The May EWCAN (Easy Wednesday Cafe And Natter)

 Hello KDCS bikers,

The May EWCAN (Easy Wednesday Cafe And Natter) ride is on 27th May to avoid clashing with Andy Gillham's Wednesday ride the previous week to Langdon Beck. EWCAN rides will usually be on the 4th Wednesday of each month.

The cafe destination is Cafe Ambio at the Auction Mart at Jct36 (M6) and meet there for a natter from 11am. You can choose to ride to and from Cafe Ambio from wherever, or you can do a ride from there, starting at 09.45.

Choose from an off-road ride (16k), a road ride (24k) or a short road ride (16k) and arrive in time to depart by 09.45. Ride on your own or with others doing the same route, or make up your own excursion, and arrive back in time to socialise in the cafe.

Parking is free at the Auction Mart (Grd.ref. 537 822)

The suggested off road route is here on JustGoRide:

https://www.justgoride.co.uk/routes/104777

The suggested road ride (24k) route is here:

https://www.justgoride.co.uk/routes/104780

And the short ride route is here:

https://www.justgoride.co.uk/routes/104779

.gpx files of the EWCAN routes can be uploaded from the JustGoRide files/pages for each individual route.

Tim Goffe, EWCAN for KDCS

New EWCAN ride - Wednesday 22nd April - Sizergh

 

NEW

EWCAN rides

(Easy Wednesday Cafe And Natter) rides

The details for the April EWCAN ride are as follows, with three ride routes suggested:

• Meet in the Sizergh Castle car park (GR: 497 897) for a 09.45 start;
• Wednesday 22nd April - Sizergh
• cafe and natter from 11.00 at the Sizergh Castle cafe
• off-road route, 16k https://www.justgoride.co.uk/routes/104331
• road route, 17k https://www.justgoride.co.uk/routes/104509
• short road route 13k https://www.justgoride.co.uk/routes/104332
• or ride to Sizergh Castle from your own start and meet in the cafe from 11.00

Please note the idea is to follow the suggested routes yourselves, either individually or in a group(s), starting around 09.45. then meet in the cafe afterwards for a chat, before heading home.

No need to book, just turn up and ride or head to the cafe.

 

 

Kendal Town Centre Active Travel Consultation April 22nd

Kendal has an Active Travel remit but improved wheeled transport links are slow to progress. If you want to have your say about cycling infrastructure come to one or all of these meetings on April 22/23rd 2026. Check this link to book a place.

About

Join us for a creative workshop to shape your public spaces and places in the Heart of Kendal.

• Wednesday 22nd April – 11am till 1pm: Active Travel and Accessibility Focus Group

• Wednesday 22nd April – 5:30pm till 7:30pm: Local Businesses and Traders Focus Group

• Thursday 23rd April – 2pm till 4pm: Arts, Culture, Heritage and Communities Focus Group

EWCAN Rides

 Easy Wednesday Cafe and Natter rides

Please come along to our new EWCAN ride, where we will have a short cycle ride to a cafe social, all within easy distance of Kendal. We aim to arrive at the nominated cafe from 11am, to beat the lunchtime rush, but how you get there is up to you.

• ride directly from your home to the cafe
• or meet at the designated start point and ride with a group on a choice of road or off-road routes to the cafe. Suggested routes will be provided, or devise your own. Starts will be 9.30-10am to allow sufficient time for a short (around 10m/15k) ride to the cafe.
• go directly to the cafe just to meet up for the natter.
• no need to book or notify - just turn up.

In the first instance, we aim to do a EWCAN (You Can) ride monthly, probably on the 4th Wednesday of each month. 

Watch this space.

The first EWCAN ride is on Wednesday 25th March

Cafe: Lakeland Farm Cafe, Ings from 11am

Ride: Meet Biketrex car park, Ings, for 09.45 departure. Road and off-road routes will be recommended.

Broaden your cycling horizons.

The weather will improve at some point, even in Kendal!  If you are thinking of where to go after your latest KDCS ride here are some suggections. 

1. Cycling UKs British Cycle Quest competition. Log on to this link to get started. Start locally then set your sights on wider horizons. At the time of writing only 36 people have completed the Quest.

2. If you can forget the Battle of the Roses. The Yorkshire Cycling Festival takes place from June 12-14th  at Driffield Showground. This three day event replaces the York Rally which started back in 1945.

3. Cycle.Travel has an interactive map of cycle routes in he UK and Europe.

4. Cycling UK has put together a numbers of multiday rides more suitable for MTB/ Gravel Bikes. 

5. Bespoked Cycle Show  April 24-26, 2026. Copeland Park, Peckham, SE15 3SN. a chance to meet the creative masterminds behind the best hand-made bicycles, components, and accessories in the world in a three-day celebration of bikes and brilliant design.

Windermere Ferry Tickets

 

Free Financial Advice from KDCS

Tickets for Windermere Ferry will be increasing soon. You can still buy a book of 20 tickets for cyclists for £10 directly from Kendal Town Hall or by phone on 01539713066 which is a bargain if you are a regular user.

ISLE OF MAN TRIP 2026

 Hi everyone 

REMINDER 

It’s been a splendid response so far for the upcoming KDCS trip to the IOM during the last week in April.

 With  17 signed up to go and an almost equal split of historic MTB’S and e-MTB’s for once…. and a few road tourers thrown in: it should be fun and plenty to do for all.

The hotel is currently holding opening up for  any other public  bookings until next week, so we have the choice and availability of rooms until then.

If you are still thinking about it, please do  try and make a decision in the next few days - it’s not compulsory of course , but it would be good to get it all sorted in the next week!

As usual any queries, please ask—- this is the original e mail : 

THE ISLE OF MAN TRIP 2026 IS ON!.... 

With 2 previous successful trips to the IOM under our belts, this early season mini break has become quite a feature in the KDCS calendar- and with the guest house  where we offering to hold the price for the 3^rd year running--it really is a great value stay. And with resident KDCS member Graham Hughes on stand by again  as our guide and advisor, there are a lot of things to do…again…

Last year, our Thursday MTB group was joined by the wider KDCS gang, and it was super successful, judging by the feedback- to the extent that I’m now being asked  by KDCS folk will we be going in 2026 ?

Well…the answer is  yes ! It is the intention to make this trip an annual event perhaps?

SO…..

DATE: Monday 27^th April to Friday 1^st May 2026

WHERE: Edelweiss Guest House

WHO WILL IT INTEREST?: Everyone….we had 21 riders last year- a good mix of e-MTB, historic MTB, road and gravel bikers, plus  walkers etc..

WHAT TO DO NEXT: I will be handling all the bookings this year, to make it easier for the hotel.

If you want to come along please choose a room from the list below and tell me by e mailing me direct -  philmorgan51@gmail.com

….( if you just press the Reply button the e mail will come back to me ). I will also be going myself, even though I did say I might not…

• Please don’t contact the hotel direct…the owner is away until after the New Year and operating with a skeleton staff…you won’t be offered the same prices…please contact me!
• Please do stay at our selected  guest house – it supports them when they have continued to offer such a great deal…and they have held the whole hotel back for us at this stage- plus its very social!
• There is no need to do nothing else until  I  contact you  re payment and details like ferry bookings etc….which will be in the NewYear….
• PRICES AND ROOMS:

    .      Sea View Singles £58 per room per night

• standard singles £55 per room per night
• sea view Doubles £98 per night
• sea view double with a bath only – no shower £98 per night
• standard doubles £92 per night
• sea view twins £98 per night
• standard twins £92 per night
• Triple rooms  £114per night

 

To move this forward, I would appreciate responses as soon as possible please, or we will find the hotel is full …

 

Kind Regards

 

Phil Morgan

07802 281965

Philmorgan51@gmail.com