Kendal Leisure Centre – Gilthwaiterigg Lane – near to Burneside - Bowston – Plantation Bridge – Staveley – Ings – Staveley – Plantation Bridge – Burneside – Kendal
17 miles (27 km) 470' climb (140m)
Map
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Description
Pick up the cycleway/ footpath at the back of Kendal Leisure Centre, going left (this is National Cycle Network 6.)Continue across a road, and at the cycleway end a mile from the Leisure Centre go diagonally across to a small park (take care – blind bends and pedestrians), at the end of which follow the signs back on a short bit of road, then right into a big riverside park and right, along the river edge, all NCN 6 signed.
The path is 200 yards/m and by the food kiosk go right on the public road (Castle St, church on your right) and in 100 yds turn left onto the one-way street just after the Castle pub.
At the junction in 100 yds dismount and go right on the pavement to cross the road via the pedestrian lights to join the A6, getting back on the bike and passing under the railway bridge.
Follow the A6 for ¾ mile and just after a Ford showroom turn left into Gillthwaiterigg Lane (Road Closed to Vehicles 130 yards ahead sign), through the barriers and straight over the nearby road onto another short path (same Road Closed sign). Rejoin the road, pass Lakeland Plastics on your left and in a few minutes go left (unsigned) on the Burneside road.
In another ¾ mile, immediately after a turn to Longsleddale, go straight ahead (unsigned), where the main road swings left to Burneside.
At the lane end the route goes left into nearby Bowston, there going right. A short up and down soon follows, to then cross the railway line, then immediately joining (right) a cyclepath alongside the A591.
At the end of this fairly short cyclepath go (right) onto the road, across the railway level crossing and to and through Staveley.
At Staveley town end the NCN 6 signs lead to a cyclepath alongside the A591. After a mile you cross the dual carriageway by the central reservation (6 sign) and to a path crossroads. The Ings Watermill pub, the destination for this ride, is just down to the village road, and then to the left.
The return simply follows the NCN 6 signs back to the Leisure Centre :- retracing your steps to Staveley and Bowston, then continuing on the main road through Burneside to Kendal.
After a short hill on the edge of Kendal, NCN 6 soon goes left into Dockwray Hall road (250 yds past the railway bridge) and becomes a cycleway alongside the river.
Cross a busy road (traffic lights), past the school, again by the river and go left over the nearby bridge and then cross the road at the zebra crossing, and push to the nearby food kiosk. A sign says “This way to 6”, but it may be confusing.
Now follow the NCN 6 signs through the riverside park, left at the end for a short bit of public road and right again through a small park (taking care, limited visibility of pedestrians and oncoming bikes) and onto the cycleway by the tip to arrive back in one mile at the start.
