Thinking of taking my carvan {23 foot, plus 16 foot Volvo} through Ambleside in the Lakes on Easter Monday, en route from Coniston to Keswick.
Anyone had experience of the traffic {North bound} on an Easter Monday thro' Ambleside ?
Don't fancy taking the Caravan over the kirkstone Pass, the M6 is a long way around and via Sellafield even worse !
Could wait 'till the Tuesday though.
Anyone know what happened of talk of a by-pass for Ambleside?
I'll have a look on google myself.
Paul {Forest of Bowland}
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I am frequently travelling to the north lakes, Cockermouth and Egremont areas from the south of England. I never cut through Ambleside or try around the coat to Egremont....short in distance but long on time and hassle especially over the weekend. I always go straight up the M6 and off at the Penrith junction and good roads (much dualled) to Keswick (and then on to Cockermouth followed by the A5086 to Egremont).
I have tried various alternatives but havent come up with a less stressful or time consuming drive.
regards
Ian L.
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At night or when the weather's bad, I always use the M6 / Penrith option, and whilst I agree that some of the A66 here is dualled, it ain't that much of it. I know the A5086 looks a good bet on the map, but for a quiet life the A595 is better and long experience shows it takes about the same time (if you intend to honour the speed limits).
Otherwise I use the A595/A590 coastal road - it's more fun - and I usually enjoy the shortcut on the road over Corney, or possibly Ulpha, fell - but I wouldn't advise it with a caravan.
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Sorry - went off topic a bit there ...
Coniston to Keswick - Yes, I'd use the A591, put up with delays and just enjoy the views.
... but yes, we could do with some better roads!
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Paul,
Sorry I have just reread your message and realise that I started off at a bit of a tangent...if you are starting from Coniston and driving to Keswick rather than approaching from the south then agree with Scotty, not much else you can do. Try and do the journey early or late or better still as you suggest, wait till ealry tuesday and enjoy the extra day!
Ian L.
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Paul - Easter traffic in Am. will depend on weather, but probably wouldn't be impossible. I would say Kirkstone is a no-no (remember the bus crash there last? year) and the coast road is pretty slow as well as much longer. You could try the short cut-off lane from the W edge of Am. to Rydal, which would avoid the town - it's narrow but at least it's not hilly. Don't try Red Bank from Elterwater either.
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Kirkstone definately a no-no
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Paul,
I'm just waiting for one of the anti-caravan brigade to comment that you shouldn't encounter much traffic because it will all be stuck behind you!
(Caravanner) Phil
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I wouldn't try Kirkstone with a caravan (although I do use it quite regularly on work trips between Carlisle and Barrow, but not at this time of the year and not at any time other than 7am the rest of the time!).
The bus crash wasn't actually on Kirkstone Pass, it was on a single-track shortcut to the north end of Ambleside, called The Struggle. What a coach was doing on there I don't know - it's bad enough in a car!
For your journey from Coniston to Kewsick, you're probably best sticking to the Ambleside route (A593/A591), although you have got Dunmail Raise on that route, which is max 14% gradient (1in7).
It is only about 25 miles, so you shouldn't have too many problems really.
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LongD - I know what you are saying, but technically the A592 and the back road where the bus crashed meet just below the Kirkstone summit, so both roads are 'the K.Pass' - in fact the road out of Ambleside is Kirkstone Road. The A592 leads to Windermere, and I suppose the bus wanted to go to Ambleside so took the direct route.
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