See More Lake District Cycling: Grasmere to Dunmail Raise, A591

Information about our role in the See More Lake District Cycling project.

Status: Preliminary design
Funding: Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal
Policy Framework: Heart of the Lakes Active Travel Infrastructure Strategy (ATIS)

Project description

We're part of the See More Lake District Cycling project, funded by the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal. 

The project aims to improve cycling and walking facilities in the National Park. It will allow visitors and residents explore and experience more of the Lake District in a sustainable way. The proposals will provide key links between communities and plug gaps in the existing National Cycle Network (NCN). 

The project team developed an Outline Business Case (OBC) for the project between 2021 and 2024. The OBC identified three distinct sections for improvement:

  • Grasmere to Dunmail Raise 
  • Thirlmere West (led by Cumberland Council), and 
  • Keswick to Threlkeld Trail Extension (led by the Lake District National Park Authority).

When the three sections are combined, existing gaps in the NCN will be filled to provide a safe connection all the way from Grasmere, past Thirlmere and onwards towards Keswick.

We're developing the designs for one of the sections, between Grasmere and Dunmail Raise. 

Our preliminary designs propose: 

  • a segregated walking, wheeling and cycling route running alongside the A591. 
  • sections of ‘Quiet Street’ along rural roads between Town Head and Grasmere (where vehicle speeds and traffic levels are already low), 
  • improvements within Grasmere to highlight non-motorised users in a shared space environment.

Timescales

  • preliminary design - June 2025 to May 2026
  • detailed design - autumn 2026 to summer 2027
  • government approval of Final Business Case (FBC) - winter 2027/28
  • construction - 2028 (subject to FBC approval)

Consultation and engagement

We consulted on our preliminary proposals for improvements between Grasmere and Dunmail Raise between 9 February and 2 March 2026.

A total of 786 questionnaire responses were received during the consultation period. In addition, 31 stakeholder emails were received. 

Around 50 people attended the public consultation drop-in event in Grasmere, while 7 people joined the online webinar.

The results demonstrate a high level of overall support for the proposals: 

  • overall support: 81% of respondents supported the proposals, comprising 75% who strongly supported them and 6% who somewhat supported them. 
  • overall opposition: 16% of respondents were opposed, including 12% who strongly opposed and 4% who somewhat opposed the proposals. 

Support remained consistently high across all sections of the scheme: 

  • section 1 (A591): 78% of respondents indicated support, while 20% expressed opposition. 
  • section 2 (Rural Roads): 75% of respondents indicated support, while 11% expressed opposition, 
  • section 3 (within Grasmere): 75% of respondents indicated support, while 11% expressed opposition.

The consultation report provides further details of the feedback received and an analysis of the survey results: Grasmere to Dunmail Raise Consultation Report (PDF , 4MB)