(UK) First timers on trip to Ambleside. Any tips?

Three of us are going up to Ambleside in the Lake District next weekend. We can all be described as
farily novice mountain bikers. Anyone got any tips on routes etc. Where should we be heading off to
each day - ideally I'd like to leave the car at Ambleside and do the lot on the bike. We've got 3
days cycling to fill!!! We're staying in Ambleside itself....any tips on where to eat/drink. Good
pubs? I'm figuring we'll be pretty thirsty & hungry at the end of each day.

I realise this is a bit unspecific but any words of advie or tips would be grately appreciated.

Cheers, Stu

Blue Stu wrote:
> Three of us are going up to Ambleside in the Lake District next weekend. We can all be described
> as farily novice mountain bikers. Anyone got any tips on routes etc. Where should we be heading
> off to each day - ideally I'd like to leave the car at Ambleside and do the lot on the bike. We've
> got 3 days cycling to fill!!! We're staying in Ambleside itself....any tips on where to eat/drink.
> Good pubs? I'm figuring we'll be pretty thirsty & hungry at the end of each day.
>

Drop in at one of the bike shops in Ambleside or Wheelbase in Staveley and ask for advice and pick
up some route maps. Some nice easier rides are:

Down the west side of Windermere to High Wray Bay, then along the shore to the Bowness Ferry then
right up the hill to Far Sawrey and across Claife Heights back to High Wray and Ambleside.

From Rothay Bridge in Ambleside along to Rydal, up the hill to the Bridleway running parallel to and
north of the main road. Down into Grasmere and round the lake (v. steep road climb) before down
Loughrigg Terrace back to Rydal and Ambleside.

Neither is particularly long or difficult and will be a good calibration. There are also some good
rides north out of Staveley on the two sides of the valley to Kentmere. Most of the rides in the
Lakes are quite hilly and rocky but these are all at the easier end of what can get quite extreme.

Tony

--
"If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything." Mark Twain

Never cycled around there but since you asked, although a bit pricey, the Glass House restaurant in
Ambleside is excellent.

Chris "Blue Stu" <stuart_ditchfield@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:4e6675ad.0310040919.28b8c57f@posting.google.com...
> Three of us are going up to Ambleside in the Lake District next weekend. We can all be described
> as farily novice mountain bikers. Anyone got any tips on routes etc. Where should we be heading
> off to each day - ideally I'd like to leave the car at Ambleside and do the lot on the bike. We've
> got 3 days cycling to fill!!! We're staying in Ambleside itself....any tips on where to eat/drink.
> Good pubs? I'm figuring we'll be pretty thirsty & hungry at the end of each day.
>
> I realise this is a bit unspecific but any words of advie or tips would be grately appreciated.
>
> Cheers, Stu

On 4 Oct 2003 10:19:54 -0700, stuart_ditchfield@hotmail.com (Blue Stu) wrote:

>Three of us are going up to Ambleside in the Lake District next weekend. We can all be described
>as farily novice mountain bikers. Anyone got any tips on routes etc. Where should we be heading
>off to each day - ideally I'd like to leave the car at Ambleside and do the lot on the bike. We've
>got 3 days cycling to fill!!! We're staying in Ambleside itself....any tips on where to eat/drink.
>Good pubs?

The Golden Rule. The best pub ever. Just up the hill that leads upto Kirkstone Pass.

Tim
--
In space no one can eat ice cream

Tim Hall <timhall@nospamtoday.clara.co.uk> writes:

> On 4 Oct 2003 10:19:54 -0700, stuart_ditchfield@hotmail.com (Blue Stu) wrote:
>
> >Three of us are going up to Ambleside in the Lake District next weekend. We can all be described
> >as farily novice mountain bikers. Anyone got any tips on routes etc. Where should we be heading
> >off to each day - ideally I'd like to leave the car at Ambleside and do the lot on the bike.
> >We've got 3 days cycling to fill!!! We're staying in Ambleside itself....any tips on where to
> >eat/drink. Good pubs?
>
> The Golden Rule. The best pub ever. Just up the hill that leads upto Kirkstone Pass.

And although getting up the Kirkstone is very, very gruelling, coming down it is a total blast. I
remember one time coming down from Ullswater into the north end of Windermere I overtook (among
other things) an E-Type Jaguar which did _not_ want to be overtaken - but on that hill with those
twisty lanes I could out-accelerate and out-brake him and he hadn't a chance.

It has to be said I'd fitted new brake blocks two days before and had to buy new ones the following
morning before going on to Lancaster, but it was worth it!

--
simon@jasmine.org.uk (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/ Ye hypocrites! are these your
pranks? To murder men and give God thanks? Desist, for shame! Proceed no further: God won't accept
your thanks for murther -- Roburt Burns, 'Thanksgiving For a National Victory'

stuart_ditchfield@hotmail.com (Blue Stu) wrote in message
news:<4e6675ad.0310040919.28b8c57f@posting.google.com>...
> Three of us are going up to Ambleside in the Lake District next weekend. We can all be described
> as farily novice mountain bikers. Anyone got any tips on routes etc. Where should we be heading
> off to each day - ideally I'd like to leave the car at Ambleside and do the lot on the bike. We've
> got 3 days cycling to fill!!! We're staying in Ambleside itself....any tips on where to eat/drink.
> Good pubs? I'm figuring we'll be pretty thirsty & hungry at the end of each day.
>
> I realise this is a bit unspecific but any words of advie or tips would be grately appreciated.
>
> Cheers, Stu

There is an excellent (100% rideable, no bog) route from Coniston to Langdale via Hodge Close quarry
and Elterwater which could be fit into a circular from Ambleside. It starts a mile east of Coniston
on the Hawkshead road.

If you like forest tracks head for the Grizedale forest vistor centre between Coniston Water and
(lake) Windermere.

For something more challenging, you could try the Walna Scar Road between Coniston and Seathwaite.

Good pubs in the area: The ODG (Old Dungeon Ghyll) at the head of Great Langdale; The Newfield Inn,
Seathwaite.

SW.

"Blue Stu" <stuart_ditchfield@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:4e6675ad.0310040919.28b8c57f@posting.google.com...
> Three of us are going up to Ambleside in the Lake District next weekend. We can all be described
> as farily novice mountain bikers. Anyone got any tips on routes etc. Where should we be heading
> off to each day - ideally I'd like to leave the car at Ambleside and do the lot on the bike.

I know this is too late for you but for anyone else interested we had an excellent weekend based in
Ambleside with http://www.cycleactive.co.uk/

Although not novices we had not mtb'd in the Lake District before and using this option meant we had
a guide, good hotel and were pointed in the direction of good pubs, ie brain shutdown was possible.
They tailor the rides to suit the party so your level of ability is not too important.

Pete

Blue Stu wrote:
> Three of us are going up to Ambleside in the Lake District next weekend.

So, did you go?

How about giving us a trip report. You collected advice from several News Groups, was it
helpful? Mike

Blue Stu wrote:
> OK. Trip report here we go...
<snip> Great post thanks mate.

>If anyone's ever in the area I can thoroughly recommend the Masons Arms at Strawberry Bank - we
>went back that evening in the car for a meal.

No its not. Its a dreadful place, very difficult to find. The road maps are not reliable. You'll get
lost in the lanes and the driver will lose his temper. Everybody please ignore this part of his
post. Mike

"taywood" <taywood@deadspam.com> wrote in message
news:bmpg5h$pm29i$1@ID-131715.news.uni-berlin.de...

> No its not. Its a dreadful place, very difficult to find. The road maps are not reliable. You'll
> get lost in the lanes and the driver will lose his temper. Everybody please ignore this part of
> his post.

Keeping it to yourself?

"taywood" <taywood@deadspam.com> wrote in message
news:bmpg5h$pm29i$1@ID-131715.news.uni-berlin.de...
> Blue Stu wrote:
> >If anyone's ever in the area I can thoroughly recommend the Masons Arms at Strawberry Bank - we
> >went back that evening in the car for a meal.
>
> No its not. Its a dreadful place, very difficult to find. The road maps are not reliable. You'll
> get lost in the lanes and the driver will lose his temper. Everybody please ignore this part of
> his post.

It's a Local Pub, for Local People.

Pete

"Tony W" <tonyREMOVE@chapmore.co.uk> writes:

> "taywood" <taywood@deadspam.com> wrote in message
> news:bmpg5h$pm29i$1@ID-131715.news.uni-berlin.de...
>
> > No its not. Its a dreadful place, very difficult to find. The road maps are not reliable. You'll
> > get lost in the lanes and the driver will lose his temper. Everybody please ignore this part of
> > his post.
>
> Keeping it to yourself?

If it's in Grizedale Forest it's because the roads don't stay the same. They rearrange themselves in
time and space arbitrarily, shifting for their own entertainment without rhyme or logic. It's like
one of those umappable mazes in the old text computer games, but it's all so beautiful that you
don't mind in the least.

--
simon@jasmine.org.uk (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; no eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn. ;; Jim Morrison

Tony W wrote:
> "taywood" <taywood@deadspam.com> wrote in message
> news:bmpg5h$pm29i$1@ID-131715.news.uni-berlin.de...
>
>> No its not. Its a dreadful place, very difficult to find. The road maps are not reliable. You'll
>> get lost in the lanes and the driver will lose his temper. Everybody please ignore this part of
>> his post.
>
> Keeping it to yourself?

Not any longer! Just got home from a 'greater family' lunch at the Masons Arms.

It was terrific. We found the place one hot day early summer, wined and dined outside, thoroughly
enjoyed it and planned this party for a day when everyone was available. The last thing I wanted was
to find the place infested with cyclists today, hence my foolish post.

Its in South Lakeland, that quiet area off the tourist routes, between Newby Bridge and Crosthwaite.
The ambience is terrific, the food is terrific and the beer/wines available are terrific. So, what
do I think of this place - terrific! Just like the OP said. Mike