Stagecoach bus route 555
| 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 | 30–60 minutes[a] |
| Operates | Daily |
The Lakes Connection 555 is a bus route operated by Stagecoach Cumbria and 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,[b] Kendal and Carnforth.
History
The route from Lancaster to Keswick was first operated in 1925 by Henry Meageen, and known as the "Westmorland Main Service". For many years it was Ribble Motor Services' route 68, before being renumbered as the 555 in 1969, operated by Cumberland Motor Services and then Stagecoach. A cavalcade of vintage buses celebrated the route's centenary on 14 September 2025.[1]
Route
The Lakes Connection 555 |
|---|
Lancaster – Kendal – Keswick
via Carnforth, Ambleside & Grasmere |
Evening services additionally operate via Bowness-on-Windermere. |
The route begins in the cathedral city of Lancaster, Lancashire, from where it heads north, serving the village of Bolton-le-Sands, before continuing to the market town of Carnforth. After crossing the Cumbrian county boundary, the route continues through the villages of Holme and Milnthorpe, as well serving the historic Levens Hall, before reaching the market town of Kendal.
North of Kendal, the route largely follows the A591, the main road through the central Lake District. It serves a number of towns and villages, including Staveley, Ings and Windermere, before continuing along the eastern shoreline of Windermere to Ambleside. From Ambleside, the route continues north through the village of Grasmere, passing Rydal Water, Grasmere and Thirlmere. It then descends into the market town of Keswick, where it terminates close to the shores of 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)[c] 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.[2] Each vehicle was named after a famous Lake District mountain.[3][d]
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.[4]
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.[5]
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.[6][7]
The route was included in The Guardian's 2023 list of "10 of the UK's most scenic bus routes", described as "running alongside four famous lakes with views of the surrounding fells".[8]
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.[9][10][11][12] In January 2021 the Dukes theatre made Ladies That Bus available online through Vimeo, as a response to the lockdown conditions.[13]
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.
- ↑ Operates additionally via Bowness-on-Windermere in the early morning and late evening.
- ↑ Service 553 operates daily 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
- ↑ Cunningham, Andrew (6 September 2025). "'Iconic' Lake District bus route to mark 100th with special convoy". The Westmorland Gazette. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
- ↑ 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
- ↑ Taplin, Phoebe (4 November 2023). "Bag a window seat: 10 of the UK's most scenic bus routes". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
- ↑ "[Home page]". Ladies That Bus. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. 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
- Stagecoach 555 on VisitLakeDistrict site