Cycle Ride To Clintz Quarry
This ride to Clintz quarry is one in a-
series of four local rides around Egremont-
in addition to our 5-do-in-a-day ride-
series.
There is a leaflet for each ride-
downloadable from this site or from the-
tourist information cente in Egremont.
This ride to Clintz quarry is one in a-
series of four local rides around Egremont-
in addition to our 5-do-in-a-day ride-
series.
There is a leaflet for each ride-
downloadable from this site or from the-
tourist information cente in Egremont.
Cycle To Clintz Quarry
This is a cycle ride from the centre of-
Egremont north along the Hadrian’s Cycleway to-
Clintz Quarry Nature Reserve. The ride is-
intended as a short excursion for the family-
with a place of wildlife and historic interest-
as its destination. The route follows the back-
streets of town before taking the off road-
section of Hadrian’s Cycleway through the-
countryside to Clintz Quarry.
This is a cycle ride from the centre of-
Egremont north along the Hadrian’s Cycleway to-
Clintz Quarry Nature Reserve. The ride is-
intended as a short excursion for the family-
with a place of wildlife and historic interest-
as its destination. The route follows the back-
streets of town before taking the off road-
section of Hadrian’s Cycleway through the-
countryside to Clintz Quarry.
From Beck Green car park turn right-
out of the access road into Lamb Lane-
and then go straight ahead towards the-
T junction and the Conservative club-
opposite. Turn right here and follow-
the road around to the left as it-
skirts a car park. As the road turns-
again to the left, take a tarmac path-
on the right which runs between a-
factory and the fire station.
You will pass through an underpass-
beneath the A595 Egremont bypass and-
emerge at a junction with a minor-
road.
This minor road is known locally as-
the Donkeyline. The road was once an-
industrial tramway that brought iron-
ore down to the Egremont and-
Sellafield Railway. The main line,-
built in 1864, followed what is now-
the route of the modern bypass. The-
minor road is still referred to as the-
Donkeyline.
Follow the Donkeyline to the left-
until you reach the T junction with-
East Road adjacent to a filling-
station on the left. At this junction-
turn right along the narrow road as it-
curves to the left. When the road-
turns to the right take a narrow path-
on the left that will lead you to a-
vehicle barrier and the top of a slope-
down to where the cycleway follows the-
route of the old Whitehaven, Cleator &-
Egremont Railway
The Whitehaven,-
Cleator & Egremont-
Railway. By 1840 the-
large deposits of-
haematite (iron ore)-
in the Cleator Moor-
and Egremont area-
were being massively-
exploited and, to-
serve this industry,-
the Whitehaven,-
Cleator & Egremont-
Railway Company-
opened a railway-
line from Whitehaven-
to Cleator in 1861-
and a branch line to-
Egremont and-
Sellafield in 1864.-
Later the line-
carried passenger-
traffic and there-
were stations at-
Moor Row, Woodend-
and Egremont. The-
line was closed in-
1954 and the track-
was dismantled in-
1964.
As views now open up to the left you-
will see the cemetery, with its-
neo-gothic buildings and yew trees.-
There are also wide views to the right-
across to Dent Fell
By Lake District standards, Dent is a-
small fell at only 352metres tall but-
is famed for being the first fell you-
would meet when following Wainwright’s-
Coast to Coast Walk and commands an-
impressively wide view of the coast –-
from the Solway Firth and the Scottish-
hills in the north to Ravenglass in-
the south.
Where the path curves to the left and-
then
back round to the right there is a-
seating
area on the grassy bank to your-
right. The
bench here was made from old railway-
building stanchions – one of many-
examples
of the reuse of old railway and-
industrial
artefacts and materials along the-
cycleway.
From here now the cycleway is enclosed-
with occasional views of the-
surrounding
countryside and as we approach-
Clintz
Quarry we pass over the A5086,-
Egremont
to Cockermouth road, on the old-
railway
bridge. Just over the bridge a path-
to the
right leads down to the main road-
and the
path ahead leads to a junction with-
a minor
road and the entrance to the quarry.-
Cycles are not allowed within the-
reserve but cycle parking hoops are-
provided on either side
of the bridge.
When you reach the junction with the-
minor road
you will see the entrance to Clintz-
Quarry directly
opposite. The reserve is open at all-
times.
It can be entered by-
one of the three-
paths off the lane.
Clintz Quarry Nature-
Reserve is a disused-
limestone quarry, of-
8.5 hectares, that
is now owned and-
managed as a nature-
reserve by the-
Cumbria Wildlife-
Trust and is-
designated as a Site-
Of Special-
Scientific Interest.-
The quarry supplied-
the area-
withagricultural-
lime from as early-
as 1636 .
In the 19th century production of lime-
stone was stepped up to supply the-
steel industry until production-
stopped in the 1930s
The site was-
neglected for 50-
years before the-
Cumbria Wildlife-
Trust brought it-
into active-
management for-
wildlife.
Wild flora includes-
common spotted-
orchid, northern-
marsh orchid, early-
purple orchid and-
common twayblade.
As for the bird life, look out for-
treecreepers, goldcrests and ravens-
nesting in the cliffs.
Hadrian’s Cycleway continues to the-
ight along the minor road and then on-
north to meet the C2C Cycle Route at-
Moor Row some 1.5 miles further on.-
After your visit to the nature reserve,-
return to Egremont by retracing your-
way along the cycleway.