A GREAT ROUTE TO RIDE...LAKE DISTRICT HIGH PASSES LOOP
Best for Dramatic scenery, technical mountain passes and challenging roads
Length 135 miles
Why it’s great
This 135-mile Lake District loop is England at its most dramatic: inky lakes, rock‑hewn passes and, depending on the season, snow‑dusted peaks. The roads are narrow, bumpy and endlessly involving as they climb and twist over Wrynose, Hardknott, Honister and Kirkstone. Between the tight hairpins and steep gradients lie quieter moments beside Coniston Water, Wast Water and Ullswater, each framed by towering fells. A short ferry hop across Windermere adds a touch of character, while the Lake District’s shifting microclimates can bring sunshine, mist and sudden cloud in a single ride. It’s intense, technical and breathtaking – a route that rewards precision and patience over outright speed.
When to go
Spring, early summer and early autumn are ideal, especially midweek or on the first warm days before peak tourist traffic builds. The passes are quieter and the changing light adds to the atmosphere.
Where to visit
Wast Water for brooding beauty, Honister Pass for sheer drama, Coniston Water for history, and Hardknott Pass for vertiginous hairpins and far‑reaching views – on a clear day you can glimpse the Isle of Man.
Photo stops
Hardknott’s summit looking west, Honister’s skyline, Wast Water’s scree slopes or Newlands Pass above Crummock Water at golden hour.
Stop for a cuppa
Dan’s Shack at Bowness Nab before the ferry, or the Honister Slate Mine café at the summit for well‑earned cake and hot chocolate.
Route
Bowness Nab, Windermere Ferry, Hawkshead, Coniston, Wrynose Pass, Hardknott Pass, Eskdale, Wast Water, Calder Bridge, Ennerdale Bridge, Lamplugh, Low Lorton, Whinlatter Pass, Braithwaite, Newlands Pass, Buttermere, Honister Pass, Borrowdale, Keswick, Ambleside, Kirkstone Pass, Ullswater, Penrith.
Download the route at www.ride.co.uk/routes