Kendal Leisure Centre – Gilthwaiterigg Lane – north at Burneside to below Potter Fell – near to Bowston – Burneside 12 miles (19 km) 560' climb (170m)
Map
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Description
From the back of Kendal Leisure Centre go left on the shared pedestrian/ bike path for a mile, crossing over a road half way along. This is National Cycle Network 6.
At the end of the shared path follow the NCN 6 signs to and through a small park diagonally on your left (take care – pedestrians and blind bends), back on yourself for 50 yds on a public road, then right and immediately right on a shared path to follow the river through a larger park.
The path is short, 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 (same Road Closed sign) onto another short path. Rejoin the road, pass Lakeland on your left and in a few minutes go left (unsigned) on the Burneside road.
In another ¾ mile turn right onto the lane to Longsleddale. A gradual ascent brings you in 1 ½ miles to a large T, where you go left onto the unsigned road (the road ahead has a Narrow Bridge/ No HGVs sign).
The road climbs quite a lot, followed by a steep and twisting drop (take care) to meet the Staveley road.
Go left here (unsigned) and in a couple of minutes bear left into an unsigned lane just before Bowston (a signpost on the main road indicates Staveley and Bowston).
At the end of this lane a bigger road is reached, and this is joined, going right to nearby Burneside.
The road back to Kendal is NCN 6, and these signs can be followed back to the Leisure Centre:-
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 a 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, poor visibility of pedestrians and oncoming bikes) and onto the cycleway by the tip to arrive back in one mile at the start.
