A5074

The A5074 is a largely rural A-road in the southeast Lake District.

It starts on the A590 at the bridge over the River Gilpin near Levens. A new bridge over the river has been built for A590 traffic and the A5074 has taken over the whole of the bypassed section, although it still had to give way at the old junction. The old bridge is now essentially an eastbound onslip, with the three other movements using the oxbow in the other direction. A gap in the central reservation of the A590 is required to get to and from the westbound carriageway.

Heading north, the A5074 crosses the Lyth Valley flood plain with a series of lengthy straights with bends of varying tightness at their ends. The excellent sightlines can really reward enthusiastic driving on this section, within the NSL of course.

Winster

At the head of the wide valley, the road becomes bendier and more traditionally "Lake District" (narrower, slower) passing through a few small settlements, for example Winster, before reaching the B5360 (the original route of the A592) and bending north to follow the bank of Windermere, albeit at a distance. The current route of the A592 is met in the centre of Bowness-on-Windermere and the A5074 multiplexes with it for about 100 yards. This road is a recent bypass to the original route of the A592, the narrow Ash Street, which is now unclassified.

The A5074 leaves the A592 again at a roundabout and heads into the town of Windermere. The road splits in the centre of town owing to a one-way system and then splits again just north. This time both branches are two-way, although the right fork does initially follow two parallel one-way roads. Both branches meet the A591, which marks the end of the A5074.

In 1922, the A5074 only existed between Bowness and Windermere. As stated above, a short section of it was A592 but the route from Levens was unclassified. The A5074 had been extended to its current route by 1932.