Kendal Old Fell Road and River Valley Loop

A fast, open loop that begins on the old main road north, climbing onto a high, exposed fell before dropping to a broad river valley. After a short motorway-free trunk road section, the ride swings back over empty moorland and finishes down a quiet valley.

The trunk stretch in the middle is the dull part: lorries, little scenery and speed limits that change, so get through it and look forward to what follows. The moorland road near the end has cattle grids, so slow for them. The fell can be cold and windy even in summer, and fuel is sparse between the start and the far side, so fill up first.