Mountain Biking in the Lake District, Guide Review

Mountain Biking in the Lake District is a guidebook of 24 short, medium, long and full-day mountain bike routes in the Lake District. The graded circular rides are arranged by difficulty, from Kendal to Cleator Moor in the far north-west and Keswick to Winster in the Lyth Valley. The Lake District has plentiful and varied trails offering some of the best MTB riding in the UK. The routes described in this guide offer spectacular views of the famous lakes and great memories time and time again.

REVIEW

I don't get to go up to the lake District as much as I like, it used to be a yearly occurrence growing up to visit relatives. Now the trips are not as regular, but each time I get up there this book goes with me and gives me inspiration for some mountain bike routes.

Each route come with an easy to follow set of instructions, even if when trying to follow them sometimes working out which trail or track to take isn't always clear. This is where the Ordnance Survey map extract with the route on comes in handy. The directions steps are marked on both the map and the elevation, which helps when the road ahead isn't as clear as you'd like it to be.

The physical book is well made having a robust plastic cover and a handy built in bookmark to allow for quick route checking. This may not sound that exciting but when your caught in a downpour trying to navigate back to the car, having a guide book that will survive and can the route quickly access is most beneficial.

You can buy the guide on Amazon.

Guide content

Short Loops

Route 1 Tour of Loughrigg Fell
Route Grade: easy. Distance 12km
Route 2 Spark Bridge
Route Grade: easy. Distance 16.5km
Route 3 Borrowdale and Whinfell
Route Grade: easy. Distance 16km
Route 4 Kendal and Brigsteer
Route Grade: easy. Distance 19km
Route 5 Hawkshead and Hodge Close
Route Grade: easy. Distance 21km
Route 6 Howtown and Askham
Route Grade: easy. Distance 23.5km
Route 7 Elterwater and the Langdales
Route Grade: hard. Distance 18km

Medium Loops

Route 8 Muncaster
Route Grade: easy. Distance 18km
Route 9 Winster
Route Grade: easy. Distance 22.5km
Route 10 High Newton and Cartmel
Route Grade: easy. Distance 27.5km
Route 11 Tour of Claife Heights and High Wray
Route Grade: hard. Distance 20.5km
Route 12 Kentmere Special
Route Grade: hard. Distance 22.5km
Route 13 Cleator Moor
Route Grade: hard. Distance 24km

Long Loops

Route 14 Torver and Kirkby Moor
Route Grade: easy. Distance 32km
Route 15 Grizedale Grunt
Route Grade: hard. Distance 26km/29km
Route 16 Loadpot Hill
Route Grade: hard. Distance 28km
Route 17 Blencathra and the Old Coach Road
Route Grade: hard. Distance 41.5km
Route 18 Garburn and Longsleddale
Route Grade: very hard. Distance 29km
Route 19 Haweswater and Gatesgarth
Route Grade: very hard. Distance 29km
Route 20 Dunnerdale Enduro
Route Grade: very hard. Distance 33.5km

Full Day Loops

Route 21 Parkamoor, Satterthwaite and Hawkshead Monster
Route Grade: hard. Distance 37km
Route 22 Tour de Windermere
Route Grade: hard. Distance 64km
Route 23 Mealbank, Borrowdale and the Breasthigh Road
Route Grade: very hard. Distance 38.5km
Route 24 Longsleddale, Kentmere and Troutbeck
Route Grade: very hard. Distance 40km

If this review has sparked your interest in Mountain Biking in the Lake District then check out our Lake District rides!