National Cycle Route 6

The Lake District cycle way — NCN 6 passing through the Lake District

NCN 6 - Full Route (individual stages shown below)

Overview
The 750km National Cycle Network Route 6 links the Northern Fells of the Lake District to west London and is one of the longest and most varied of all the NCN routes.

Following the leafy Grand Union Canal around London’s western fringes, the mainly traffic-free route uses a mixture of quiet back lanes, old railway tracks, canal and woodland paths and rolls over the gentle and underrated countryside of the home counties.

Through the Midlands, you ride through the forests of the Dukeries, once the redoubt of Robin Hood and pass England’s oldest tree. Occasionally you’ll see the skeletal remains of old winding gear marking the site of an old colliery. Punctuating the glorious tracts of forests and fields are a succession of many of England’s great industrial cities; Leicester, Nottingham, and Sheffield. All are worth lingering in.

Then it’s up into the Peak District National Park, and the ride over the back bone of England is truly memorable. You’ll not forget the toil up Winnats Pass in a hurry! The route passes the largest cave in England and another which can be visited in a boat. On the Western side of the Peak, there is a break in the official route but using the link below, you’ll ride through quiet country lanes and alongside canals until arriving in magnificent Manchester, England’s second city.

After enjoying the many and varied delights of Manchester, your journey continues through lush green pastures with high moorland hills on one side and the sparkling Morecambe Bay on the other. South of Kendal, a visit to Levens Hall, the country’s oldest topiary garden is well worth a stop.

From Kendal you ride through the heart of the Lake District on quiet back roads and paths. The park is part of the patrimony of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the scenery is world famous. You’ll be spending more time gazing than riding. At Grasmere, you ride past Wordsworth’s house and then its a short ride to the edge of the Northern Fells where curiously, this route officially ends in the tiny village of Threkeld.

If you are intending to ride the whole route from London to Carlisle, a more complete and satisfying start to is to begin in at Paddington Basin in central London and follow the Grand Union Canal out of the city to the official start at Cowley. And at the far end of the ride, rather than stop at the official finish in Threkeld, continue on quiet back roads through the imposing Northern Fells and the tranquil pastures of North Cumbria to finish at the mighty fortress of Carlisle’s Castle. The links to these extensions can be found below.

Ride details
Distance: 750km
Start: Cowley, West London (or Paddington)
Finish: Threkeld, Lake District, Cumbria
Nearest Mainline/overground stations to the start: West Drayton (Elizabeth Line), or Paddington.
Nearest Mainline/overground to the finish: Carlisle
Time needed: 7 + days
Difficulty: There are very few significant climbs and what there are are short. The only challenge is the climb up Winnats Pass, which tops out at 20%. Otherwise the route is gently undulating on reasonable surfaces.
Traffic and Surfaces: Over half the route is on trails - either canalside paths, forest tracks or on old railways. Many of the trails are in good condition and very rideable with 30mm tyres. Through the towns and cities the riding is on dedicated cycle lanes. Signage is very good in from London to Sheffield, thereafter variable.
Cycle Paths: NCN 6.
Places to visit: St. Albans; Cathedral and Roman ruins of Verulanum, Leicester; National Space Centre, Nottingham; National Justice Museum, City Caves, Castle, Manchester; Science and Industry Museum, Art Gallery, Lancaster; Castle, Kendal; Levens Hall, Grasmere; Dove Cottage (home of William Wordsworth), Carlisle; Castle and Cathedral, Tullie House Museum.
Bike Shop: Lancaster; The Edge Cycleworks

Read and ride each stage of the NCN6

Each individual stage has a downloadable map, a route description, including where to stay and eat, photos and a link to the daily Journal of my ride.

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