July 22nd - Ewcan ride - Killington

July 22nd EWCAN ride: Killingworth 

Cafe: Killington Lake services area at 11am

YES you can ride to the M6 services cafe via their back entrance service road.

Meet and park for rides at 10am from layby on A684 (Grid Ref: 601 923). Routes and gpx files below:

11k road route: https://www.justgoride.co.uk/routes/105579

20k road route: https://www.justgoride.co.uk/routes/105580

16k off-road route: https://www.justgoride.co.uk/routes/105581

No need to book, just come along for one of the above rides at 10am, or ride from wherever you choose to meet at the cafe from 11am.

Breakfast Ride Saturday 4th July 6.40am Ferry Nab

 Meet at Ferry Nab, Bowness, in time to catch the 6.50am ferry. Route is along Lakeshore to Wray Castle (brief stop) then via Blelham Tarn and Hawkshead to Esthwaite Café, aiming to arrive about 9am for Breakfast (those wanting a lie-in could meet us there!) 

Those wanting shorter ride or later start welcome to join or leave at Esthwaite.

For a shorter ride return to Ferry from Café, otherwise via Dale Park into Rusland, turning left at Crosslands to Graythwaite (ice cream stop).

Then back to the ferry, from where you are warmly invited to the Sladers for refreshments.

 Please let me know by Wednesday (1^st July) evening if you are planning to join us, so I can give the café an idea of numbers on Thursday – they would also like to know if you prefer a veggie option.

  

Guide:  Martin Slader (07787 381209)

The May EWCAN (Easy Wednesday Cafe And Natter)

 Hello KDCS bikers,

The May EWCAN (Easy Wednesday Cafe And Natter) ride is on 27th May to avoid clashing with Andy Gillham's Wednesday ride the previous week to Langdon Beck. EWCAN rides will usually be on the 4th Wednesday of each month.

The cafe destination is Cafe Ambio at the Auction Mart at Jct36 (M6) and meet there for a natter from 11am. You can choose to ride to and from Cafe Ambio from wherever, or you can do a ride from there, starting at 09.45.

Choose from an off-road ride (16k), a road ride (24k) or a short road ride (16k) and arrive in time to depart by 09.45. Ride on your own or with others doing the same route, or make up your own excursion, and arrive back in time to socialise in the cafe.

Parking is free at the Auction Mart (Grd.ref. 537 822)

The suggested off road route is here on JustGoRide:

https://www.justgoride.co.uk/routes/104777

The suggested road ride (24k) route is here:

https://www.justgoride.co.uk/routes/104780

And the short ride route is here:

https://www.justgoride.co.uk/routes/104779

.gpx files of the EWCAN routes can be uploaded from the JustGoRide files/pages for each individual route.

Tim Goffe, EWCAN for KDCS

New EWCAN ride - Wednesday 22nd April - Sizergh

 

NEW

EWCAN rides

(Easy Wednesday Cafe And Natter) rides

The details for the April EWCAN ride are as follows, with three ride routes suggested:

• Meet in the Sizergh Castle car park (GR: 497 897) for a 09.45 start;
• Wednesday 22nd April - Sizergh
• cafe and natter from 11.00 at the Sizergh Castle cafe
• off-road route, 16k https://www.justgoride.co.uk/routes/104331
• road route, 17k https://www.justgoride.co.uk/routes/104509
• short road route 13k https://www.justgoride.co.uk/routes/104332
• or ride to Sizergh Castle from your own start and meet in the cafe from 11.00

Please note the idea is to follow the suggested routes yourselves, either individually or in a group(s), starting around 09.45. then meet in the cafe afterwards for a chat, before heading home.

No need to book, just turn up and ride or head to the cafe.

 

 

Kendal Town Centre Active Travel Consultation April 22nd

Kendal has an Active Travel remit but improved wheeled transport links are slow to progress. If you want to have your say about cycling infrastructure come to one or all of these meetings on April 22/23rd 2026. Check this link to book a place.

About

Join us for a creative workshop to shape your public spaces and places in the Heart of Kendal.

• Wednesday 22nd April – 11am till 1pm: Active Travel and Accessibility Focus Group

• Wednesday 22nd April – 5:30pm till 7:30pm: Local Businesses and Traders Focus Group

• Thursday 23rd April – 2pm till 4pm: Arts, Culture, Heritage and Communities Focus Group

EWCAN Rides

 Easy Wednesday Cafe and Natter rides

Please come along to our new EWCAN ride, where we will have a short cycle ride to a cafe social, all within easy distance of Kendal. We aim to arrive at the nominated cafe from 11am, to beat the lunchtime rush, but how you get there is up to you.

• ride directly from your home to the cafe
• or meet at the designated start point and ride with a group on a choice of road or off-road routes to the cafe. Suggested routes will be provided, or devise your own. Starts will be 9.30-10am to allow sufficient time for a short (around 10m/15k) ride to the cafe.
• go directly to the cafe just to meet up for the natter.
• no need to book or notify - just turn up.

In the first instance, we aim to do a EWCAN (You Can) ride monthly, probably on the 4th Wednesday of each month. 

Watch this space.

The first EWCAN ride is on Wednesday 25th March

Cafe: Lakeland Farm Cafe, Ings from 11am

Ride: Meet Biketrex car park, Ings, for 09.45 departure. Road and off-road routes will be recommended.

Broaden your cycling horizons.

The weather will improve at some point, even in Kendal!  If you are thinking of where to go after your latest KDCS ride here are some suggections. 

1. Cycling UKs British Cycle Quest competition. Log on to this link to get started. Start locally then set your sights on wider horizons. At the time of writing only 36 people have completed the Quest.

2. If you can forget the Battle of the Roses. The Yorkshire Cycling Festival takes place from June 12-14th  at Driffield Showground. This three day event replaces the York Rally which started back in 1945.

3. Cycle.Travel has an interactive map of cycle routes in he UK and Europe.

4. Cycling UK has put together a numbers of multiday rides more suitable for MTB/ Gravel Bikes. 

5. Bespoked Cycle Show  April 24-26, 2026. Copeland Park, Peckham, SE15 3SN. a chance to meet the creative masterminds behind the best hand-made bicycles, components, and accessories in the world in a three-day celebration of bikes and brilliant design.

Windermere Ferry Tickets

 

Free Financial Advice from KDCS

Tickets for Windermere Ferry will be increasing soon. You can still buy a book of 20 tickets for cyclists for £10 directly from Kendal Town Hall or by phone on 01539713066 which is a bargain if you are a regular user.

Lancaster Canal Towpath Trail

The December issue of the Lancaster Canal Towpath Trail (LCTT) is now out. This issue focuses on the campaign to improve the section of the LCTT between Kendal and Stainton to make it accessible to everyone. At the moment this section is very muddy and many gates are not suitable for wheeled users and those with walking difficulties.

To unlock significant funding from the Local Authority, LCTT has been collecting information and feedback from a wide range of sources and they are now in the process of submitting their proposals to key decision makers at Westmorland & Furness Council. You can check out their latest information on the LCTT Facebook page

 

Local Bike Shops

Kendal

    E Bike Safaris  

Mobile bike repairs  07930 86935  

    Eddington Cyclery 

106 Highgate, LA9 4HE. edcyclery@gmail.com

    Giant Cycle Store 

The Old Brewery 3B Wildman St, Kendal LA9 6EN  01539 728057

    Halfords

Queen Katherines Ave, Kendal LA9 6DU 0330 135 9779

    Mapdec Cycle Works 

Unit 1 Westmorland Business Park, Kendal LA9 6NS 01539 267562 

    Robin Walker Race Ready Suspension

MTB Suspension specialist. 18 Vicarage Drive, 13 Kendal, LA9  5AZ  01539 720609 

Staveley

    Wheelbase Cycles

Staveley Mill Yard Back Lane,  LA8 9LR   01539 821443 

Ings

    BikeTreks

Ings Service Area A591, Kendal LA8 9. 015394 31245 

Windermere

    Country Lanes Cycle Centre

The Railway Station Precinct, Windermere    LA23 1AH. 015394 44544 

Ambleside

    Ghyllside Cycles

The Slack, Ambleside LA22 9DQ  015394 33592

Grizedale Forest

    Biketreks Grizedale 

Grizedale Visitor Centre  LA22 OQJ   015394 31245

 Ingleton

    Escape Bike Shop 

Kirksteads Westhouse A65, LA6 3NJ.  015242 41226

Ulverston

    Leisure Lakes Bikes 

Units 12-13, Lightburn Industrial Estate, Ulverston LA12 7NE.  01229 581116

Barrow

    E Bike Motor Repairs 

07415016137

Lancaster

    Leisure Lakes Bikes

103-105 Penny St, Lancaster LA1 1XN.  01524 844389

    On Yer Bike Cycles

Lowell House Caton Rd, Lancaster LA1 3NY.  01524 60554 

    The Edge Cycle Works

2 Chapel St, Lancaster LA1 1NZ  01524 840800

Appleby

    The Bike Inn

01768 34779

 Penrith

    Arragons Cycling Centre 

2 Brunswick Rd, Penrith CA11 7LU, 01768 890344

Kendal 20 mph

Westmorland & Furness CC have now decided on their proposals for 20mph speed limits in Kendal and and other areas and have opened a formal consultation which closes on Dec 11th 2025. Instead of having a blanket 20mph limit on the town they have proposed a more fragmented approach which will cost far more on signage and it will create transitional 20/30mph points in residential areas which in turn will create more particulate pollution from road, brake, tyre abrasion dust and vehicle exhaust emissions as vehicles accelerate and brake at these residential transition points. If you wish to see the new proposals follow this link. 

https://www.westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk/parking-streets-and-transport/streets-roads-and-pavements/road-maintenance-closures-and-improvements/traffic-regulation-orders-tros/proposed-traffic-regulation-orders/traffic-regulation-order-2024

To make a comment or representation in relation to the proposals, you should write or send an email to: 

Road Safety Team
Address:  Westmorland and Furness Council, South Lakeland House, Lowther Street, Kendal, LA9 4DQ
Email: 20mph@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk

Please quote the reference 20mph/2025/Stat.Con/South Lakeland