Ambleside Lakes Loop

The Ambleside Lakes Loop
Punchy climbs balanced by flowing lakeside roads.

The Ambleside Lakes Loop is a compact but rewarding day out designed for cyclists staying in or around Ambleside who want to properly explore the southern Lakes - not just the postcard bits, but the quiet lanes and villages most visitors never reach.

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This guided ride links Coniston Water with the Cartmel peninsula and the shores of Morecambe Bay, before returning north along Windermere's western edge. It's a genuine circuit, not an out-and-back: varied roads, changing scenery, and a satisfying sense of covering real ground - all while staying off the busier main roads.

The Ride

Two iconic lakes, one beautifully balanced loop​

Route: An out and back loop from Ambleside

Distance: 83km

Elevation: 1350m

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Leaving Ambleside, we head south on quiet roads, getting a good part of the day's climbing done early while legs are fresh, before dropping down to Coniston Water's eastern shore - one of the most peaceful stretches of riding in the southern Lakes, and a lovely spot for a cafe stop.

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From here we continue south to Cartmel, home of the original sticky toffee pudding and as good a lunch stop as you'll find anywhere in Cumbria. A short detour brings us to the flat, traffic-free promenade at Grange-over-Sands, with open views across Morecambe Bay, before we turn back inland via Newby Bridge and pick up the western shore of our second iconic lake, Windermere for the return leg - quiet lanes through Near and Far Sawrey and Hawkshead, finishing back in Ambleside.