where can we go quading in cumbria/lake district?

Question

planning a group holiday and would love to take all the kids out on there own quads

Answer 1

There are places you can go and pay to use quads (your own or ones you hire) outside of these places there isn't much scope.

Virtually all of Cumbria (Lake District) is privately owned and you will need permission from the land owner to use quads on their land. The recent Countryside Rights of Way act allows pedestrian access to the fells but not to quads so even the high fells are out of bounds.

There are some 'Green Lanes' in Cumbria - these are public highways, you can drive along them but because they're unadopted they're more like paths and tracks than roads. The same rules apply to green lanes as to any other road (tax, insurance, speed limits etc). In recent years many councils, including Cumbria, have successfully applied for restrictions and many green lanes are now off limits to motor vehicles.

The council hold 'definitive maps' which show legal access rights on all byways and highways. The Ordnance Survey maps in the Pathfinder, Explorer and Landranger series also show some green lanes but these aren't definitive maps and things may have changed since they were published.

You can take your quads on any road classed as a public road, BOATS (byways open to all traffic) and RUPPS (roads used as public paths). The Green Lane Association has more info... http://www.glass-uk.org/

The two main reasons for the imposition of restrictions have been the nuisance and damage caused by irresponsible drivers of quads, 4WD's and trail bikes. A lot of damage has been caused to the byways, farmers stock has been lost, walls and gates have been damaged and so on. The biggest complaint has come from members of the public objecting to the noise and inconvenience of sharing what are effectively paths with motor vehicles, you may well encounter much hostility if you go tearing round the countryside.

My advice would be to look at areas away from the tourists (ie outwith the Lake District), find a quiet area somewhere and obtain permission from the land owner to use it. They may not be all that willing to agree, I know many landowners in Cumbria and I can't imagine many of them letting quad bikers lose on their land. The biggest landowners are the water boards, forestry companies and the Crown, none of which allow quad bikes unless approved beforehand and for that you'd need a specific reason.