Summary
East over the M6, down to RIGMADEN and cross the Rver Lune , up BARBONDALE to DENT, and back via KILLINGTON, NEW HUTTON and down GREYHOUND.39 miles (63 km) 2943' climb (897 m) Grade – strenuous
Taking in much of the same scenery as Route 6, but in the opposite (anti – clockwise) direction.
OS Landranger 97 (Kendal) and 98 (Wensleydale).
Start - Kendal Leisure Centre, Burton Rd, Kendal, LA9 7HX
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=475697
The road drops down, and ½ mile (1 km) after the pub take the 1st left – Beehive Lane. In a couple of minutes go right into a little lane (unsigned), which you follow for nearly a mile (1 ½ km), then going right, up and down an unsigned short sharp 14% hill to Borrans.
Go left, and quickly right (Millholme/ Ewebank) to soon start the climb, and in a few minutes take the right signed turn to Ewebank and continue on. The climb gets steeper but soon flattens as you reach the M6 bridge.
Here go immediately right, then left at the next junction and right in 200 yds/m – all unsigned – to pass a couple of farms.
At the end of the open lane turn right and in ½ mile (1 km) bear left (Old Town) for another flat mile, to go left (Old Town) past the big wind turbines. There is soon a big junction, where you carry straight on (sign Sedbergh), not taking the right to Old Town.
In a few minutes the road drops sharply, by Heights house, and here take care, as in ¼ mile (1/2 km) you turn right at a small unsigned crossroads, the route then passing a house on your left.
A drop through a wood soon comes, at the bottom of which go left, signed Sedbergh, and continue over the river Lune metal bridge to turn right at the nearby main and sometimes busy A683 road (Kirkby Lonsdale sign).
In ½ mile (1 km) take the 1st left (Unsuitable for HGVs) onto a narrow grassy lane, at the end of which go right and on to nearby Barbon. Turn left into the village (cafe, pub).
Leave the village past the church for a short sharp 14% climb to then ride through beautiful Barbondale before a 20% drop into Gawthrop, 6 miles after leaving Barbon.
Here go right (Dent) and down to soon arrive at the main road, and right again to nearby Dent (cafes, pubs, wc). At 21 miles this is the halfway point. There are no refreshment or other facilities after this.
Retrace your wheels to soon go left up to Gawthrop, (at the bottom of the steep hill you came down), there continuing (sign Millthrop/ Sedbergh) on the undulating little lane to Rash bridge, reached in c 3 miles (5 km).
(This hilly section can be avoided by simply continuing on the generally not very busy main road from Dent to Rash Bridge, reached in 4 miles (7 km)).
Go straight on, unsigned, with the river to your right, to then climb to a gated open road, with wonderful views of the Howgills. Continue to and past Holme Open Farm and on to the main A683 Sedbergh – Kirkby Lonsdale road.
Here turn right and in a few minutes go straight on, where the main road to Sedbergh goes right, to soon cross over the Lune bridge. Immediately go left (Killington sign) and in a mile (1 ½ km) take the right turn to Killington.
Killington lies in a dip, with a short drop in, followed by a short 150 yd/m 20% climb out, the narrow lane then finishing with a 1/3 mile (c ½ km) further climb and short drop to the road near Three Mile House.
Going right here, you now retrace your outward journey for 3+ miles (5+ km). This means quickly left (unsigned) onto the open lane, left at the end and quickly bearing right (small blue Bendrigg sign for road going straight ahead) up to and crossing the M6 motorway bridge.
Still retracing your route drop down (beware potholes!) to Ewebank and in 100 yds/m beyond go left at the T, and down through Millholme to the Borrans T junction.
http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=475697
Description
From Kendal Leisure Centre go left on the main road and bear left at the traffic lights (sign Oxenholme, railway station) to climb up past the station and Station Inn at the hill top.The road drops down, and ½ mile (1 km) after the pub take the 1st left – Beehive Lane. In a couple of minutes go right into a little lane (unsigned), which you follow for nearly a mile (1 ½ km), then going right, up and down an unsigned short sharp 14% hill to Borrans.
Go left, and quickly right (Millholme/ Ewebank) to soon start the climb, and in a few minutes take the right signed turn to Ewebank and continue on. The climb gets steeper but soon flattens as you reach the M6 bridge.
Here go immediately right, then left at the next junction and right in 200 yds/m – all unsigned – to pass a couple of farms.
At the end of the open lane turn right and in ½ mile (1 km) bear left (Old Town) for another flat mile, to go left (Old Town) past the big wind turbines. There is soon a big junction, where you carry straight on (sign Sedbergh), not taking the right to Old Town.
In a few minutes the road drops sharply, by Heights house, and here take care, as in ¼ mile (1/2 km) you turn right at a small unsigned crossroads, the route then passing a house on your left.
A drop through a wood soon comes, at the bottom of which go left, signed Sedbergh, and continue over the river Lune metal bridge to turn right at the nearby main and sometimes busy A683 road (Kirkby Lonsdale sign).
In ½ mile (1 km) take the 1st left (Unsuitable for HGVs) onto a narrow grassy lane, at the end of which go right and on to nearby Barbon. Turn left into the village (cafe, pub).
Leave the village past the church for a short sharp 14% climb to then ride through beautiful Barbondale before a 20% drop into Gawthrop, 6 miles after leaving Barbon.
Here go right (Dent) and down to soon arrive at the main road, and right again to nearby Dent (cafes, pubs, wc). At 21 miles this is the halfway point. There are no refreshment or other facilities after this.
Retrace your wheels to soon go left up to Gawthrop, (at the bottom of the steep hill you came down), there continuing (sign Millthrop/ Sedbergh) on the undulating little lane to Rash bridge, reached in c 3 miles (5 km).
(This hilly section can be avoided by simply continuing on the generally not very busy main road from Dent to Rash Bridge, reached in 4 miles (7 km)).
Go straight on, unsigned, with the river to your right, to then climb to a gated open road, with wonderful views of the Howgills. Continue to and past Holme Open Farm and on to the main A683 Sedbergh – Kirkby Lonsdale road.
Here turn right and in a few minutes go straight on, where the main road to Sedbergh goes right, to soon cross over the Lune bridge. Immediately go left (Killington sign) and in a mile (1 ½ km) take the right turn to Killington.
Killington lies in a dip, with a short drop in, followed by a short 150 yd/m 20% climb out, the narrow lane then finishing with a 1/3 mile (c ½ km) further climb and short drop to the road near Three Mile House.
Going right here, you now retrace your outward journey for 3+ miles (5+ km). This means quickly left (unsigned) onto the open lane, left at the end and quickly bearing right (small blue Bendrigg sign for road going straight ahead) up to and crossing the M6 motorway bridge.
Still retracing your route drop down (beware potholes!) to Ewebank and in 100 yds/m beyond go left at the T, and down through Millholme to the Borrans T junction.
Here you leave your outward route, instead turning right and passing through New Hutton to arrive at and go left on to the A684 main Kendal – Sedbergh road. In ½ mile (c 1 km) take the 1st right (unsigned, by a white house) to go straight on - NCN 70 coming in on the right.
Before long the road drops, and continues down past the crossroads with a steep 14% drop to the main A684 road in Kendal.
Here go left, and in 300 yds/m take the 1st right just after a bus shelter (Castle Green Close, soon becoming Larch Grove) and at the end turn right down Parkside Road, under the railway bridge, past the cricket and football grounds to quickly arrive at blue road signs “Cycle track – look both ways”. Take this cycle track left, arriving back at the Leisure Centre in ½ mile (1 km).
Before long the road drops, and continues down past the crossroads with a steep 14% drop to the main A684 road in Kendal.
Here go left, and in 300 yds/m take the 1st right just after a bus shelter (Castle Green Close, soon becoming Larch Grove) and at the end turn right down Parkside Road, under the railway bridge, past the cricket and football grounds to quickly arrive at blue road signs “Cycle track – look both ways”. Take this cycle track left, arriving back at the Leisure Centre in ½ mile (1 km).
