Walney to Wear Cycle Route

News

Thompson Building Centres charity ride
After two fundraising rides on the C2C route, a 13 strong group from A Thompson & Sons Ltd in Sunderland will be tackling the W2W route from the 31st May to 2nd June. They’re chosen charities are Grace House Northeast Childrens Hospice and McMillan Nurses. Scott Robson is the organiser - srobson.enduro@btopenworld.com

Detour near Barrow
A very deep hole in the road into former mine workings has opened up on the route between mile markers 6 and 7 east of Newton village. Diversion signing is in place at the junction just before mile marker 5, but we recommend a different detour as follows to avoid a narrow and busy section of road:

Keep on route 20 through Newton, but turn right at the next T-junction (just past mile marker 6). At Dendron turn L and use the map and road signs to reach first Gleaston, then Little Urswick to rejoin the route north of mile marker 8 as it runs in to Lindal-in-Furness. Look out for the turn into Chandlers Country Café before the railway bridge for some well earned refreshment after your off route foray.

Cyclists Welcome at Hamsterley
A new ‘bed and breakfast’ only 100 metres from the northern braid route in Hamsterley Forest has recently opened. Hamsterley Forest B and B joins Hamsterley B&B and Dale End B&B (both in nearby Hamsterley village) to form a nice cluster of VisitBritain Cyclist Welcome establishments on the edge of the North Pennines AONB, which offers some stunning on and off-road riding - www.northpennines.org.uk

© Cass Gilbert

A brew and a bite at Broom Mill
Just off the southern braid route near West Auckland sits the new Broom Mill Farm attraction with its shop, tearoom and restaurant, and recently restored working waterwheel. Mathew and Tracy Betney are keen for W2W cyclists to turn of the route at mile marker 116 and call in - www.broommillfarm.co.uk

Whitby option open
The option to cycle from Barnard Castle to Whitby is now finally open. Go to our new Whitby option page for more details.

photo © Mike Kipling

W2W recommended in guardian guide to cycling
A scenic 20-mile ride from Dalton-in-Furness to Grange-over-Sands on the W2W route is recommended in a new cycling guide published by The Guardian earlier this month. Great to see it included, but worth pointing out that The Lindale Inn (Watering holes) is in fact a couple of miles to the north of Grange along the B5271. Grange does however have the Hazelmere Café & Bakery - voted Top Tea Place by the Tea Guild in 2006, which happens to be right on the route on the station side of the town - www.guardian.co.uk/guides

The New Village Tea Rooms (on the route in Orton), The Market Place Teashop (on the route in the centre of Barnard Castle) and Botham’s in Whitby are also Tea Guild members - www.tea.co.uk

W2W in Cycling Plus
In May 07 the Walney to Wear route was featured in Cycling Plus magazine as a Classic Ride - to read a copy of the article click this link

New 'low carbon' camping barn
Right on the route 6.5 miles east of Kendal, Wythmoor Camping Barn is newly converted with hot water provided free from solar panels, under floor heating via a ground source heat pump and electricity from a wind turbine. Another Lakeland Camping Barn member is at Bents Farm, about 3.7 miles (6km) off the route south-west of Kirkby Stephen. Bents Farm is actually shown on the Walney to Wear Cycle Route map (near Brownber), while the Wythmoor barn is halfway between mile markers 47 and 48. Find out more from www.lakelandcampingbarns.co.uk - booking can be done online or by calling their booking office on 01946 758198.