With The Lake District and The Yorkshire Dales on our doorstep - KDCS offers an exciting selection of cycle rides throughout the local area and beyond. There are social gatherings including slide shows, talks and supper evenings and members are kept up to date with cycling news and issues through this web site, emails and our Facebook pages. KDCS are an affiliated group of Cycling UK.

KDCS route 6b - Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Park Extensions Ride


Summary

48 miles (77 km) 2900' climb (880 m) Grade Hard
 The ride can be shortened in 4 places, where indicated in the text.

 The boundaries of the Lake District (LD) and Yorkshire Dales (YD) National Parks were extended in 2016. This ride visits the LD extension north-east of Kendal, then goes into the new YD at Fox's Pulpit and on the west side of the Lune, before finishing in another new part of the LD in the Lyth valley, south of Kendal.

 Start – Kendal Leisure Centre, Burton Rd, Kendal, LA9 7HX
 OS - 97 Kendal (the March 2017 edition shows the changes )

Map

 To view elevation details please use this link and select "Elevation Graph" from the top left hand side corner of the map.
http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=617637

Description

From the back of Kendal Leisure Centre go left on the shared pedestrian/ bike path (National Cycle Network 6) for a mile (2- km), crossing over a road half way along.

 At the end follow the National Cycle Network 6 signs to and through a small park diagonally on your left (take care – pedestrians and blind bends), then back on yourself for 50 yds/m on a public road, then right and immediately right on a shared 150 yds/m riverside path through a larger park.

 Here leave NCN 6, turn onto the Castle St public road, with the church on your right, and in 100 yds/m turn left onto the one-way road just after the pub. At the junction in 100 yds/m dismount and go along the pavement right, crossing the main A6 road via the nearby pedestrian lights, then remounting and passing under the railway bridge.

 Immediately then move into the middle lane (take care) and take the A685 for Tebay/ Appleby. After leaving the built up area take (left) the road to Mealbank/ Patton bridge. The road does a dog-leg over a river bridge, then soon starts a long and steady climb towards Patton Bridge, roughly 2 miles (3 km) distant.

 At the bottom of the steep drop into Patton Bridge continue over the bridge (Grayrigg/ Whinfell) and in a few minutes bear left at a fork, signed Unsuitable for HGVs. In about a mile there is a small crossroads - 3 tarmac roads and a bridleway on the left. Go right here (unsigned), the new NPA extension now being on your left. Bear left at the next junction and bike on to Grayrigg Church and the A685 main road. Here go left and immediately right (both unsigned) onto this lumpy road, to pass under the railway and quickly climb to a scissor crossroads, going straight on (unsigned) and soon join a bigger road, going left.

 The ride can be shortened dramatically here by going right instead, down to the nearby Kiln Head junction and left, there joining and following the signed NCN Route 70 back to Kendal. This will be a 16 + mile (26 + km) ride, with 1400' (425 m) ascent.

Map

 To view elevation details please use this link and select "Elevation Graph" from the top left hand side corner of the map.
http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=617629

  Otherwise continue up and down to cross over the M6, then going right at the T (Killington/ Sedbergh) and then in a minute left onto the unsigned lane to Fox's Pulpit.

 The ride can again be shortened from this unsigned junction by continuing straight ahead, parallel to the motorway, left on the A684 for a short stretch, then 1st right and returning to Kendal via Killington Reservoir and Millholme.

Map

 To view elevation details please use this link and select "Elevation Graph" from the top left hand side corner of the map.
http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=617709

 Otherwise carry on up to Fox's Pulpit, where all the land to the east is now in the Yorkshire Dales NP, and then down to the steep drop to the Black Horse crossroads on the main A684.

 The route here goes left along the main road to Sedbergh, but going straight over (sign B6256 Kirkby Lonsdale) omits this Sedbergh part, rejoining the route in a half mile or so, and saving c 5 miles (9km).

 Otherwise bike into Sedbergh for refreshments/ wc. Leave town the same way, but then bear left onto the A683 (Kirkby Lonsdale/ Lancaster). In a couple of miles (3 km) take (right) the B6256, to soon cross over the Lune and immediately go left (Killington/ Old Hutton). This is now in the new National Park. The shortcut avoiding Sedbergh rejoins the route here.

 In a mile (2- km) go right at a crossroads up to Killington village, for a short very steep ascent and then steady climb, after the top going left at a larger road, past 3 Mile House. Follow the Old Town signs to Old Town on this nicely flat road (bear left after 3 Mile House, then left by the turbines and right soon after). The road is the new National Park boundary, all the land down to the Lune now being in the Yorkshire Dales.

 At Old Town turn right at the B6254, and in a few minutes take the second left to Kitridding farm shop and cafe. Continue on this lane, where go right at High Row for a steep ascent and then on to a sweeping fast descent over the M6 to Goose Green.

 Turn right here, and soon left at a big crossroads (Kendal/ M6), and in ½ mile (1 km) go right at Low Park for an up and down road through Halfpenny to meet and go right at the sometimes busy A65. Take the nearby minor road to Crosscrake/ Sedgwick and in a few minutes arrive at a crossroads by a church. From here the route continues straight on west to a new part of the Lake District, the Lyth valley, but this sizeable c10 mile (16 km) loop can be avoided by turning right (Kendal/ 70), reaching Kendal 3 miles away (5 km). Otherwise continue to and through Sedgwick, and 300 yds/m after the nearby river bridge follow (right) the 70/ Caravan Club road, then quickly the 70 sign left up to the Strickland Arms/ Sizergh Castle entrance.

 For now, follow the 70 signs up behind the pub, then up a steep hill, followed by a drop into Levens, going right at the Hare & Hounds, and immediately left onto the valley floor. In a couple of minutes turn right (unsigned) to leave 70 and head north. This valley is now in the extended Lake District National Park.

 The valley road ends abruptly with a sharp ascent into Brigsteer, and then hard right, quickly joining a road up to and through Brigsteer woods. The route goes left at Sizergh Fell scissor crossroads (Kendal), and soon joins the outward route above Levens. Retrace the route (signs 70 or W2W) past the Strickland Arms and to Sedgwick, where simply follow the road through Natland into Kendal, taking the 4th right (Rinkfield) back to the Leisure Centre.