Coniston and Windermere Motorbike Tour Guide for the Lake District
Windermere
and Coniston are well served for boat. And have a wide range of tourist
attractions for any Motorbike trip. With the spectacular Lake District as
a back drop is is the perfect location for a day out on your bike in the
Lake's.
Hawskhead is virtually unchanged Elizabethan Lakeland village, with sturdy outside walls, and sheltered flower-filled inner courtyards. Though very popular with summer visitors, even at its busiest it has a pleasantly different feel, and the fact that cars are kept out parking is on the edge of the village makes a real change.
Take the B5285 towards Sawrey. On your right you pass Esthwaite Water, with boat hire and trout fishing; it's the largest stocked lake in the region. On the edge of Near Sawrey village is Hill Top.
Optional winter detour: keep on the B5285 to Lake Windermere. At the end of the road a chain ferry crosses to the ferry road below Bowness on the opposite bank. This is a utilitarian way of taking to the water; but though it runs every 20 mins and saves miles of driving if you do want to get to the other side of the lake, queues mean that it saves time only out of season. In the winter, though, it's a way of getting on to the water when other boat services are rare.
In Near Sawrey turn right and drive up through the woods. Continue on this road to Lakeside, on the southern end of Lake Windemere. This, the longest and busiest lake, has always been a general favourite; it's picturesquely dotted with villas built by Victorian magnates, and has masses of accommodation on its east side.
Continue to Newby Bridge.
In Newby Bridge, take the side road westwards past the station. At the following cross roads, keep straight on, then bear right on the Hawkshead road to Rusland and Thwaite Head. This quiet road runs through attractive often wooded scenery, where we have seen roadside deer. In just under 1/2 mile after Thwaite Head turn left (brown sign towards Grizedale Forest), then in another 1/2 mile fork right towards Satterthwaite.
The road continues back to Hawkshead. From Hawkshead, the detour to Coniston Water could easily make another day trip.
Take the B5285 towards Coniston, then turn off at the brown sign to Tarn Hows. This watery idyll is actually two ponds artificially joined into one, and fringed with trees, with fells peeping up behind. It's a conspicuously attractive spot even by Lake District standards, though gets more than its fair share of summer visitors, with its own one-way system. Best avoided at peak times for that reason; early in the morning or towards evening you may get it to yourself.
Keep on the B5285 to Coniston. Coniston Water is in some ways a junior version of Windermere, smaller and quieter. Quite well wooded, it appeals to both boaters and walkers, with some fine views. In the unpretentious village at the foot of its mountain. It's good for a lazy waterside stroll, or for more exercise you can combine this walk with one on a higher-level route along the Walna Scar "road" beneath the Old Man of Coniston, itself the outstanding viewpoint of the vicinity. Climb the Old Man from the village, go up past the remains of copper mines, and return down the Walna Scar Road.
Then return back towards Hawkshead.
