encroached into the region on all sides. Today trains still run on some of the branch lines, which have been lovingly preserved as tourist attractions, while other lines have been transformed into traffic-free cycle paths that form part of the National Cycle Network.
A patchwork of stone walls and barns in the Duddon Valley (Stage 5B and Routes 11 and 12)
Since the mid-Victorian era, tourism has grown until it dominates the local economy. In 2013, nearly 16 million visitors spent over £1 billion creating the equivalent of 15,500 full time jobs, which is approximately 40 per cent of the total population of the national park, a proportion which would be substantially higher if only those of working age were considered. In addition, tourists have provided a ready market for the myriad of artists, craft workers, artisan food producers and micro-brewers found in the district.
BOBBIN MILLS
When the Lancashire textile industry was at its height in the 19th and early 20th centuries it had an insatiable need for bobbins for spinning and weaving and the vast majority were turned at one of the 65 mills scattered across the Lake District. The woods and copses in the valleys were coppiced to supply birch, ash and oak of the right diameter and the fast flowing streams provided power to drive the lathes until superseded by steam.
Today, the most famous is Stott Park Bobbin Mill near the southern tip of Windermere, which was set up by John Harrison, a local farmer, in 1835 and ran until it was abandoned in 1971 when the arrival of plastic bobbins finally put it out of business. Attracted by its remarkable state of preservation, English Heritage acquired the mill in 1991 and turned it into a working museum. But even at its peak, Stott Park was a minor producer employing only 25 men and boys and producing a mere 12 million bobbins a year. Low Briery Mill on the banks of the River Greta east of Keswick produced 40 million bobbins each year, while Howk Mill in Caldbeck, which employed nearly 60 people at its peak, is thought to have made even more.
The American Civil War interrupted the supply of cotton during the 1860s and the bobbin industry suffered as a result. It never fully recovered, having to compete against textile manufacturers turning their own bobbins on steam-powered lathes at their factories and an influx of cheaper imports from abroad. Many mills diversified into other wooden products from rungs for ladders to tool handles and even toggles for fastening duffle coats. Today little remains other than a few notable ruins, many of the old mills having been converted into pleasant beck-side cottages.
CRAFT BREWERIES WITHIN THE LAKE DISTRICT NATIONAL PARK
Even the smallest amount of alcohol during the day can go straight to the legs and make for a hellish afternoon in the saddle. But beer lovers cannot visit the Lake District without quaffing a few of the fine ales and lagers made by the wonderful little craft breweries scattered across the region. So collect a bottle or two to enjoy at the end of the day.
Barngates Brewery in Ambleside uses water from the local beck.
Bowness Bay Brewery names most of its beers after the boats on Windermere.
The Coniston Brewing Company started up in 1995 in the 400 years old Black Bull Inn.
Cumbrian Legendary Ales, now based at Hawskshead, started up at the Kirkstile Inn in Loweswater, which is now the brewery tap.
Ennerdale Brewery is run from a farm and brews real ale using spring water from nearby Croasdale Fell.
Hawkshead Brewery started in an old barn at Hawkshead in 2002 but rapidly outgrew it and moved to a new brewery based in Chadwick’s Mill, the old wood turning mill in Staveley where they have since added a beer hall.
Established by the then landlord of the local pub, the Hesket Newmarket Brewery is now a cooperative and so too is the pub, each having a cross shareholding in the other.
The Keswick Brewing Company set up in 2006 occupies a site in Brewery Lane, thought to have been used by the oldest recorded brewer in the town.
Strands Brewery based at the Strands Inn in Nether Wasdale has brewed an eye-wateringly strong 9.5 per cent barley wine.
The Watermill Inn and Brewery at Ings, a couple of miles east of Windermere, is the smallest of the Lakeland breweries but still manages to offer up to 16 different beers.
The Wild Boar Brewery is based at the eponymous Wild Boar Inn at Gilpin, just east of Windermere.
Beers from the Winster Valley Brewery can be found at the brewery tap, The Brown Horse Inn in Winster and many other Lakeland pubs and restaurants.
A selection of books offering more interesting facts and figures about the Lake District can be found in Appendix D.
Getting there
Hardened touring cyclists from Northern England and Southern Scotland will probably be happy to add an extra day or two either end of their visit to the Lake District and make use of one or more of the National Cycle Networks – see www.sustrans.org.uk – that will take them from near their home right into the heart of the district. Others from further afield and those pressed for time will need to consider other options.
By road
If you are averse to sitting in slow moving traffic, it is probably best to plan your journey to avoid the main arteries into the district on Friday evenings and Saturdays during peak holiday months and national holiday weekends. If you are planning to tour, the next challenge might be to find long stay parking. You could park considerately at a location on the periphery of the region and start your ride there rather than parking in one of the busy centres where you will pay for the privilege. However, the current weekly charge for the Lake District’s official car parks at Brockhole, Buttermere, Coniston, Grasmere, Hawkshead, Langdale, Ravenglass, Thirlmere, Ullswater and Windermere works out at less than £5 per day. That’s not bad value and you can pay by mobile phone – see www.lakedistrict.gov.uk for details.
By air
The nearest airports are Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds/Bradford, Newcastle, Prestwick, Glasgow and Edinburgh. But arriving at any one of these airports still leaves you a journey of 100 miles or more to the Lake District, necessitating hiring a car or using public transport. If you are planning to fly with your bike, you should contact your airline and make a reservation when you book your seat. They will charge you for carrying your bike and will ask that you follow their packing instructions. These typically include turning and locking the handlebars parallel with the frame, removing the pedals and front wheel and attaching them to the frame and deflating the tyres before placing the bike in a carrying bag or transit box. If you are planning to tour, you will also need to organise somewhere to store the transit material ready for collection on your return.
By rail
A train crossing the 50 spans of the Kent Viaduct
The West Coast mainline operated by Virgin Trains runs to the east of the Lake District, connecting Oxenholme, Penrith and Carlisle with London and Glasgow. They provide special bike storage areas with space for up to four bikes or two tandems, but you will need to book a reservation for your bike before you travel. The service is free and can be made at any booking office or by calling Tel 0344 556 5650.
