The Lake District is a magical place to ride a motorcycle – in any weather, at any time of the year.
I have never had a bad ride in the Lake District. Not even when the weather has been poor, which could easily take the shine off many rides. In the Lakes, bad weather somehow fits the scenery better, makes it moody and dramatic, rather than dull and diluted. And many of the roads there are fairly small and slow, so it doesn’t really seem to matter that much – the views are still spectacular, and the riding good.
So, when Martin from Riding Edge Motorcycle Adventures suggested including a route in the Lakes in our Great Winter Rides, I didn’t take much convincing. The only question was which route to pick? We needed something that would highlight the majestic scenery of the Lakes, but avoid the bits that are most likely to close in bad winter weather. Luckily, Martin has decades (I’m being kind, and won’t say exactly how many decades) of local knowledge, so I could safely leave the planning to him. All I had to do was check the bike over, wire in the heated kit (because, let’s face it, it could get a bit chilly), and be there on time. It really pays to be friends with a tour guide!
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We started our ride in Coniston, pretty much at the heart of the Lake District, but that was mostly just because I had found a ridiculously cheap place to stay there (the YHA hostel, highly recommended).
The route that Martin had planned was a circular 100-mile ride, so you could really start anywhere along it. What I liked about the route as I studied it before the ride, was that it took in some bits that I had not ridden before, despite spending plenty of time riding around here. There were some old favourites, too, so I knew I was in for a good ride.
THE ROUTE
Where: Start and end in Coniston in the Lake District (or anywhere else on the route for that matter, it’s just a big circle after all, so you won’t miss anything).
Description: Circular route covering A and B roads. Some sections are single tracks with passing places as you are climbing up to higher ground. The views are good all the way, ranging from quaint villages to rugged stony passes.
Distance: 100 miles.
Time: Allow a full day so you can have plenty of stops for photos, coffees and lunch.
Fuel: We filled up in Coniston before the ride, but you can also find fuel in Broughton-in Furness or Keswick. If you need any in between, it’s not a long detour to find some.
Cafés: There are plenty of them. The Crosby Snack Shed is the first one soon after Broughton-in-Furness. There’s the Sawmill Café just before Wast Water, and then the Woodland’s Tea Room at Santon Bridge. After stopping there we couldn’t even think of more cake until Keswick, where choice is plentiful.
Curiosities: For me, the highlight was Newlands Pass. There’s a nice place to stop at the top where you can admire Moss Force waterfall.
WINTER KIT HIGHLIGHT
Keis kindly provided heated kit to keep me warm from head to toe on the Great Winter Rides. One item that should be highlighted is the heated socks (£89, www.keisapparel.com).
I never realised that heated socks were something I needed in my life, but I do now. You just put them on, connect them to the battery, and enjoy warm feet no matter what the temperature.
PLANNING MADE EASY
The fact that Martin had picked some routes that were new to me, even though they had been right under my nose for years, goes to show the power of local knowledge. If you want to discover some new routes in the Lakes, or if you haven’t been there yet and don’t want to miss the big hitters, give Martin at Riding Edge Motorcycle Adventures a shout.
www.ridingedge.co.uk | [email protected] | tel. 07721421016.
WORDS: Mikko Nieminen
PHOTOS: Dave Manning, Mikko Nieminen
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