Could Cycling bring a boost to Carlisle?

We have had lots of exciting suggestions for ways to make Carlisle a better place to live, work, invest and visit. Along with many that are being added to our forum, there have been several discussions both on and offline about improving cycle routes within the city, making much more of the Eden Valley Cycle route, and also the possibility of bringing a major cycling sportive to the city. We'll be hearing about some of these at the next meeting on March 26th at Carlisle Racecourse (if you haven't signed up there are a handful of places left here).

Mike James of Endurance Sports highlighted the excitement generated in Glasgow before the Commonwealth Games, when Mark Cavendish and Lizzie Armistead won their elite categories - you can see the last few minutes in this clip! Could something like this happen in Carlisle? There was massive support when the Tour of Britain race came through Carlisle, and it immediately generated more interest in the sport.

Perhaps there is potential to work together to put the city on the map with a major event, and also do something special to create a longer circular route using some of the finer points of the Eden Valley cycle route? There are many "A to B" routes such as the C2C, but these present more logistical barriers. Imagine if there was a route that started and finished in Carlisle that could be enjoyed by locals, people from across the UK, and from further afield. It contributes to a healthier city, brings more business to places to stay and eat, and of course to shops along the way.

At the last meeting, many people mentioned the idea of improved routes within and around the city. Are there particular areas that you would like to develop for more "friendly" cycling. Is it a case of better awareness of existing routes? What can we do to encourage more exploration of the city on two wheels?

All ideas are merely simmering in a melting pot, so throw yours in there too! Along with other fantastic suggestions to improve quality of life and of working life in the area, any could firm up into something exciting! It will be interesting to see what can be done collectively to raise our profile,  have some fun in the process, and benefit the area for the greater good.

As Simon Harrison said at our last meeting "Positive things happen to positive people!"

If you have ideas to share, please do register for the Carlisle Ambassadors' forum and have your say. We'll be sharing posts and encouraging people to comment AND get together to shape up ideas. This is early days for the project forum, so bear with us while we fine tune. If you have suggestions, do get in touch with Kate and Michelle on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We really welcome any feedback and assistance with making the Carlisle Ambassadors the best it can be!