The perfect ride for first-time adventurers – Bay Cycle Way

Majestic egrets dart in and out of the rocky coastline, their silhouette reflected onto the wet, sandy shore. Boats bob peacefully in the harbours of historic fishing villages, long forgotten in time. Mighty rivers wind through evergreen valleys completing their journey towards the sea. Life slows down as you follow the Bay Cycle Way around the edges of Morecambe Bay – relax and enjoy the ride.

This Collection presents the spectacular 95 mile (153 km) route from Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria to Glasson Dock in Lancashire. Each stage varies in length from 8.7 miles (14.1 km) to 19.7 miles (31.7 km) with no more than 885 feet (270 m) elevation gain in one day, making it the perfect choice for your first bike tour or a trip with the whole family.

As this route is ideal for novice riders, I’ve broken it down into seven easy stages. However, if you are a more seasoned tourer, you could easily complete the route in one weekend. Just don’t forget to leave enough time to visit the sights.

You will ride mostly on quiet lanes, minor roads, and cycle paths. However, traffic can sometimes be busier than you would expect for a National Cycle route so you should be fairly confident on roads. Don't worry though, as you can usually hop onto the pavement and push for short, busier stretches.

The nature around Morecambe Bay is spectacular and varied as you alternate from maritime scenes to leafy countryside. Narrow lanes twist through ancient farmland and marshy nature reserves, along gushing rivers, and to the edges of the Lake District National Park. You are bound to lose yourself in the incredible nature around every corner.

The route has a good road surface and little mud, so any bike is a suitable steed for this adventure, even your city bike. It is also e-bike friendly, with charging points located around the bay.

As you ride, a coffee and slice of cake are never far away. Foodies will be in heaven here – ice cream shops, artisan bakeries, oysters and the locally caught fish of the day will all tempt you on the way. If that isn’t enough, you also visit Cartmel village, the birthplace of Sticky Toffee Pudding!

En route, you will discover fascinating history in Cumbria and Lancashire as you visit medieval manor houses, crumbling castle walls, historic train lines, the cobbled streets of historic fishing villages, beautiful Georgian architecture and the impressive city of Lancaster.

There is a train station in Barrow-in-Furness, making it easy to reach the start of your adventure by rail. Just don’t forget to book a (free) ticket for your bike. You can also return home by train from Lancaster at the end of your adventure.

For train tickets and timetables, visit: thetrainline.com/stations/barrow-in-furness
For more information on the Bay Cycleway, visit: sustrans.org.uk/find-a-route-on-the-national-cycle-network/bay-cycle-way