Lake Windermere

[Family Guy]

Any recommendations for good roads around Lake Windermere area. Going for a couple of days soon and thought it would be nice to get a bit of driving in while we are there.

FG

[dcb]

Family Guy said:

Any recommendations for good roads around Lake Windermere area. Going for a couple of days soon and thought it would be nice to get a bit of driving in while we are there.

I usually avoid the area.

It's packed with 40 mph tourists from March to September,
it rains about 330 days a year and none of the roads
are particularly interesting anyway.

Ok Hard Knott Pass if you must, but that's not much of
a challenge these days.

Much more interesting roads further East.

Last time I recommended any, I got my head bitten
off by locals, so let's just say have a look
in the Carlisle - Hexham - Harrogate - Lancaster
area.

[sparkyhx]

dcb said:

Family Guy said:

Any recommendations for good roads around Lake Windermere area. Going for a couple of days soon and thought it would be nice to get a bit of driving in while we are there.

I usually avoid the area.

It's packed with 40 mph tourists from March to September,
it rains about 330 days a year and none of the roads
are particularly interesting anyway.

Ok Hard Knott Pass if you must, but that's not much of
a challenge these days.

Much more interesting roads further East.

Last time I recommended any, I got my head bitten
off by locals, so let's just say have a look
in the Carlisle - Hexham - Harrogate - Lancaster
area.

I'd agree - depending on where you are in the lakes there are some good roads in Northumberland, Yorks dales (I know its sounds daft but look at a map - Yorks Dales border virtually reaches the M6 so is actually quite far across)

Cob Web run and the Yorks runout organised by Mark.h in Yorkshire section - talk to the organisers I am sure they will have maps - ps - both were fabulous routes.

[Gad-Westy]

Kirkstone Pass (Ambleside to Ullswater is a good road if you get a clear run at it but generally I'd echo what the other's have said. You could go up Hartside from Penrith.

[Einion Yrth]

Gad-Westy said:

Kirkstone Pass (Ambleside to Ullswater is a good road if you get a clear run at it

'course it's narrow, windy, bordered by drystone walls, and usually full of cyclists, so a clear run is unlikely.

[Gad-Westy]

Einion Yrth said:

Gad-Westy said:

Kirkstone Pass (Ambleside to Ullswater is a good road if you get a clear run at it

'course it's narrow, windy, bordered by drystone walls, and usually full of cyclists, so a clear run is unlikely.

Indeed, I've had a couple of good runs over it early in the morning, but 9 times out of 10, I've been stuck behind the caravan brigade. I've always found most of the Lake district to be like this and overtaking is usually impossible.

[D4VE 3LL]

Hardknott Pass - Englands answer to the Stelvio Pass

[10 Pence Short]

D4VE 3LL said:

Hardknott Pass - Englands answer to the Stelvio Pass

If you're going to do Wrynose and Hardknott I'd try to do them early morning, as the approaches from both sides, not to mention the passes themselves, are pretty much single track. The Windermere side is particularly bad.

What makes it worse is the city dwellers who can't cope and don't know what to do when they meet something coming the other way. It usually involves sitting there and looking blank. Especially if it's a woman.

[D4VE 3LL]

10 Pence Short said:

D4VE 3LL said:

Hardknott Pass - Englands answer to the Stelvio Pass

If you're going to do Wrynose and Hardknott I'd try to do them early morning, as the approaches from both sides, not to mention the passes themselves, are pretty much single track. The Windermere side is particularly bad.

What makes it worse is the city dwellers who can't cope and don't know what to do when they meet something coming the other way. It usually involves sitting there and looking blank. Especially if it's a woman.

I went up it last November and only saw about 4 cars and then a Mercedes CL65 AMG try and give it ago which i thought was brave in such a low car - in the summer however it is a popular area with walkers and cyclists so it'll probably be rammed

[dcb]

D4VE 3LL said:

I went up it last November and only saw about 4 cars and then a Mercedes CL65 AMG try and give it ago which i thought was brave in such a low car - in the summer however it is a popular area with walkers and cyclists so it'll probably be rammed

About ten years ago, I'd just got over the peak
of Hard Knott pass and I saw a Volvo pulling a
trailered boat. The Volvo was sitting waiting at
the bottom of the pass, waiting for me to pass him.

Two points

1. If you can get a trailered boat over it,
it's not too hard.

2. I think I'm right in saying that was
the most recent time a Volvo driver displayed
any sort of driving prudence and skill in
my vicinity.

Here's to the next occasion, in about year 2020.

[XB70]

Ditto on the Hardknott Pass - took a Mercedes S500 coupe up there in the snow (nice photos!) and it was interesting at times since the car is so wide.

I agree with the muppets who cannot drive - nearly had one guy go into the side of me, then absolutely fried his clutch (there was smoke coming out from underneath FFS!) - would it have killed you to wait!!

Up towards Bolton there are some excellent roads and a nice rate of leptons can be acheived

[GreatGranny]

There's a nice little section of dual cway just south of Keswick on the A591. Its undulating and has a few corners and being a DC you aren't held up by anyone.
You could try Honister Pass towards Buttermere which is a little quieter.

Oh and Windermere is a mere, ther's only 1 lake in The Lake District and thats Bassenthwaite Lake

[Stu R]

GreatGranny said:

Oh and Windermere is a mere, ther's only 1 lake in The Lake District and thats Bassenthwaite Lake

define a 'mere'..

[GreatGranny]

Stu R said:

GreatGranny said:

Oh and Windermere is a mere, ther's only 1 lake in The Lake District and thats Bassenthwaite Lake

define a 'mere'..

I didn't know this until it was on Radio 2 the other week so just quoting.

or . . .

Mere refers to a lake that is broad in relation to its depth, e.g. Martin Mere. A significant effect of its shallow depth is that for all or most of the time, it has no thermocline

Googled.

[Stu R]

So still a lake then surely?

[millband]

Family Guy said:

Any recommendations for good roads around Lake Windermere area.

As above really IMO. It's very pretty, but the roads are slow. Wrynose and Hardknott are worth the trip, but go early. You can link these with the Birker Fell road which is actually pretty damn good, then come back via Coniston and get a little car ferry back to Windermere.

Click here for a possible 2 hour route

The passes in the northern lakes are worth a visit too, but again go early! (aim to be done by 9am)

Have a good time,

Steve

[millband]

I have a couple of (rather poor!) vids on YouTube which give you a flavour of the passes - and how busy they are. These were done about 10:30 on a Sunday in February and the parking spaces were full - it'll be much busier now.

Wrynose Pass
Hardknott Pass

The Birker Fell road is a faster road, pics here:

Edited by millband on Thursday 17th April 01:01

[Sam_68]

Echo Birker Fell and Honister Pass. Also the old A6 up through Shap is a good route to get to Windermere,if you happen to be going up that side of the country.

All of the above do depend on traffic, though. The Lake District is not somewhere I'd go to drive for fun, these das, unless you are prepared to get up at 5.00am.

[Family Guy]

Thanks for all your suggestions.

Looks like a bit of exploring to do.

FG

[millband]

Hope you have fun

This was 8:30ish on Sunday, just to show some of the roads can be enjoyably free of traffic at the right time.

Steve