| The Lakes Connection 555 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Operator | Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire |
| Garage | Kendal |
| Vehicle | Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 MMC (2016–present) |
| Route | |
| Locale | |
| Termini | |
| Length | 45 miles (72 km) |
| Service | |
| Frequency | Every 30–60 minutes |
| Operates | Daily |
The Lakes Connection 555 is a bus route operated by Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire in Cumbria and Lancashire, England. The scenic route covers a distance of 45 miles (72 km) and runs between the towns of Keswick and Lancaster via Grasmere, Windermere, Kendal and Carnforth.
Route
| The Lakes Connection 555 |
|---|
| Lancaster – Kendal – Keswick
via Carnforth, Ambleside & Grasmere |
| Evening services additionally operate via Bowness-on-Windermere. |
Route 555 starts from Lancaster in the northern part of Lancashire. The route goes via Carnforth, into Cumbria through Milnthorpe and past Levens Hall before stopping at Kendal bus station. Some Saturday & summer journeys run between Lancaster and Kendal via a more direct route using the M6 Motorway.
Between Kendal and Keswick, the route generally follows the A591 into the Lake District. The route goes through Staveley, the town of Windermere and alongside the lake of Windermere to Ambleside. The route then continues into and out of the village of Grasmere, passing the lakes Rydal Water, Grasmere and Thirlmere before arriving at Keswick near to Derwent Water.
Previously, the route used to extend around 30 miles (48 km) north to Carlisle. The section between Keswick and Carlisle is now served by services 553 (via Caldbeck) and 554 (via Wigton), which connect with service 555 at Keswick.
Fleet and operations
In October 2011, nine double-deck Scania N230UD/Alexander Dennis Enviro400 vehicles were introduced, branded in the two-tone green and white Freedom of the Lakes livery. Each vehicle was named after a famous Lake District mountain.
In July 2016, twelve double-deck Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 MMC vehicles were introduced, branded in the blue, green and white The Lakes Connection livery.
A further nine double-deck Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 MMC vehicles were introduced in April 2023, replacing the previous fleet. These vehicles feature improved legroom, high-backed seating and tables fitted with wireless chargers.
Tourism
The bus service is popular with tourists as they can see the countryside from the top deck. The route is also popular with walkers. Robert Swain authored a book, "55 555 Walks", that shows walks that could be done from destinations along the whole route in both Lancashire and Cumbria.
Ladies That Bus
The play Ladies That Bus was written by Joyce Branagh and based on 400 interviews with users of the 555 route. It was developed in association with the three theatres along the route: The Dukes in Lancaster, the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal and Theatre by the Lake, Keswick. The show toured in early 2020 before the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and was scheduled to open on 29 September 2020 as one of the first productions at The Dukes as restrictions eased. In January 2021 the Dukes theatre made Ladies That Bus available online through Vimeo, as a response to the lockdown conditions.
Notes
- On weekdays and Saturday, services operate hourly (winter)/twice-hourly (summer) during the day, with an hourly service during the evening. On Sunday, services operate hourly between Keswick and Kendal, and two-hourly between Kendal and Lancaster. Some journeys run fast via M6 between Kendal and Lancaster, omitting Milnthorpe, Burton-in-Kendal and Carnforth.
- The service operates additionally via Bowness-on-Windermere in the early morning and late evening to replace service 599.
- Service 553 operates on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays between late March and early November.
- Vehicles were named Langdale Pike (15721), Catbells (15722), Helm Crag (15723), Helvellyn (15724), Skiddaw (15725), Wansfell Pike (15726), Scafell Pike (15727), Coniston Old Man (15728) and Blencathra (15729).
References
- Route 555 timetable Stagecoach
- A bus ride from Kendal to Keswick Lunatic Travel
- Romance on the buses - A Decet of Romantic Bus Routes EM60
- Nine new buses for Cumbria following £1.5 million investment BBC News 21 October 2011
- Fleet of Latest Buses Set for Tourist Route North-West Evening Mail 1 November 2011
- Striking Lakeland livery for new 555 service Bus & Coach Professional 1 July 2016
- Deakin, Tim (26 April 2023). "Stagecoach high-spec Enviro400 fleet makes 555 debut". Routeone. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
- A list of 55 walks from the 555
- 55 555 Walks - Robert Swain review Virtual Lancaster
- "Ladies That Bus". Retrieved 19 September 2020.
- "Ladies That Bus". The Dukes. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
- "Route 555 - Ladies That Bus". Brewery Arts Centre - Kendal. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
- "Be Transported by Ladies That Bus Northern Theatre Tour". Cumbria Crack. 25 October 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
- "Ladies That Bus Online". The Dukes. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
External links
Media related to The Lakes Connection 555 (bus route) at Wikimedia Commons