Cycling

Everyday Cycling for Everyone!

Cycling is a great sport, loved by millions around the world. The sport has a lot of different disciplines - BMX, Cycle Speedway, Cycle-cross, Mountain Bike, Road and Track Cycling is an excellent form of physical activity for people seeking to improve their fitness and cardiovascular health.

Team Green Britain Bike Week is an annual opportunity to promote cycling, and show how cycling can easily be part of everyday life by making 'everyday cycling for everyone'. Demonstrating the social, health and environmental benefits of cycling, the week aims to get people to give cycling a go all over the UK, whether this be for fun, as a means of getting around to the local shops, school, the library or just to visit friends. We want to get more people cycling, more often, and the event offers something for everyone - from families, schools and companies, to seasoned cyclists and those who have never cycled before.

Last year almost half a million people participated at events across the country However, Research shows that 77% of people own a bike yet only 14% use them regularly, so this year Team Green Britain Bike Week is encouraging people to dust down and liberate the thousands of once-loved bikes languishing in sheds around the country, by taking part in Britain's Biggest Bike Fix.

Breeze

British Cycling

Could you inspire more women to get cycling?
....We are looking for a number of new Breeze champions. There's no need to be a cycling expert – just be confident on a bike and keen to help others. We're looking for enthusiastic people to inspire women to get more out of their bike, have fun with friends and get a recognised qualification at the same time.
To become a Breeze champion:

You'll take part in a fun one day ride leadership course where you'll have a chance to meet other champions
The certificate you'll receive qualifies you to independently plan, deliver and promote rides to groups of women
In addition to free training, we'll provide you with Breeze kit, British Cycling Ride membership and plenty of support along the way
Furthermore, to ensure you're able to deliver safe bike rides, British Cycling will support you to gain a first aid qualification
In return we ask champions to deliver on average 12 rides over the year to local women in their area.

Please note you'll need to bring your bike to the training course.
View a list of course across the country running from 9 February – 13 July 2013 (other dates tbc) Click here

Cycling Time Trials offers a taste of competition

For those who wish to try some competition but are afraid of riding in large groups, or being dropped by the pack, time trialing offers the ideal opportunity, as riders are set off at 1 minute intervals with the winner being the one who records the fastest time. Individuals can establish "personal best" times over fixed distances in order to measure their own progress.

Time trialling is not just for the young, but has a significant following by older riders, many of whom compete well into their seventies, riding to beat "Standard" times that are set according to age. Time trialling has much to offer active people in Cumbria and Border City Wheelers, a cycling club based near Carlisle, runs a full time trial programme from entry level upwards. Find out more about Cycling Time Trials.

Social Cycling Groups

Social Cycling Groups makes it easy to get together, find a place to ride and enjoy a bike ride at a level and time that suits you.

It provides the ideal opportunity to take control of your cycling, discover new chances to ride and make some friends along the way.

The Bike Bus (service 800, Stagecoach) will be running from Ambleside to Haverthwaite and will take up to 12 bikes inside the vehicle. Following feedback last year the buses have been modified so that children’s and electric bikes can be easily transported as well. Follow the link for the bike bus timetable: Here

Linking with the Bike Bus, the Bike Boat will run from the Lake District Visitor Centre at Brockhole to Wray Castle to carry people and bikes across the lake to the west shore of Windermere. This service will run by Windermere Lake Cruises. Follow this link for the boat timetable and ticket prices: Here

Go Lakes Travel -Improving the Cycle Network

Go Lakes Travel are gearing up for a busy spring and summer, making new links in the cycle chain from Bowness up to Ambleside and beyond. The following projects will all be happening between the end of May and the middle of August:

Glebe Road to Ferry Nab – this will provide an off-road, traffic free cycleway to the Windermere Ferry, a key crossing and gateway to the west shore cycleway. It will complement the on highway work from Windermere Railway Station that should make cycling between here and Bowness and a much more pleasant experience. Work should be complete here by the middle of June.
Pull Wood to Wray – the off-road alternative along Windermere’s west shore continues. Work will begin in June to create a brand new 2km route through Pull Wood towards Wray
The Torver Trail – this community led project will finally reach fruition this summer. Improvement work on a 1km stretch of the disused Coniston to Broughton in Furness railway line will begin in June and should last for one month. A new bridge and abutments will be built across Torver Beck and substantial drainage and resurfacing work is needed at the northern end. The end result will be an entirely off-road route between Torver and Coniston.
Under Loughrigg to Ambleside – this provides a much needed link from the ‘back’ road around Ambleside into the village centre. From July, we will be working to upgrade the footpath that runs north east from Miller Bridge towards Stoney Lane. Before it reaches Stoney Lane however, we will cross Stock Ghyll via a new bridge and construct a new cycleway across the playing fields into the back of Rydal Road car park. The intention here will be to create an informal cycle hub, adding cycle stands to the existing picnic benches and allowing cyclists to leave their bikes in a secure place and explore the village.

On top of all this we are busy making progress on schemes out from Ambleside to Grasmere and Langdale. Keep watching this space!

Contact: Dave Robinson david.robinson@lakedistrict.gov.uk  01539 792698

Sky Ride Local

The first SkyRide Local takes place on Sunday, 19 May at 2.00pm starting from Cartmel Race Course, (14 miles, Ride Steady). This will be a special ride to launch the programme and we are delighted to have a well-known celebrity taking part in the ride. To book on this ride or any ride in the programme visit www.goskyride.com and search ‘Lake District’.
We’ll be distributing posters and fliers to promote the Sky Ride Local programme and explain how to book, so, please let us know if you can display one.
From bustling centres such as Ambleside, Bowness and Hawkshead, we have carefully planned the rides to use only quiet roads and traffic-free trails. Sky Ride Local is a perfect way for families and less confident cyclists to discover safe places to enjoy cycling in the Lake District and all rides are led by qualified British Cycling leaders. There will also be a series of Breeze rides especially for women. Again, these can be viewed and booked from www.goskyride.com

Cyc-loan cycle loan scheme

The Cyc-loan scheme provides an opportunity for accommodation providers and attractions to link up with existing cycle hire, sales and service outlets to offer cycle hire at their premises. GoLakes Travel provides cycles at minimal cost to rental ‘hosts’ for the season, and hosts hire them to the public or their guests. Hosts must arrange for the bikes are regularly serviced by a local, qualified cycle specialist (usually a existing cycle hire operator or bike shop) and ensure that their staff undergo basic training in managing the day-to-day rental and safety inspections. The host retains all the rental income and uses this to meet the costs of servicing the bikes and offering hire.

The scheme is a great way for businesses to try cycle hire without having to commit to the capital cost of purchasing cycles. The Cyc-loan scheme helps them get started by
minimising financial commitment and by putting them in touch with local cycle servicing
specialists.
If you have a visitor-orientated business in the Go Lakes Travel area and are interested in the
Cyc-loan scheme, please visit www.cumbriatourism.org/cycloan or get in touch with Richard Ingham richard.ingham@lakedistrict.gov.uk  01539 724555 ext 1017

Courses

British Cycling

Lake District Cycling Routes

Cycling Time Trials

Hadrians Wall cycling

The Pennine Cycleway

Coast to Coast Route

Cumbria Mountain Bike Trails

National Cycle Network

North Face Trail

Go Lakes Cycle Routes

Cumbria County Council Cycling Maps