From traffic-free family paths to England's steepest passes and world-class mountain biking — the complete guide to cycling in the Lake District.
Every rider, every ability
Few places pack as much variety into one national park. The best Lake District cycle routes run from flat, traffic-free railway paths where five-year-olds can ride safely, all the way up to Hardknott Pass — England's steepest road, at a leg-breaking 1 in 3. In between sit gentle lake-shore loops, quiet scenic road rides and some of the finest mountain biking in the country at Whinlatter and Grizedale. Whether cycling in the Lake District means a gentle family afternoon or chasing the Fred Whitton Challenge, there's a route here for you. This guide covers 20 of the best Lake District bike trails across four categories.
Section 1
The best traffic-free cycle routes in the Lakes — safe, scenic and perfect for families and nervous riders.
5 miles · flat · fully accessible. The finest family ride in the Lakes — an old railway line over restored bridges, with river and fell views the whole way. Suits all ages and abilities, including pushchairs and wheelchairs.
🅿ï¸ Start: Keswick (Station Road / Threlkeld car parks)
Things to do in KeswickWray Castle to the Ferry · 4 miles · traffic-free. A flat lakeside path with stunning views across England's largest lake. Reach the west shore by the Windermere car ferry from Bowness. Suits families and casual riders.
🅿ï¸ Start: Wray Castle / Ferry House
Things to do in BownessWaymarked family loops on forest tracks, with bike hire right on site at the visitor centre. Gentle climbs, sculpture trail along the way, and easy enough for confident young riders.
🅿ï¸ Start: Grizedale Visitor Centre
Things to do in HawksheadA car-free valley — wild, remote and gloriously quiet — on a gravel surface around the lake. No traffic at all, but the surface and remoteness make it best for slightly older families and gravel bikes.
🅿ï¸ Start: Bowness Knott car park, Ennerdale
A virtually traffic-free road along a dramatic reservoir ringed by high fells — genuinely underrated. A there-and-back ride on smooth tarmac with barely a car in sight. Great for confident families.
🅿ï¸ Start: Mardale Head car park
Section 2
Quiet roads and classic lake loops — moderate rides with extraordinary scenery.
11 miles · moderate. One of the most scenic short rides in England, climbing to the famous tarn before a glorious run back down. A few sharp pulls but well worth it.
Tarn Hows near Hawkshead20 miles · moderate. A full loop of the Lakes' most beautiful lake, with rolling road and the option to shorten it using an Ullswater Steamer as a one-way leg.
Things to do in Glenridding15 miles · mostly flat. A relaxed circuit of Coniston Water with the Old Man of Coniston as a constant backdrop. Quiet eastern shore road and gentle gradients throughout.
Things to do in ConistonDramatic scenery on a steady climb up one of the Lakes' great valleys, on quiet roads beneath the Langdale Pikes. A there-and-back ride that ends at the foot of the high passes.
9 miles · moderate. A stunning valley loop taking in both Buttermere and Crummock Water — one of the best short rides in the Lakes, ringed by spectacular fells the whole way.
Things to do in ButtermereSection 3
The legendary passes that draw road cyclists from across the country. For fit, experienced riders only.
The steepest road in England — gradients of 30% (1 in 3) on the hairpin ramps, climbed from the Eskdale side. Short but savage, and the descent demands total brake confidence. Pair it with Wrynose for the classic double.
⚠ï¸ Experts only — walk-pace traffic, sheer drops, check brakes
Pairs perfectly with Hardknott — remote, beautiful and brutally steep in its own right, topping out at the Three Shire Stone. Ride the two back-to-back for one of England's toughest road challenges.
⚠ï¸ Steep gradients, narrow single-track road
A stiff climb rewarded with a dramatic descent into Borrowdale, past the slate mine at the summit. While you're there, you can also visit the Via Ferrata nearby at Honister.
Things to do in KeswickThe longest continuous climb in the Lakes from the Ambleside side — a relentless grind up to the highest pass open to traffic in the national park, with the Kirkstone Pass Inn waiting at the top.
Things to do in AmblesideThe Lake District's iconic 113-mile sportive, linking the great passes — Hardknott, Wrynose, Honister, Newlands and Whinlatter — in a single brutal loop, and one of the toughest one-day rides in Britain. You don't have to enter the event: the whole route is on public roads and rideable any time, if you're up to it.
Section 4
From waymarked forest trails to wild natural riding — Lake District MTB for every grade.
A technical red-grade trail at England's only true mountain forest, with fast singletrack, berms and big climbs. Bike hire available on site. The benchmark Lake District trail-centre ride.
🅿ï¸ Start: Whinlatter Forest Visitor Centre
Whinlatter's family-friendly MTB loop — green and blue grade, with gentle berms and forest views, ideal for newer riders and kids building confidence off-road.
🅿ï¸ Start: Whinlatter Forest Visitor Centre
Multiple waymarked grades from gentle family loops to the black-grade North Face Trail, with bike hire on site. Something for every level of mountain biker in one forest.
Things to do in HawksheadNatural trails and bridleways through one of the Lakes' most beautiful valleys — wild riding with a Keswick base, perfect for gravel bikes and adventurous mountain bikers.
Things to do in KeswickRemote, wild riding on the quiet "Back o' Skiddaw" fells — open moorland, rough bridleways and proper navigation needed. For experienced riders only, well away from the crowds.
Section 5
Hire is easy to find in Keswick (road, MTB, e-bikes), Grizedale (MTB on site), the Windermere & Bowness area, and Whinlatter Forest for mountain bikes.
E-bike hire is growing fast across the Lakes and is the perfect way to take on the hills with a little help — turning a brutal pass into a genuinely enjoyable day out.
Pack layers — fell weather changes fast and a sunny valley can be a wet, windy pass an hour later. Check live weather in the planner before you set off.
Komoot is excellent for planning and following cycle routes, and OS Maps is the gold standard for off-road and remote riding. Download routes offline — signal is patchy in the valleys.
Keswick (Station Rd) for the Threlkeld path; Grizedale & Whinlatter visitor centres for the forests; Bowness for the West Shore ferry; Glenridding for Ullswater; Coniston and Buttermere village car parks for the loops.
The high passes have walk-pace traffic, sheer drops and fierce gradients — check your brakes, ride within yourself, and don't attempt Hardknott or Wrynose unless you're fit and experienced.
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