Summary
ORTON via LAMBRIGG, HOWGILL
and GREENHOLME, then to TEBAY and LOW BORROWBRIDGE, where follow the bridleway
by the river to HUCK'S BRIDGE (A6) and down to KENDAL.
40 miles (64 km) 3,100' climb (945m) Grade
- strenuous OS 97
(Kendal) and 91 (Appleby)
A hilly but scenic ride,
including a bridleway ok for tourers. Refreshments/wc only available half way at
Orton. The outward route soon connects to National Cycle Network 70 (Walney to
Wear). The route is quite exposed, so is not recommended in poor weather. Start - Kendal Leisure Centre, Burton Rd, LA9 7HX
The road soon becomes very steep (14% +), eventually easing shortly after a crossroads. At the crossroads we join the generally well signed National Cycle Network Route 70 (Walney to Wear), which we follow for 19 miles to Orton.
Soon we come to a junction, by a white house, where go left (70 sign) onto small lanes, left again in a mile at the T junction (70), then in 500 yds/m bearing right (70/ Lambrigg) and on to Kiln Head in 1 ½ miles (2+ km), there going right.
The route continues a steady climb, then flattening to cross over the M6, to then go left and fast and steep down to Beck Foot (take care). Here the signs take you right and immediately left under the old railway viaduct, to then cross over the River Lune and climb back up to Howgill, where go left at the small crossroads (70/68/ Orton), where continue for 4+ miles (7 km – lovely views on the unfenced part) to join the A685 after passing under the railway/ M6 bridges high overhead.
We turn right, parallel to the M6, soon going left (70/ 68/Roundthwaite) just before the M6 bridge. Another testing 14% hill and drop brings us to Greenholme in 2+ miles (4 km), where straight on (70/68/ Shap), then climbing and wriggling under the railway/ M6 to a scissor crossroads, to follow the road to nearby Orton.
Orton has most of the facilities you may need – shop, cafe, pub, chocolate shop, wc. The ride is now just over half way, at c 21 miles (34 km), and most of the climbing has been done.
Here you leave NCN 70/ 68 as it goes east, whilst we continue south to Tebay in a couple of miles, crossing straight over at the large roundabout there and up the little hill. After crossing over the M6 you rejoin your outward route for ½ mile (1 km), turning right at the bottom into Borrowdale (obscure sign “Public Way to public bridleway at ford” only) where you came in on the left under the big bridges overhead.
The bridleway up the valley is c 4 ½ miles (7 km) and is do-able on tourers, albeit a bit bouncy at times. 2 or 3 very short bits of 20 yds/ m may need to be pushed after the farm. Signs are non-existent, although the bridleway is mostly obvious, being the road/track to the existing farm, on through some fields and then away to the A6 from the remains of an old farm. The scenery is magnificent. (If you do not want to do the bridleway, either go back the way you came out (15 miles, 24 km) or simply continue on the main A685 road to Kendal, a bit shorter, but also up and down a lot.)
Tarmac makes the initial bridleway climbing easier, then becoming a stony track (crossing the river) to the farm. Go through the farmyard gates, and then immediately go through the left gate (not the field gate) onto a minor track (where the main track goes hard right and uphill). The track soon goes slightly uphill, and the pushing sections are here, then goes above some trees but quickly descends on grass to an obvious track, and a bridleway directional post – the only one in the valley!
You soon go quickly through a gate and down a grassy field, passing the remains of the old farm, to continue on the not too bad track to finally steeply climb up to the main A6 Shap road, the last sharp climb of the day.
Now simply go down the 8 miles (13 km) to Kendal. It was the main road to Scotland before the M6.
In Kendal go straight over the roundabout (Town Centre sign - by the railway bridge overhead) onto the one way system, and in 100 yds/m turn left into Castle Street (Sedbergh sign), and immediately bear right to join the shared NCN 6 path by the river in Gooseholme public park. NCN 6 signs now direct you left by the park river footbridge, immediately left for 50 yds/ m of road, hard right through a small park (careful, blind bends) and onto the shared path by the gates to the Recycling Centre (beware traffic leaving it) back to the Leisure Centre.
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=475917
http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=475917
Description
From the back of Kendal Leisure Centre turn left along the shared path (National Cycle Network 6). Turn right at the first road (Parkside Rd) and climb to the T junction, where turn left on drop down towards town – turning right in ½ mile (1km) onto Sedbergh Rd.The road soon becomes very steep (14% +), eventually easing shortly after a crossroads. At the crossroads we join the generally well signed National Cycle Network Route 70 (Walney to Wear), which we follow for 19 miles to Orton.
Soon we come to a junction, by a white house, where go left (70 sign) onto small lanes, left again in a mile at the T junction (70), then in 500 yds/m bearing right (70/ Lambrigg) and on to Kiln Head in 1 ½ miles (2+ km), there going right.
The route continues a steady climb, then flattening to cross over the M6, to then go left and fast and steep down to Beck Foot (take care). Here the signs take you right and immediately left under the old railway viaduct, to then cross over the River Lune and climb back up to Howgill, where go left at the small crossroads (70/68/ Orton), where continue for 4+ miles (7 km – lovely views on the unfenced part) to join the A685 after passing under the railway/ M6 bridges high overhead.
We turn right, parallel to the M6, soon going left (70/ 68/Roundthwaite) just before the M6 bridge. Another testing 14% hill and drop brings us to Greenholme in 2+ miles (4 km), where straight on (70/68/ Shap), then climbing and wriggling under the railway/ M6 to a scissor crossroads, to follow the road to nearby Orton.
Orton has most of the facilities you may need – shop, cafe, pub, chocolate shop, wc. The ride is now just over half way, at c 21 miles (34 km), and most of the climbing has been done.
Here you leave NCN 70/ 68 as it goes east, whilst we continue south to Tebay in a couple of miles, crossing straight over at the large roundabout there and up the little hill. After crossing over the M6 you rejoin your outward route for ½ mile (1 km), turning right at the bottom into Borrowdale (obscure sign “Public Way to public bridleway at ford” only) where you came in on the left under the big bridges overhead.
The bridleway up the valley is c 4 ½ miles (7 km) and is do-able on tourers, albeit a bit bouncy at times. 2 or 3 very short bits of 20 yds/ m may need to be pushed after the farm. Signs are non-existent, although the bridleway is mostly obvious, being the road/track to the existing farm, on through some fields and then away to the A6 from the remains of an old farm. The scenery is magnificent. (If you do not want to do the bridleway, either go back the way you came out (15 miles, 24 km) or simply continue on the main A685 road to Kendal, a bit shorter, but also up and down a lot.)
Tarmac makes the initial bridleway climbing easier, then becoming a stony track (crossing the river) to the farm. Go through the farmyard gates, and then immediately go through the left gate (not the field gate) onto a minor track (where the main track goes hard right and uphill). The track soon goes slightly uphill, and the pushing sections are here, then goes above some trees but quickly descends on grass to an obvious track, and a bridleway directional post – the only one in the valley!
You soon go quickly through a gate and down a grassy field, passing the remains of the old farm, to continue on the not too bad track to finally steeply climb up to the main A6 Shap road, the last sharp climb of the day.
Now simply go down the 8 miles (13 km) to Kendal. It was the main road to Scotland before the M6.
In Kendal go straight over the roundabout (Town Centre sign - by the railway bridge overhead) onto the one way system, and in 100 yds/m turn left into Castle Street (Sedbergh sign), and immediately bear right to join the shared NCN 6 path by the river in Gooseholme public park. NCN 6 signs now direct you left by the park river footbridge, immediately left for 50 yds/ m of road, hard right through a small park (careful, blind bends) and onto the shared path by the gates to the Recycling Centre (beware traffic leaving it) back to the Leisure Centre.
