FROM
KENDAL LEISURE CENTRE out through NATLAND to CROSSCRAKE, HALFPENNY, GATEBECK,
SILLFIELD, A65 near LUPTON, NEWBIGGIN, CLAWTHORPE, HOLME, ARNSIDE and BACK.
A loop south of Kendal, with the first half being on quiet roads
with 2 climbs, the second half being on generally flat terrain out to Arnside
and back.
35 miles (56 km) 2,110' climb
(625 m) Grade – 2
climbs (both strenuous, one 1+ miles/2km long), easy before and after.
OS 97
Kendal
Start
Kendal Leisure Centre, Burton Rd, Kendal LA9 7HX GR SD 521 913
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=674968
Description
From the back of Kendal
Leisure Centre go right on the shared path/ cycleway (National Cycle Network
6). It quickly passes up to the main road, over via the central refuge and then
down the unsurfaced path through the wood to soon join the public road by
Clarks warehouse. If wet, simply leave the Centre from the front, cross over
the main road into Rinkfield nearly opposite (slightly on the left), and then
at the end turn left onto the road which soon passes Clarks warehouse.
Continue through Natland, and
in a couple of minutes follow NCN 6, which bears left up a little hill and then
right at the top. In a few minutes the road drops down by a cemetery to a
crossroads, where go left (A 65 sign) through Crosscrake to soon reach the A65.
Go right here (Endmoor) and
in 250 yds/m go left onto the undulating Halfpenny road. Go left at the end towards Gatebeck, down
over the river to the big crossroads beyond at Gatebeck, there continuing
straight over for a 1+ mile (2 km) continuous climb, sometimes steep, past
Sillfield to the T just beyond West View.
The ride leader adds - you’ll
bust your lungs on this bit!!
At the T take the unsigned
road (right) to quickly drop down to a small crossroads at Warth, where turn
left for a shorter climb, then pleasantly undulating past Tarnhouse Tarn and
beyond for a few miles before going right by a small church, and dropping down
to the A65.
Turn right onto this busy
main road, but in 1/3 mile (½ km) take the left turn to Hutton Roof – then in
100 yds/m carry straight on (width restriction sign only) where the Hutton Roof
road goes left.
In a few minutes go right at
a T (Newbiggin sign) and soon in nearby Newbiggin go left (unsigned, Lakes
& Dales blue bike sign straight on) and climb up to Clawthorpe top. This is
the second major climb of the day, but shorter than the first.
The ride leader adds - you will look and feel very undignified as you
crawl to the top of Clawthorpes!
The day's climbing has
effectively been done at this point. This is 13 miles ( 21 km) from the start.
Continue on at the top and
then follow the long descent to the A6070 main road at Clawthorpe (near
Burton). Here go right (Kendal) and in a few minutes left (Holme/ Milnthorpe)
over the M6 into Holme (shops/ pub). This is 16 miles (26 km) from the start.
Opposite the pub the route
goes left, away from the main road and in 100 yds/m goes right onto an unsigned
lane (the Holme Mills road going straight ahead), which is followed, turning
right at the end T to the nearby A6.
Go right here, immediately
taking the Arnside/ Silverdale road left by the Oasis Wildlife Centre and
continue on for the next mile + (2 km) to the next T.
Take the Arnside road
(right), and in a few minutes take the right turn to Arnside, which is reached
in a mile + (2 km). Arnside has all facilities, and is 22 miles (35 km) from
the start.
The final return leg to
Kendal starts by reversing the last mile + (2 km) of your inward route to
Arnside – taking the second left (Storth) after re – crossing the railway line.
At the Storth crossroads go right (Beetham) for soon a sharpish rise and then a gently undulating ride to the
next T, where go left (Haverbrack, blue bike sign 6).
Blue bike sign 6 soon directs
the route down through Dallam Park and at the main road right, to cross the
river bridge.
Turn left immediately after
the bridge (blue bike sign 700) onto a flat lane up the marshes, soon going
straight ahead at a T, where 700 goes left.
Soon Heversham Hotel is
reached, and here cross over the A6 again (unsigned) and go immediately right
and left by the church onto Woodhouse Lane.
In Woodhouse turn left
(Hincaster/ Kendal), continue straight on past the nearby crossroads (Stainton/
6), and in a couple of minutes turn left (unsigned) immediately after passing
under the railway bridge (easily missed).
Continue on this lane
(railway on left), then straight on at the next (unsigned) Y junction (take
care – no priority) and on to pass under the bypass road and then soon under
the railway bridge (danger of flooding here in very wet weather), then up and
down (take care, limited visibility in places) to Sedgwick.
Here go right, and in a mile
(2- km) join the outward route back through nearby Natland to Kendal Leisure
Centre.
