Outdoor Odysseys

Lakeland Roadworks

Published on 8th February 2009 Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes

Yesterday, I was up in Cumbria enjoying a walk from Old Dungeon Ghyll to Ambleside and two sets of roadworks made an attempt on derailing my plans rather than the expectation of snow and ice that had given me pause for thought. The first was at Troutbeck Bridge on the main Windermere to Ambleside road. The result was that lengthy tailbacks ensued, delaying local buses and other traffic. They may not have caused me to reconsider what I had in mind, but they are the sort of thing that could shorten a day among the hills and perhaps take away from the relaxation that such an outing usually involves. After all, we do not have extensive hours of daylight at this time of year.

The second was at Clappersgate (think of the road from Ambleside to Coniston, Hawkshead or Langdale) where deep excavations on the carriageway reduced traffic to single line with traffic signal and convoy control. Whenever I have heard before of this being done, it involved using a tipping truck, but this set up had a workman driving a quad bike ahead of traffic and up and down the affected area while work was being undertaken, a slightly peculiar slight to my eyes. It might have been that the truck was the appropriate tool to use in the circumstances; that may need wider roads.

While I am sure that both of these workings are needed, their being there does cause one to double-check the BBC’s travel news page for Cumbria. Also, if they were carried out during the high season, chaos would be the result, and it certainly doesn’t bode well for the forthcoming half-term school break, particularly with all that attractive white stuff in the hills. Travel news like this may not be the usual sort of thing that I’d put up on here, but these workings could have an impact on enjoyment of fine hill country, especially if everyone makes a beeline for the same area.