Roose: Walking, Cycling and History

If you’re looking for a hotel for a stay in Roose, you can plan your days around the local trails and historical themes. A walk with views of Furness Abbey, a cycling route and the Tour de Furness charity cycling event each offer a different focus. First, consider whether you’d mainly like to explore on foot, plan a bike ride or combine your visit with an event date.

Walks and Furness Abbey

The Roose–Furness Abbey–Dalton walking trail is mostly on a flat, traffic-free section; the middle part of the trail is hilly. The change between the flat section and the hilly middle part gives you an idea of the character of the walk. A walking trail from Roose station leads along Flass Lane to the Abbey Greenway, before the bridge over the Red River. The Greenway crosses the river via a footbridge.

The Roose–Furness Abbey–Dalton walking route offers a first view of Furness Abbey. The ruins date from the 12th century; the abbey was once England’s second most important Cistercian abbey. Alongside its varied terrain, the walking route therefore has a clear historical connection.

Another walking route near Roose leads to the Vale of Nightshade, a natural amphitheatre. If you’d like to focus on landscapes as well as the abbey, this destination offers a distinct focus for planning your walk. There are two different themes to choose between: views of Furness Abbey and its monastic history, and the Vale of Nightshade as a natural amphitheatre. You can weigh up cultural history and landscape as separate interests.

Cycling around Roose

The Coast Road Loop starts and ends at Roose station. It is 19.5 miles long and rated moderate; the route also has some hills. These details provide two ways to compare it with the walk: a stated total distance and a difficulty rating, while the walking trail is described in terms of its mix of flat and hilly terrain.

The Tour de Furness is a charity cycling event held in early September. Its four routes start at the Cons Club in Roose. The event centres on its date and the choice of four routes. If you’d like to plan your trip around it, check the latest event details in advance. The two cycling options are clearly different: the Coast Road Loop is a single ride with a stated distance, while the event combines a date with a choice of four routes.

Getting there and historical themes

Stagecoach bus route 4 runs between Roose and Furness College. If you’re including this connection in your travel plans, check the timetable before setting off.

A nearby engine house for an iron ore mine dates from around 1875. Alongside the medieval abbey, it offers a more recent perspective on mining history. The historical themes therefore span different eras and add another point of interest to your travel planning alongside the walking and cycling routes.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Sedbergh, Calthwaite, Glenridding, Staveley, Silloth, Portinscale, Cleator, Cartmel.

For the main travel overview: Cumbria.