Bay Cycle Way
{{Short description|Cycle route around Morecambe Bay in NW England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox cycling path
| name = NCN Route 700 / Bay Cycle Way
| embed =
| cellstyle =
| photo = File:Morecambe Bay OS map.png
| photo_size =
| photo_alt =
| caption = Map of Morecambe Bay, showing almost all the route
| title =
| established = 2015
| length_mi = 80
| location = Morecambe Bay (Cumbria and Lancashire), England
| designation = UK National Cycle Network
| trailheads =Walney Island (west)
{{coord|54|6|9|N|3|15|45|W|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline|name=Route 700 (Walney Island terminus)}}
Glasson Dock (east)
{{coord|53|59|53|N|2|50|48|W|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline|name=Route 700 (Glasson Dock terminus)}}
| use = Cycling
| elev_gain_and_loss =
| lowest_name = start and finish
| lowest_m = 0
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| waymark = {{UK NCN route|route=700|height=16}}
| sights =
| hazards =
| surface = 28.2% Traffic-free, 99.0% Asphalt
| ROW =
| website = [https://www.sustrans.org.uk/find-a-route-on-the-national-cycle-network/bay-cycle-way Sustrans route description]
| map =
| map_name =
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}}
The Bay Cycle Way is an {{convert|80|mile|adj=on}} cycling route around Morecambe Bay in Lancashire and Cumbria in north west England. Most of it forms National Cycle Route 700 (NCN 700), while other sections are waymarked as NCN 6 (London to the Lake District), NCN 69 (Hest Bank to Cleethorpes) and NCN 70 (Walney to Sunderland).
It has been recommended by The Daily Telegraph ("20 amazing ways to enjoy the English seaside this summer"), the i newspaper ("20 best cycle routes in the UK: from coastal pathways to woodland rides") and the Touring Club Italiano ("Inghilterra, Scozia e Galles in bicicletta, le ciclabili più belle per una vacanza green").
Route
The end points of the route are Walney Island, west of Barrow-in-Furness, and Glasson Dock, a former port on the River Lune south west of Lancaster. The route goes inland to Milnthorpe to cross the River Kent at Levens Bridge, near Levens Hall, the lowest crossing point of the river by road; there are hopes that a footpath and cycleway may some time be installed alongside the railway viaduct which crosses the river at Arnside, further downstream. 99.0% of the road is on asphalt roads or paths, and 28.2% is on traffic-free paths. The route ascends to {{convert|170|m}} between Grenodd and Cartmel, and goes above {{convert|100|m}} in three sections. There are said to be three "challenging climbs": leaving Ulverston, ascending Bigland Hill (between Bigland Tarn and Bigland Barrow, north of Cartmel) and Warton Crag. The total ascent has been calculated to be {{convert|1777|m}}. Sustrans estimates total cycling time as 6 h 46 min at an average pace of {{convert|12|mph}}, while the Morecambe Bay Partnership suggests a four-day itinerary.
{{Location map+|United Kingdom Morecambe Bay
|caption={{center|Places on the Bay Cycle Way}}
|float=right
|width=300
|places =
{{Location map~|United Kingdom Morecambe Bay|lat=54.103|long=-3.263|label={{lower|0.5em|{{nowrap|Walney
Island}}}}|label_size=85|position=right}}
{{Location map~|United Kingdom Morecambe Bay|lat=54.111|long=-3.226|label=Barrow-in-Furness|label_size=85|position=top}}
{{Location map~|United Kingdom Morecambe Bay|lat=54.083|long=-3.166|label={{lower|Rampside}}|label_size=85|position=right}}
{{Location map~|United Kingdom Morecambe Bay|lat=54.098|long=-3.141|label=Roosebeck|label_size=85|position=right}}
{{Location map~|United Kingdom Morecambe Bay|lat=54.193|long=-3.090|label=Ulverston|label_size=85|position=left}}
{{Location map~|United Kingdom Morecambe Bay|lat=54.234|long=-3.054|label=Greenodd|label_size=85|position=left}}
{{Location map~|United Kingdom Morecambe Bay|lat=54.199|long=-2.951|label={{raise|Cartmel}}|label_size=85|position=left}}
{{Location map~|United Kingdom Morecambe Bay|lat=54.18 |long=-2.976|label={{raise|Cark}}|label_size=85|position=left}}
{{Location map~|United Kingdom Morecambe Bay|lat=54.174|long=-2.972|label={{lower|Flookburgh}}|label_size=85|position=left}}
{{Location map~|United Kingdom Morecambe Bay|lat=54.190|long=-2.915|label=Grange-
-over-
-Sands|label_size=85|position=bottom}}
{{Location map~|United Kingdom Morecambe Bay|lat=54.227|long=-2.773|label=Milnthorpe|label_size=85|position=left}}
{{Location map~|United Kingdom Morecambe Bay|lat=54.199|long=-2.832|label=Arnside|label_size=85|position=right}}
{{Location map~|United Kingdom Morecambe Bay|lat=54.167|long=-2.827|label=Silverdale|label_size=85|position=bottom}}
{{Location map~|United Kingdom Morecambe Bay|lat=54.123|long=-2.766|label=Carnforth|label_size=85|position=left}}
{{Location map~|United Kingdom Morecambe Bay|lat=54.090|long=-2.811|label={{raise|Hest Bank}}|label_size=85|position=left}}
{{Location map~|United Kingdom Morecambe Bay|lat=54.073|long=-2.870|label={{raise|Morecambe}}|label_size=85|position=left}}
{{Location map~|United Kingdom Morecambe Bay|lat=54.047|long=-2.801|label=Lancaster|label_size=85|position=left}}
{{Location map~|United Kingdom Morecambe Bay|lat=53.998|long=-2.847|label=Glasson Dock|label_size=85|position=right}}
}}
- Walney Island
- Barrow-in-Furness
- Rampside
- Roosebeck ({{convert|8|miles}})
- Ulverston ({{convert|19|miles}})
- Greenodd
- Cartmel
- Cark
- Flookburgh
- Grange-over-Sands ({{convert|37|miles}})
- River Kent crossing at Levens Bridge
- Arnside ({{convert|53|miles}})
- Silverdale
- Carnforth (outskirts) ({{convert|62|miles}})
- Hest Bank
- Morecambe ({{convert|70|miles}})
- Lancaster ({{convert|73|miles}})
- Glasson Dock ({{convert|80|miles}})
References
{{reflist|refs=
}}
Further reading
- {{cite book |title=The Bay Cycle Way : cycle route map. |date=2017 |publisher=Sustrans |isbn=978-1910845387 |edition=2nd}}
External links
- [https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/3647731/Sustrans-Morecambe-Bay-Cycleway Map of route] from Sustrans and Ordnance Survey
- [https://sportyafterforty.co.uk/f/the-bay-cycle-way--ncn-700 Description including elevation profile]
{{NCN |state=collapsed}}
Category:National Cycle Routes
Category:Transport in the City of Lancaster
{{Lancashire-geo-stub}}
{{Cumbria-geo-stub}}
{{cycling-stub}}