Whitehaven Rowrah Cycle Trail Overall Rating:
(Colour explanation: blue = good, yellow indicates some warning, and red indicates issues to be aware of)
Built along the route of the Whitehaven, Cleator & Egremont and Rowrah & Kelton Fell Railways, this 11 mile route is traffic-free along most of its length. I started the route as shown on the map below by the Whitehaven train station and it ends at the café at Cumbria Kart Racing Club.
Surface on the Whitehaven Rowrah Cycle Trail
The route is mostly tarred, but is includes two significant gravel segments. Especially the gravel segments can be bumpy.
Bikes
You will want bikes with chunkier tyres. Trikes and most cargo bokes will struggle with this route.
Refreshments
Refreshment stops are limited to Whitehaven itself, and the café at the end.
Toilets
Toilets are available at Whitehaven train station, and at the café at the end of the route.
Hilliness
This route follows a disused railway, so the gradients are mild, but it is uphill from the start, to the finish.
Safety from traffic
The route is mostly traffic-free, and it’s entirely possible to only cycle the traffic-free part.
As shown on the map below, there are some sections that aren’t traffic-free in Whitehaven, and at the end.
Points of Interest
The end of the route is quite close to Ennerdale Lake, as well as Ennerdale Forest. Also look out for the sculpture trail along the way.
Routes in Cumbria
- Reivers Route – UK Coast To Coast Routes
- C2C – UK Coast to Coast Routes
- Whitehaven to Workington & Camerton Railway Path
- Whitehaven Rowrah Cycle Trail
Barriers
There is a barrier in Whitehaven that will make it difficult for trikes and most cargo bikes to get through.
Child friendliness
This route is suitable for children. Do bear in mind that it is a near-constant uphill gradient from the start though.
Social safety
Parts of the route can be very isolated.
Ratings
Forecast for Whitehaven
What the Whitehaven Rowrah Cycle Trail look like
Getting to the Whitehaven Rowrah Cycle Trail
You can get to Whitehaven by train. Just be aware that it’s a branch line, and trains may not be as fast or as frequent as you may like. Also, it would help if you read my Bikes On Trains post first, for help and tips with taking your bike on the train.
If driving, while there are car parks in Whitehaven, just be aware that, especially during the high season, they can fill up quickly.
More Routes
To find more routes, click this link.
Interactive map for this route
You can download the GPX file from the map below, simply by clicking the GPX button. Hovering over the elevation profile will show the elevation for that point along the route, in both metres and feet. It will also show the gradient.
And finally…
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