lake district? tips

[mikekeech]

thinking of going to lake district from london next next thurs?..any ideas on best times to leave london and drives along the way?

[selmer]

Where's your destination in the Lakes?

[Davel]

If you can, after passing Preston on the M6, drop onto the A6 and go over Shap.

You can, if you're going that far, stay on the A6 up to Penrith and on to Carlisle.

Much nicer than a boring motorway - car or bike!

[samol]

Do you want some driving roads?

[waddy1]

Plenty of good driving roads in the lakes.

Look out for the Hard Knock Pass near Windermere - be careful though

[Selmer]

waddy1 said:

Plenty of good driving roads in the lakes. Look out for the Hard Knock Pass near Windermere - be careful though

Yeah, you have to be 'schooled' to take that one.

BTW I think he may have been!

[puggit]

Don't go - the Scamerati will get you

[tim.tonal]

puggit said:

Don't go - the Scamerati will get you

Yes - contribute to a local economy elsewhere. I hear the N. York Moors are nice this time of year!

[TripleS]

tim.tonal said:

puggit said: Don't go - the Scamerati will get you Yes - contribute to a local economy elsewhere. I hear the N. York Moors are nice this time of year!

Well I'm very fond of the Lake District, but I must say that North Yorkshire is a better prospect for the driving enthusiast. Stay safe though please.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[combover]

Try the Kirkstone pass from Windermere to Ullswater. It's great but not too hairy, although I do advise using most of the road (i.e drive in the middle) for the most part, as you can easily get away with it and it's far safer. You'll end up at some point by a quarry and the road is VERY wide and you can see very far....very low police presence as well, I only saw one police car while I was there for almost three days on these roads. You do use an awful lot of fuel as well and if you drive the way I did, it's hell on your brakes!!

[Vipers]

Nice place to say, not to pricy, is the Swan at Newby Bridge, smashing place. Web site www.swanhotel.com

Lake District, just love it, going there myself in a weeks time for yet another break down there.

[combover]

If you fancy basing yourself in Windermere, I cant recommend the Ivythwaite Lodge highly enough! Will give you a decent place to attack some of the roads from! www.ivythwaitelodge.co.uk/

[dj111s]

Grew up in the lakes.....keep your eyes open for walkers, horses, livestock and bikes. The feds are generally OK but don't speed in built up areas or villages - you will get nailed

There are plenty of good roads. Just bear in mind the following...there may be someone coming in the opposite direction who is going as quick as you are. Make sure you allow enough space and visibility to cope with the time when you come face to face. This applies to roads everywhere, but is particularly pertinent when there is zero run-off (read dry stone walls 1 ft from the tarmac) and the roads buck and writhe allowing for little visibility. Also, expect the unexpected. You won't kill the sheep but my god it'll make a mess of your car!

My favourite roads......get out of my way
The A686 from Penrith to Alston (and on further to Hexham/Newcastle is optional). Watch out for bikes.

Penrith to Ullswater then over Kirkstone pass (A591 I think - never learned the road numbers), beware sheep (and locals "playing" with them), to Windermere.

[Zad]

If you have driven from Windermere up towards the Kirkstone, and don't fancy trundling down towards Ullswater (there is a very handy garage in Glenridding which stocks brake fluid *cough* *looks innocent*) you can turn off left opposite the pub, and head down towards Ambleside. It's called "The Struggle"... *DO NOT* hoof it down there at max speed, the walls are high, the road narrow, and there can be a lot of rubbish on the metalling and walkers may be around, so it's a road for your brain to drive, not your right foot.

Mike

[dcb]

combover said:

Try the Kirkstone pass from Windermere to Ullswater. It's great but not too hairy, although I do advise using most of the road (i.e drive in the middle) for the most part, as you can easily get away with it and it's far safer.

I dont't want to put you off, but I'd recommend driving on the left. Traffic coming the other way will not appreciate you being in the middle of the road.

Kirkstone pass pretty straightforward - even easier since they re-tarmacced it about three years ago.

Hard Knott pass a bit trickier.

I like the trip to Wasdale Head - hard to get to, and off the usual tourist track.

The little road from Colney to Beckfoot [ look it up] is quite interesting too.

[A2Z]

I can also recommend the Honnister Pass near Keswick. Take the B5289 out of Keswick towards Buttermere. It's an almost circular route that will bring you back to near Keswick. The best way I think it to take a right at Buttermere (reasonable pub here) and take the high road, virtually no traffic even on a Saturday afternoon and you can't beat the scenery (best to stop to look at it though as the road is pretty tricky!)

[bobee]

my padre suggested the hard knott pass to me when wanting to get to wastwater, and i can safely say for a 18 year old in a 1.2 k12 nissan micra its just hell. its not really a road to have fun on, as its soo narrow and scary as hell.

i do enjoy though the road from ambleside upto keswick, the a591, really nice views.

[combover]

I dont't want to put you off, but I'd recommend driving on the left. Traffic coming the other way will not appreciate you being in the middle of the road.


By that, I meant moving over in time as it is easy to see when another car is coming. Its too narrow to drive fast past cars on the other side of the road anyway.