn to the right signposted ‘Bowness via Winster’). The pub provides an excellent place to stop for a meal or a break. The friendly post office opposite has a tea-room serving light snacks and is well worth a visit.
• After a respite, turn left immediately after the pub (signposted ‘Witherslack and Grange’) and continue straight back to Cowmire Hall.
  Continue past the farm until you reach a junction signposted ‘Witherslack’ and turn right.
• After a short climb, turn right at the next T-junction (no signpost).
  Go immediately down a steep hill until you reach a gate across the road. Continue straight through the gate, and also through the next gate, and continue past Strickland Hill Farm and a telephone box on your right.
• Bear right at the next T-junction (no signpost).
• Continue on to a T-junction where you turn right (no signpost for the right turn).
  Continue back to your vehicle looking out for plants and flowers for sale at a house on your left.