Cycling

The cottages are a great base for all types of cycling, with the area offering everything from quiet and flat family-friendly routes, to some of the most challenging cycling terrain in the country – both off road and on.

Cyclists and their bikes are very welcome at the cottages. Secure bike storage is available (please request when booking) as well as bike washing facilities, and plenty of drying space for wet kit.

Please see the cycle routes page for some ideas for local routes.

Off road

The Lake District is one of the best destinations for mountain biking in England, with a vast network of bridleways, and two purpose built trail centres at Whinlatter and Grizedale. There are a number of fun loops around Mosser and Loweswater than can be ridden from the door, with plenty more within easy driving distance around. Particular favourites include the Borrowdale Bash and the Lonscale Fell Loop.

The cottages are ideally placed for visiting Whinlatter Forest Park, which offers red and blue graded singletrack loops, as well as a network of forest roads. Just 15 minutes by car, the centre can also be reached by a short but tough cycle up the quiet, gated road across Swinside, with some great views of the Lorton valley to distract you from the somewhat relentless climb.

On road

The area is also very popular for road cycling, with quiet roads, fantastic scenery and, of course, some challenging hills. Foulsyke is on the C2C route, and offers a variety of routes, with the hills of the National Park to the south and east, and some slightly flatter terrain towards the coast to the north and west. For those looking for a real challenge, the passes of Honister, Newland and Whinlatter are all within just a few miles of the cottages.

Family cycling

If you’re looking for flatter, traffic-free routes for riding with small children, then there is a wealth of options in the area. From the door, there’s the lake-side bridleway by Loweswater. A short drive will get you to the the forest road from Ennerdale to Black Sail Hut, the disused railway from Rowrah to Whitehaven, or the disused railway in Keswick.