The long-awaited opening of Carlisle Lake District Airport is almost upon us… well, it’s supposed to be. The journey has been met with a couple of obstacles along the way but we’re told July 4th is the big day! For us Cumbrians, it’s opening up a few new travel routes to both of the ‘Irelands’ as well as London. I say London; it’s Southend. Let’s bear in mind though that the new Loganair flights will bring a whole new wave of visitors to our region too! With that, I’ve brought together my top five locations that can be reached from CAX using our public transport networks.
1. Keswick
Keswick is one of our central Lake District hubs which makes it incredibly handy for a public transport tour of the Lakes. It’s a fab place to be in its own right and you’d be (sort of) forgiven for spending the day exploring the town and not venturing any further, but that would be a mistake. For those who don’t want to travel too far from Keswick, there’s the 78 bus. This will take you along the scenic eastern shores of Derwent Water with a handful of stops along the way. Ride to the very end of the route to reach Seatoller but if I were you I’d alight before here at Lodore or Grange and take a wander out to the Chinese Bridge and beyond. Of course, there’s always the option to hop off earlier and walk up to Ashness Bridge or Surprise View depending on how active you’re feeling!
Alternative: Take the 77 or 77A from Keswick instead and head in a big ol’ loop over Honister Pass, past Buttermere and Crummock before returning through Whinlatter Forest. Hop off every now and then for some Grade A photo stops en route.
2. Grasmere & Rydal
Moving south from Keswick on the 555 bus route brings you to Grasmere and Rydal, or all the way down to Lancaster if you fancy! There’s some good walking to be had around these two lakes, including a well-marked coffin route linking the two. Grasmere also happens to be home to a couple of well-known Cumbrians. The first: William Wordsworth. His home at Dove Cottage attracts swathes of tourists each year and there’s no end of daffodil-related name-dropping to be found, including the Daffodil Hotel opposite the Cottage which serves a pretty tasty afternoon tea! Interestingly, despite the millions of visitors his name and residences have brought to the Lake District, he wasn’t the greatest fan of tourists visiting the area. Quite ironic if you ask me.
The second is a woman called Sarah Nelson. Stroll into the village of Grasmere and you’ll find her gingerbread shop tucked between the church and a string of shops and tearooms. It would be verging on sacrilegious if you didn’t try Grasmere Gingerbread at least once. If you get hooked, there’s always the option of mail order!
Alternative: Ride all the way to Kendal then take the 530 out to Cartmel for a bit of sticky toffee pudding!
3. Elterwater & the Langdales
Continuing slightly on this southbound trajectory and you’ll hit Ambleside. Pause here for a moment then hop aboard the 516 bus into the glorious Langdale Valley. This is one of my favourite areas of the Lakes and although there is a handy bus route through the middle, it is best explored on foot. This route will drop you off at Elterwater, Skelwith Bridge and Dungeon Ghyll and as well as a smattering of stops in between. If you’re looking for the quintessential Lakeland scenery and walking, I can’t recommend anywhere more suitable.
The walk from Dungeon Ghyll back to Ambleside is in the region of 12km through the valley and is incredibly pleasant. Part of the Cumbria Way passes through too so the opportunities you’ll have to get lost are down to a minimum. You could actually start closer to Ambleside if that appeals to you more. If there’s one thing I should insist on it’s stopping at some of the many cafés and pubs you’ll find peppering the trail. You can’t beat a hearty pub lunch sat outside in the sun in my humble opinion.
Alternative: Stay in Ambleside and take advantage of the walking routes and many cafés nearby.
4. Hadrian’s Wall
Now, it’s time to head east from Carlisle along one of the North’s biggest and best attractions: Hadrian’s Wall. This megastructure stretches almost from coast to coast and was, at one point, the very edge of the Roman Empire. It would have taken days to travel from one end to the other, but thankfully for us, we have the AD122 bus service. You’ll first need to take the 685 to Haltwhistle but from there it’s plain sailing – or ‘bussing’ – along the Wall.
Along the way, you’ll find a number of excavated forts, milecastles and museums including those at Vindolanda, Housesteads and Chesters. Members of English Heritage – this is the place for you! Lots of savings on entry fees to be had! The AD122 bus terminates at Hexham, and it’s from here that you’ll have to hop back on the 685 to Corbridge if you want to make the most from your Roman day out. The town is perhaps most noted for its Roman roots and the ‘Hoard’ that was uncovered here in 1964. It’s an incredible collection of artefacts and a must-see for any Ancient History buff!
Alternative: Ride the 685 to the end of the line at Newcastle and have a day out on our east coast.
5. Ullswater
Ullswater is an area of the Lakes that rarely needs an introduction. The lake is often subtitled the ‘most picturesque’ of them all and I heartily agree. It’s also the nearest to my house but I haven’t let that sway my opinion at all… well, not a lot anyway. There’s plenty of options here when it comes to exploring. You could meander along sections, or all, of the Ullswater Way, or take a hike up nearby fells such as Gowbarrow, Hallin and Arthur’s Pike.
To get here, you’ll need to ride the 104 from Carlisle to Penrith and change to the 508 to reach Ullswater. Along this 508 route, there are plenty of opportunities to alight along the western shores of the lake including stops at Aira Force and Glenridding. These two locations also happen to be across the road from jetties at which you can take the Ullswater Steamer. Fancy that?! It’s almost like someone planned it… The Steamers are the most superb way of viewing the lake and its environs and come thoroughly recommended by yours truly. Be sure to check the timetables for your day of travel though – they change throughout the year and are also weather dependent.
Alternative: Continue along the 508 to Patterdale or beyond to Kirkstone Pass and Windermere.
And there ends the list! I realise that this is a heavily lake-biased list but each and every one of these locations deserves a place on my top five. There’s a multitude of other options available heading north and west of Carlisle but none are as pretty as the Lake District! I’d love to hear if anyone travels these routes and which one your favourite was. Pop something in the comments below or drop me a line on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Resources for Bus Network Explorers
Stagecoach Cumbria Map | The Lakes by Bus | Hadrian’s Wall AD122 Bus Information
As a side note, I’ll just mention that these are the latest versions at the time of writing – please double check the Stagecoach/AD122 websites for up-to-date information.
