Author Topic: Travelling in Lake Distict  (Read 1932 times)

tenmilesplus

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Travelling in Lake Distict
« on: 19:30:54, 03/02/19 »
Hiya all...

  When we go to the Lake District we drive to get there, park up and walk or use a boat but we were wondering about using a week long bus pass or similar. We have bussed it before but not impressed with Threlkeld to Keswick 4 mile journey we did last time we were there, Can't remember exactly how much but it was something like £7.40.

 We have just looked on line and Stagecoach do a week ticket for £28.50 which is great value but the routes are a bit thin on the ground. We made the mistake of getting a Mountain Goat one year and we went from Hill top to Hawkshead was £5.50 each for a two mile journey !! We're not made of money but would like to get around without adding to the already busy roads..

 Has anyone else tried a week long bus ticket ? Have you used a different method of getting around cheaply ? ( Don't say bike or walk )..
Gone for a walk, back in a bit..

Hillhiker1

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Re: Travelling in Lake Distict
« Reply #1 on: 20:52:40, 03/02/19 »

To be honest, if I was taking a car, I'd be using that. With a bit of research on your parking spots you should be able to get around for less than 28 quid for the week.
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tenmilesplus

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Re: Travelling in Lake Distict
« Reply #2 on: 21:21:49, 03/02/19 »
Yeah, we used to drive but my Wife commutes and I drive as part of my job so the not driving is part of the holiday. Apart from that driving can be a right ball ach and with trying to find parking etc just makes public transport more attractive.. We have used public transport for several years now when on holiday, adds another level of excitement.. Just haven't been to the Lake district for a couple of years that's all...
Gone for a walk, back in a bit..

Hillhiker1

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Re: Travelling in Lake Distict
« Reply #3 on: 21:30:24, 03/02/19 »

Thinking about it; if you went to (say) Keswick, there'd be plenty of superb walking literally on your doorstep, with negligible use of Busses and ferries as well..

Islandplodder

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Re: Travelling in Lake Distict
« Reply #4 on: 21:34:22, 03/02/19 »
It is sometimes possible just to find somewhere to stay with a few days worth of walks from the door. We have managed a week in both Patterdale and Borrowdale where we have managed not to use the car at all except to pick up supplies

April

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Re: Travelling in Lake Distict
« Reply #5 on: 12:15:24, 04/02/19 »
Has anyone else tried a week long bus ticket ?

We don't have a car and use the buses all the time to get around the Lake District. The weekly tickets are the best value for people coming on holiday for a week to the Lake District if they will be using the buses everyday. I think you can get a 3 day pass as well. I get the monthly recurring payment bus pass, £104 a month. The bus timetable at the moment is the winter timetable, there will be more buses in the summer; that timetable begins in early April I think.

Unless the bus service becomes more convenient for car users to use, people will still continue to use their cars, if I had a car I doubt I would use the buses unless I was going wild camping. The bus service is a commercial venture and walks have to be carefully planned around the bus timetables. The people who create the timetables are obviously not walkers.

Feat not, the LDNP have the answer  ;) Driverless pods from Threlkeld to Keswick and a cable car from Thornthwaite to Whinlatter Centre  :o

Yes I can see how this will improve the congestion in the Lake District and get people using public transport...not.
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vghikers

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Re: Travelling in Lake Distict
« Reply #6 on: 16:08:21, 04/02/19 »
Quote
Unless the bus service becomes more convenient for car users to use, people will still continue to use their cars
If the buses were a tenth of the price and ran every 15 minutes, most drivers still wouldn't use them. Unusually I have many years experience on both sides of the fence and I know how it works.
Since I totalled the car last year, we've done a few backpacks entirely on public transport and the Lakes buses in the north-west were really good, though it's early days yet.

I have no idea of the numbers these days, but would the bus cost be significant compared to accomodation etc?.

Quote
...the LDNP have the answer  ;) Driverless pods from Threlkeld to Keswick...
Yeah right.
They'd have a better chance putting them on the old track between Threlkeld and Keswick... aargh mustn't give them ideas!  :-X


Ridge

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Re: Travelling in Lake Distict
« Reply #7 on: 17:19:51, 04/02/19 »
I've used public transport (bus or boat) a few times in the Lakes even though I had the car with me. It can be great for getting to the start of a linear walk back to your accommodation and because you are walking back there is then no time pressure.
I'm very fond of not travelling at all to a walk so will try to find accommodation with 2 or 3 good walks from the door.

April

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Re: Travelling in Lake Distict
« Reply #8 on: 18:19:35, 04/02/19 »
If the buses were a tenth of the price and ran every 15 minutes, most drivers still wouldn't use them.

I think you are right, most people like their cars too much.

we've done a few backpacks entirely on public transport and the Lakes buses in the north-west were really good, though it's early days yet.

We do nearly all of our trips using public transport and we manage, we've been to the Peak District, Cheviots, Moffat and Langholm too.

They'd have a better chance putting them on the old track between Threlkeld and Keswick... aargh mustn't give them ideas!  :-X

Errr….This is exactly where the LDNPA have suggested the driverless pods could run  :o  :D
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tenmilesplus

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Re: Travelling in Lake Distict
« Reply #9 on: 01:28:28, 07/02/19 »
We have been staying in or around Keswick for a number of years now, also Bowness and Hawkshead, we do mostly walks from the door. We have just booked another week in Threlkeld and was wanting to get farther afield so hence the question about transport..

 April you are the darling of the fells and thank you for giving me hope that the busses are going to get us where we need to be..

 We were hoping to get somewhere near Haystacks or at least go somewhere new to us. We have been most places around Keswick and Bowness, Hawkshead is central but not much there.. We are not experts in where the individual peaks are so we will need to plan around bus timetables and going between 6 - 13 April we were hoping the timetable was going to change to Summer routes.. Fingers crossed..
Gone for a walk, back in a bit..

rural roamer

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Re: Travelling in Lake Distict
« Reply #10 on: 08:32:03, 07/02/19 »
We stayed in Borrowdale (Rosthwaite) last summer and although we had a car we didn’t use it very much as there’s so many walks from the door.  Other than heading into Keswick once for supplies and one walk from there we stayed in Borrowdale.  There is a bus that goes hourly to/from Keswick to Seatoller I think, but that was in the summer.  That should easily allow you to get around.  We did Haystacks and parked near Buttermere but not sure if that bus goes that far.

April

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Re: Travelling in Lake Distict
« Reply #11 on: 08:59:05, 07/02/19 »
April you are the darling of the fells 

 :-*

 :) The buses are hourly from Threlkeld into Keswick or to Penrith. I noticed the last time I was in Threlkeld, one of the bus stops had old information on and the timetable wasn't the right one, so get an up to date timetable.

We were hoping to get somewhere near Haystacks or at least go somewhere new to us.

You will need the Buttermere bus (Honister Rambler) the 77 or 77A hourly from Keswick. The summer bus timetable starts on 6 April 19 so you have time it right for the summer service. The 78 (Borrowdale Rambler) does run half hourly in school holidays and for part of the summer, normally; it is hourly at the moment, on the winter timetable.

Day walks are more problematic, having to finish at a certain time to catch the bus. It can be done, it just takes planning  :)
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richardh1905

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Re: Travelling in Lake Distict
« Reply #12 on: 09:00:21, 07/02/19 »

As others have said, if you pick a good place to stay, you can have lots of superb walking on your doorstep.


Patterdale/Glenridding, Borrowdale, Buttermere spring to mind in particular.
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richardh1905

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Re: Travelling in Lake Distict
« Reply #13 on: 09:02:41, 07/02/19 »
Day walks are more problematic, having to finish at a certain time to catch the bus. It can be done, it just takes planning  :)



Hmm, not so sure that I like the pressure of having to rush a walk to catch a bus. I am contemplating doing some linear walks here in Orkney, but I would always catch the bus outbound and then walk back (not something that you can do, I appreciate).


Have you had any problems getting on a bus with the dog?
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