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Yeti
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PostPosted: 11:20 - 07 Jul 2020    Post subject: Lake District Reply with quote

Hi Guys,

A few of us our heading up to the lake district on the bikes with tents on Thursday.

Anyone got any advise for decent roads? I've had a look online at most of the passes and the surfaces look awful. Any must do roads whilst we are up there?

We will be staying in Crooklands just off junction 36 so have both the Lakes and the Dales available to us.

Cheers,
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The Artist
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PostPosted: 11:30 - 07 Jul 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not sure about good roads but I have a really good camping spot if you fancy wild camping.

54.565193,-2.872361

There is a road right by it but you go up this little hill and you have a view of the lake and hidden from the road.
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 11:35 - 07 Jul 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

The roads suck and it'll be epic busy. Go to Northumberland or Scotland is my advice.

I'd go East rather than West from where you're staying, it'll be less busy, couple of half-decent loops you can do in the Dales. The whole of the North of England will have had the same idea though.

I live in Cumbria and on the rare occasion I go down into the Lakes on my motorbike, I even get frustrated on my Enfiled 350... Which is now geared to do 50mph flat-out.
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doggone
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PostPosted: 11:39 - 07 Jul 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

The road from Penrith over to Alston is nice, there used to be a popular cafe at the top but still a good viewpoint.
Don't worry about poor surfaces in the Lakes as you'll rarely do much more than 30mph.

The most challenging Lakeland pass is Wrynose and Hardknot - but it doesn't really go anywhere.
Take care on that if any of the group are a touch inexperienced with single track roads and numpty car drivers who can't reverse.
I would suggest just kind of look at it from the road which goes through Langdale.

The stone circle near Keswick is worth checking out, I like Derwentwater it's the only one with lots of islands and you can ride right round it. Keswick is well supplied with eateries so a good place to stop for that.

You can come back from a break there feeling somewhat exploited.
As a first time visitor it's hard not to get drawn to/through the main honeypots which have spent about 200 years maximising their ability to extract funds from visitors.
Add in the frequent wet weather and you might reasonably not want to go again but it is a little compact jewel with much to offer.
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chickenstrip
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PostPosted: 12:33 - 07 Jul 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Lake District is more about scenery than good biking roads, but there are a couple of fun bits if you can catch them at quiet times. While the days are long in summer, that usually means in the evenings, weather's often better later in the day too..

I like the road that goes down alongside Thirlmere, fun if you get a good run at it. There's another one that runs along the western side of the region near the coast, and then turning inland to Coniston where it gets gnarlier, but still fun.

Up The Struggle from Ambleside to the Kirkstone Pass (pub at the top), then down again through Patterdale and Glenridding, follow that road alongside Ullswater, some of that is fun, all the way to Pooley Bridge.

It's bits and pieces really for fun riding. The passes are a different kind of enjoyment - try doing them all in one day, but perhaps peak season isn't the best time. No idea how busy it is during Covid times, haven't been down there in a while.

I love the place, both for biking and fell walking, but summer isn't usually the best time due to crowds. Spring and autumn and things tend to be a bit quieter. All depends on how busy you find it.

As has been suggested, if you just want to hack it around empty hillsides, head east for the North Pennines, Alston and roads south from there.
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Yeti
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PostPosted: 12:53 - 07 Jul 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks All,

We have the camp site booked so will have reside myself to the fact I'm going to be enjoying the views and not the Tarmac.

The ZX9r will have squared its tyres with all that motorway by the time I get there anyway!

Will take your advise and organise a run up the Penines on one of the days.
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chickenstrip
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PostPosted: 12:59 - 07 Jul 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

For scenery, don't miss the run from Keswick through Borrowdale, up over the Honister pass, and down through Buttermere. Again, if you get a nice evening, a good time to do this.

Cafe at Keswick - the Filling Station, popular with bikes, again don't know how Covid is affecting it. It's only small, but does have outside seating. Cafe at the top of the Honister pass too. Won't be open after about 5pm though.
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 14:12 - 07 Jul 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

chickenstrip wrote:

I like the road that goes down alongside Thirlmere, fun if you get a good run at it.


The fun-sponges have made the interesting bit a 40 limit now though.

Same with that hilareous bit nearer the Keswick side of the same road where they made a dual carriageway by making the old twisty road (Southbound) one way and built two new straight lanes going the other. I used to turn round and have a few goes at that because feels like road-racing man (cranked over on a blind corner on what looks and feels like the wrong side of the road but is actually dual carriageway).

Nope. People were enjoying themselves too much. Slap a 40 limit on it forthwith.
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chickenstrip
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PostPosted: 14:15 - 07 Jul 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

stinkwheel wrote:
chickenstrip wrote:

I like the road that goes down alongside Thirlmere, fun if you get a good run at it.


The fun-sponges have made the interesting bit a 40 limit now though.

Same with that hilareous bit nearer the Keswick side of the same road where they made a dual carriageway by making the old twisty road (Southbound) one way and built two new straight lanes going the other. I used to turn round and have a few goes at that because feels like road-racing man (cranked over on a blind corner on what looks and feels like the wrong side of the road but is actually dual carriageway).

Nope. People were enjoying themselves too much. Slap a 40 limit on it forthwith.


When did they do that? Are they enforcing it in any way? Cameras? I can only think of one spot next to Thirlmere where a cop car could park.
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 14:33 - 07 Jul 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

chickenstrip wrote:


When did they do that? Are they enforcing it in any way? Cameras? I can only think of one spot next to Thirlmere where a cop car could park.


They don't really need to. It's a twat to overtake on and all the camper vans/tourists are complying with the 40 limit.

It's almost all that new bit they built after it washed away in the floods.
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chickenstrip
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PostPosted: 14:35 - 07 Jul 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

stinkwheel wrote:
chickenstrip wrote:


When did they do that? Are they enforcing it in any way? Cameras? I can only think of one spot next to Thirlmere where a cop car could park.


They don't really need to. It's a twat to overtake on and all the camper vans/tourists are complying with the 40 limit.


Oh, I've been doing something wrong then Laughing
Hey, if they're not enforcing it...phew, false alarm! Twisted Evil

It's all about when you do it. As I mentioned, evenings are often a good time, but other than summer, during the working day (pre-Covid, no idea what it's like right now).
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ThunderGuts
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PostPosted: 14:52 - 07 Jul 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

The central "massif" of the Lakes is always busy and I imagine at the moment is bonkers busy and will get more so as the weather is due to improve this weekend. Most of the roads in the area fall into the "interesting" rather than "exciting" category; just too much traffic most of time. Don't neglect the outlying areas; Hartside Pass as mentioned is good fun, plus I quite like the A5092 from Greenodd over the top to Grizebeck, then the A595 from there around past Muncaster Castle. Tends to be slightly quieter than the central areas. Surfaces can vary massively; don't commit to blind corners too willingly as it's easy to find the surface turns to that of the moon without any warning. Duddon Bridge to Eskdale Green, a singletrack over the fells, is scenic but don't do it on a windy/rainy day as it's pretty exposed so wouldn't be much fun.

As mentioned, Hardknott / Wrynose don't really get you anywhere you can't reach by other roads, yes they're in an impressive setting, but unless they've been repaired the road surface is seriously degrading and they're usually peppered with appalling and inexperienced drivers who won't be looking ahead, can't use reverse etc., not to mention those who don't have adequate handbrakes so panic if having to stop. If you want to do them, go preferably very early in the morning, like 6am, and you should get them to yourself. Late evening is quiet but you'll still find traffic up there.

Personally I love the Lakes; few places for me offer the combination of scenery and quality pubs, although I tend to be there for outdoorsy stuff rather than on my motorcycle.
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chickenstrip
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PostPosted: 15:25 - 07 Jul 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

ThunderGuts wrote:

Personally I love the Lakes; few places for me offer the combination of scenery and quality pubs, although I tend to be there for outdoorsy stuff rather than on my motorcycle.


Some of my best days have been riding the bike down, parking up and then clambering up a fell. Have to be a bit choosy about where you leave the bike, but Langdale and the car park at the Honister are two spots I've left it a couple of times. Biking and fell walking in one day - bliss!
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ThunderGuts
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PostPosted: 15:42 - 07 Jul 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

chickenstrip wrote:

Some of my best days have been riding the bike down, parking up and then clambering up a fell. Have to be a bit choosy about where you leave the bike, but Langdale and the car park at the Honister are two spots I've left it a couple of times. Biking and fell walking in one day - bliss!


Nice concept, bit further for me though! I have ridden out to crags in the Peak District to go climbing for the evening before but there's the faff of getting out of biking gear into something to climb in (and the reverse at the end of it).
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Enduro Numpty
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PostPosted: 07:22 - 11 Jul 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

Me and my girl friend (later wife) went to the lake district on my GS1000 in 1980 with a view to camping for a couple of days and seeing the sights. We were refused entry to camp sites for no reason other than we were riding a bike. We eventually got in to one around Ullswater, subject to a 20 minute lecture about not not revving our bike up in the middle of the night. We left the following morning and have never been back.
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chickenstrip
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PostPosted: 09:37 - 11 Jul 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

Enduro Numpty wrote:
Me and my girl friend (later wife) went to the lake district on my GS1000 in 1980 with a view to camping for a couple of days and seeing the sights. We were refused entry to camp sites for no reason other than we were riding a bike. We eventually got in to one around Ullswater, subject to a 20 minute lecture about not not revving our bike up in the middle of the night. We left the following morning and have never been back.


Maybe, but those were the days when a lot of pubs all over the country wouldn't have bikers, and the general public thought we were all greasy grobs out to make trouble. You really won't go back again because of that?
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doggone
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PostPosted: 10:12 - 11 Jul 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

chickenstrip wrote:
Enduro Numpty wrote:
Me and my girl friend (later wife) went to the lake district on my GS1000 in 1980 with a view to camping for a couple of days and seeing the sights. We were refused entry to camp sites for no reason other than we were riding a bike. We eventually got in to one around Ullswater, subject to a 20 minute lecture about not not revving our bike up in the middle of the night. We left the following morning and have never been back.


Maybe, but those were the days when a lot of pubs all over the country wouldn't have bikers, and the general public thought we were all greasy grobs out to make trouble. You really won't go back again because of that?

Agree remember being taken aback in Derbyshire you would see notices outside some pubs No Bikers or leather jackets.
Local Yorks coast Scarborough/Whitby never really saw that.
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BrianHilldwel...
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PostPosted: 10:26 - 11 Jul 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

doggone wrote:
The road from Penrith over to Alston is nice, there used to be a popular cafe at the top but still a good viewpoint.


It has some of the best hairpins in all of the UK.

Good views too.
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chickenstrip
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PostPosted: 10:27 - 11 Jul 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Lake District did turn me away once. Taught me to pay attention to weather forecasts!
A bank holiday weekend, decided to go up there and camp. It was fine going up, took me a little while to find a camp site, just riding around looking for one. Just as I was setting my tent up having found a place (I got funny looks from the site owners as I booked in, apparently they knew something I didn't), the rain fell out of the sky - like someone dropped a massive bucket of water all over the place, and the wind suddenly went crazy. Destroyed my tent as I was erecting it. Tent went in the skip and I ran back to the site office and booked a static caravan for one night, dripped all over it, weather still in fury outside, still like it in the morning, so I abandoned the mission and headed home. The SV650 I had at the time went on to one cylinder on the motorway due to flooded electrics, could barely make out what lane I was in. Half way back down the country (lived in Harlow I think at the time), sun came out and all was calm again.

I went up there again on my first Fazer 1000. Did a ride out to Wasdale Head, didn't really know the geography of the region. On the way back to the camp site, down came the rain. No idea where I was, ended up on some high ground, zero shelter from wind and rain. Even cars were pulling in to wait out the rain, I kept going, just remember steep hills turning into rivers. Got to Keswick, hid between the shops with fish and chips, sunny by the time I'd got to my camp site in Borrowdale, leather jacket and everything else soaked through.

When it rains in the Lake District, it doesn't feck about - don't ignore forecasts if you're thinking of going! Laughing
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doggone
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PostPosted: 12:51 - 11 Jul 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes it commonly pours all day there while east of the Pennines it's just a spit of drizzle every now and then.
The top of Borrowdale is the wettest place in the country including Scotland which is saying something.
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 13:25 - 11 Jul 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

The clue is in the name.
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chickenstrip
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PostPosted: 13:30 - 11 Jul 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think they named it wrong. It should have been The Fells District. High ground = more rain generally speaking. The North Pennines aren't exactly the driest region in the country either. You want hills, you get weather!
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Enduro Numpty
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PostPosted: 22:21 - 12 Jul 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

chickenstrip wrote:
Enduro Numpty wrote:
Me and my girl friend (later wife) went to the lake district on my GS1000 in 1980 with a view to camping for a couple of days and seeing the sights. We were refused entry to camp sites for no reason other than we were riding a bike. We eventually got in to one around Ullswater, subject to a 20 minute lecture about not not revving our bike up in the middle of the night. We left the following morning and have never been back.


Maybe, but those were the days when a lot of pubs all over the country wouldn't have bikers, and the general public thought we were all greasy grobs out to make trouble. You really won't go back again because of that?


They didn't want my business as a young biker so they certainly won't be getting it now that I'm old and "respectable". That trip gave me a little inkling of what it's like to be subject to racism. We were both left with the impression that being Scottish was another black mark against us. It may be strong words but the people we met were, for the most part, just small minded cunts, plain and simple. A new generation, new attitudes, maybe? I won't be wasting time finding out.

All that aside, there's nothing that appealed to me about the place. Even 40 years ago the roads that I saw, on my briefer than intended visit, were overcrowded and crap. Scenery is ok but I've got infinitely better on my doorstep and much more of it, with a lot less people. The same goes for the roads, thousands of miles of decent ones here as opposed to a few overcrowded routes there. The ride is my main purpose when I use a bike and if the ride's crap I see no point. If I want to do scenery or walk hills I don't take the bike.

I can think of no reason why I'd ever want to go back.
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chickenstrip
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PostPosted: 12:13 - 13 Jul 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

If all I wanted was to ride good roads, I'd have moved to Wales and be done with it.
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Copycat73
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PostPosted: 12:21 - 13 Jul 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote

Enduro Numpty wrote:

I can think of no reason why I'd ever want to go back.


neither can i .. oh and the border is clearly marked so you have no excuse for crossing this side of it ..
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