The Windermere, Hawkshead and Kentmere loop — The Lake District
The Windermere, Hawkshead and Kentmere loop — The Lake District
5.0
(5)
28
riders
The Windermere, Hawkshead and Kentmere loop — The Lake District
04:54
54.3km
1,230m
Mountain biking
Embark on the Windermere, Hawkshead and Kentmere loop, a demanding mountain biking adventure through the Lake District. This difficult 33.7-mile (54.3 km) route, typically taking around 4 hours and 53 minutes, challenges you with 4043 feet (1232 metres) of elevation gain across varied terrain. You will encounter unpaved tracks, rocky…
Last updated: April 23, 2026
This route includes a ferry crossing
Tips
Includes a ferry crossing
Check ferry timetable.
After 50.1 km for 498 m
Waypoints
Start point
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7.24 km
Bridleway to Kentmere
Highlight (Segment) • Climb
On a good day, the views are, as you'd expect, spectacular, and it's surprisingly quiet despite its proximity to the Ambleside and Windermere walking honeypots.
Tip by
8.82 km
Lunsty Howe doubletrack, Kentmere Hall
Highlight (Segment) • Trail
The views from here are just breathtaking, but you should probably be concentrating on where you're going!
Tip by
11.4 km
Garburn Pass
Highlight (Segment) • Mountain Pass
Tip by
26.5 km
Gravel Trails Between Brathay, Outgate and Wray
Highlight • Cycleway
Tip by
37.1 km
Grizedale Stone Fox Sculpture
Highlight (Segment) • Monument
Take care when you get …
Tip by
38.6 km
Esthwaite Trout Fishery Café
Highlight • Viewpoint
Tip by
41.4 km
Claife Heights Trail
Highlight (Segment) • Trail
Tip by
49.9 km
Windermere Ferry Crossing
Highlight (Segment) • Bridge
Tip by
54.3 km
End point
Way Types & Surfaces
Way Types
16.5 km
16.0 km
10.1 km
7.28 km
2.54 km
1.37 km
473 m
< 100 m
Surfaces
22.7 km
12.3 km
8.98 km
7.59 km
1.37 km
1.35 km
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Elevation
Highest point (450 m)
Lowest point (40 m)
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Weather
Powered by Foreca
Thursday 7 May
16°C
6°C
40 %
Additional weather tips
Max wind speed: 12.0 km/h
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This route was planned by komoot.
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Trail Reviews
A great ride to taste what riding in the lakes is all about. We started in Ings so it wasn't long before we were sampling the infamous Garbon Pass hike a bike. I don't think there is really a directional debate about the pass as the worst of it isn't really ridable anyway. Or not in anyway that would be enjoyable. For me, you may as well push up from the Kentmere side so you can at least enjoy the descent down the other side, which is pretty good. The rest of the ride contains some techy downhill that might not suit beginners/ intermediates but is awesome if you are comfortable with it. There are a few places enroute to have food and we were lucky with the ferry in as we jumped straight on. I don't think bikes would do much waiting anyway as you go to the front of the queue. We parked at Trekbikes in Ings so the end of our ride was the tarmac slog out of if Windermere and the cycle path running parallel to the main road, so not an ideal finish. Great day out 👍