Whinlatter Pass – Whinlatter Mountain Bike Trails loop from Castlerigg Stone Circle

St John'S Castlerigg And Wythburn

Whinlatter Pass – Whinlatter Mountain Bike Trails loop from Castlerigg Stone Circle

Hard

4.8

(8)

riders

Whinlatter Pass – Whinlatter Mountain Bike Trails loop from Castlerigg Stone Circle

02:47

37.2km

770m

Gravel riding

Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: September 24, 2026

Tips

Cycling is not permitted along parts of this route

After 5.62 km for 111 m

After 31.7 km for 111 m

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

Get Directions

2.56 km

Keswick Railway Path Tunnel

Highlight • Bridge

Great simple ride (we did Threlkeld to Keswick and return). Easy enough for the youngest, fast enough for the eldest.

Tip by

5.69 km

Portinscale Suspension Footbridge

Highlight • River

The main road from Keswick to Cockermouth used to take you through the village of Portinscale via a two arched stone bridge known as the Long Bridge. There were plans to replace it in 1911 but these plans were opposed and it was not until it was damaged by floods in 1954 that it was replaced initially by a temporary metal structure. When the road was built to bypass the village in the 1960's a new road bridge was built further downstream and the current suspension bridge was built for pedestrians only allowing people to access Portinscale across the fields known as the Howrahs.

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11.0 km

View of Bassenthwaite Lake from Whinlatter Pass

Highlight • Lake

At the layby there's a fabulous view of Bassenthwaite Lake, the fourth-largest among the lakes in the Lake District.

The River Derwent serves as both its primary inflow and outflow, ultimately emptying into the Irish Sea at Workington.

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12.3 km

Standing Stones with View of Skiddaw

Highlight • Viewpoint

More a picnic site than a bronze age monument, the standing stones with their commanding view over Skiddaw are impressive nonetheless. They are inscribed with the words, 'Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees' by John Muir.

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22.7 km

Whinlatter Pass

Highlight • Climb

Winding its way through Thornthwaite Forest with views over Lorton Valley and Bassenthwaite Lake, Whinlatter Pass is one of the most beautiful areas of the Lake District. At the top of the pass, you will find Whinlatter Forest Visitor Center which has information about osprey birds, a gift shop and restaurant. Standing at 317 meters (1043 feet) the climb is much more gradual than many other passes in the Lake District.

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22.8 km

Whinlatter Mountain Bike Trails

Highlight • MTB Park

Whinlatter Forest offers breathtaking views of the Lake District. The forest's purpose-built mountain bike trails, designed to take full advantage of the rugged terrain, were voted the second-best trail centre in the UK by readers of Singletrack Magazine in 2009.

Managed by the Forestry Commission, Whinlatter Forest begins its trails at the main visitor centre car park. This area also features an information centre, a forest shop, Siskins Café, the Whinlatter WildPlay children’s trail, and various walking trails.

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23.0 km

Cyclewise Whinlatter Bike Shop

Highlight • Rest Area

Great shop, Craig was a legend and stayed late when we showed up at closing time to help my friend with replacements for the contaminated rotor and pads he’d somehow been using for the previous 40km. Good thing too as coming down Whinlatter would have been hairy on just a rear brake!

He then went above and beyond by coming back from home to let us in to the shop again when my other muppet of a friend realised he’d left his phone on the counter!

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