KDCS route 11 - Around Whitbarrow

Summary

Around WHITBARROW from KENDAL via BRIGSTEER, BOWLAND BRIDGE, near WITHERSLACK to LEVENS and SEDGWICK

24 miles (39 km) 1,530' climb (466 m) Grade – moderate OS 97 (Kendal)

A bit hilly at the start, leaving Kendal, and a couple of flat miles on the busier A5074 road, but otherwise a gently undulating or flat comfortable ride around the hill and back to Kendal.

Start - Kendal Leisure Centre, Burton Rd, Kendal, LA9 7HX

Map

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Description

Start from the National Cycle Network 6 cycleway/ footpath at the back of the Kendal Leisure Centre, going left, towards town. At the nearby Parkside Road go left (unsigned) to join the traffic, and right at the nearby traffic lights and right again at the nearby one-way bridge, (take care as you have to cross into the right hand lane) following Town Centre signs.

Do not take the 1^st left turn (signed Brigsteer/ Underbarrow) – instead go up the much quieter unsigned Captain French Lane a few yards further on. At the top carry on to the T with the main road, turn right and immediately left, signed Brigsteer.  There is a short sharp climb out of Kendal and over the bypass, after which it merely undulates before the long and steep drop into Brigsteer (take care on the sharp chicane halfway down.)

At the very bottom of the drop turn left on an easy to miss lane to the flat plain (Lyth Valley sign) and continue to the end, turning unsigned right onto the main A5074 road.

Follow this for 2 ½ miles (4 km), where turn left off it by a white Tarnside Cottage (handpainted Narrow Lane sign only).  At the end go left and down into Bowland Bridge (shop, pub).

There, go left after the pub (Witherslack/ Grange) and follow the road, in 1 + mile (2 km) turning right at the grassy T junction (Witherslack sign)(Do not take the 1^st right by a 3 storey farm). Now follow the switchback road all the way through the woods, passing Witherslack Hall on your left when leaving the wood.

 ½ mile (1 km) past the Hall go left onto a track signed “public bridleway” (bit bumpy, but ok for touring bikes), reaching Beck Head tarmac in ½ mile (1 km), continuing on and going left at a larger road and soon going left onto the old road at a crossroads just before the busy A590, where we join NCN 70 (Walney to Wear). You can now follow the 70 signs to Sedgwick, 6 miles (10 km) away

This bridleway can be avoided by simply staying on the road to the Derby Arms crossroads in Witherslack, where go left and in a few minutes arrive at the crossroads just mentioned. This diversion adds about a mile to the distance.

The old road takes us nearly back to the main road, where an off road path (70) crosses a bridge and  is alongside the main road (beware a chicane with blind bends half way along this path).

At the end, go left, past the Gilpin Inn and again left  just past the car showroom (70). Follow this lane to and then through Levens, going left by the Hare & Hounds (70) and soon a short steep hill. A few minutes brings you to a steep 1 in 7 descent, but half way down you follow the 70 sign left and down to arrive near the Sizergh Castle entrance / Strickland Arms pub, with the NT Sizergh Castle and Sizergh Barn also providing refreshments.

Cross straight over (70) and under the road bridge, turning right at the bottom (70) by the river, and soon left (70) to ride into nearby Sedgwick.

Here we leave NCN 70, as it goes east.  Simply stay on the main road through Natland to Kendal, which now becomes NCN 6.

On the very edge of Kendal (by Clarks warehouse) NCN 6 veers right along the old canal path, to cross the main road and bring you back to your start point at the back of the Leisure Centre. If it is wet the path might be muddy, and can be avoided by simply continuing on the road and taking the 3^rd right in 600 yds/ m (Rinkfield) to quickly arrive back at the Leisure Centre.