Mountain biking

Eden is a fantastic place for mountain biking.

There are byway and bridleway tracks across the fells around Askham, Ullswater, Orton, Kirkby Stephen and Alston and the North Pennines.

OS Explorer maps OL5 The English Lakes: NE area and OL19 Howgill Fells and Upper Eden Valley show them. OS Explorer maps OL31 North Pennines, OL43 Hadrians Wall cover the Alston and North Pennines area.

Mountain Biking around Alston

For details of mountain bike rides around Alston, order a free copy of our 'Biking around Alston leaflet' available from Alston and Penrith TICs or download the routes via our Alston Cycling section.  

• Discover the North Pennines by bike! Visit the North Pennines website for more information on cycling.

Askham Fell above Ullswater

You might also wish to try this great ride, which takes a slightly different route to the Moor Divock route. You'll need OS Map OL5.

Park above Helton (GR NY497214) and ride the bridleway track towards Pooley Bridge until you reach the large cairn at GR 482227.  Then head south to The Cockpit stone circle which is an ideal spot for lunch. Follow the track east from here then retrace your route, remembering to stop and play in the "dippy downs" - a long natural bowl at the side of the track that gives all the thrills of a BMX park.

Downloadable Mountain Bike rides around Ullswater

Visit our Ullswater Cycling routes section for downloadable mountain bike routes around Ullswater.