Summary
AN ALMOST COMPLETELY FLAT MIXTURE FROM LANCASTER RAILWAY STATION ALONG THE LUNE MILLENIUM PATH TO THE CYCLEPATH ALONGSIDE THE NEW BAY GATEWAY ROAD, A COUPLE OF MILES ON THE LANCASTER CANAL, MORECAMBE PROMENADE AND OLD RAILWAY BACK TO THE LUNE PATH AND STATION.13 miles (21 km) Climb 340' (100m) Grade – easy
OS 97 (Kendal)
Map
To view elevation details please use this link and select "Elevation Graph" from the top left hand side corner of the map.
http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=630902
Description
The ride starts from Lancaster Railway Station.From the opposite side to the ticket office side, go right, and immediately straight onto a shared path (sign Millenium Bridge/ City Loop N/ Morecambe) through a small park, to then pass (right) under the railway bridge and immediately left towards the Millenium Bridge.
By the bridge (do not cross it) continue straight on this short congested shared use section, crossing under a busy road by a barriered underpass. Beyond the underpass the route follows the line of a former railway line, along the River Lune Cycleway.
The Cycleway passes under the magnificent canal bridge and in ¾ mile (1+ km) further along, immediately before a huge bridge, take a short upward path (unsigned as yet) away from the Cycleway up to the big new Lancaster Bay Gateway road junction.
Here go left, gently uphill, on the wide shared path alongside the new Lancaster Bay Gateway road, crossing the river and following the path left at the nearby roundabout.
Stay on the roadside path for a couple of miles, and after the next roundabout it soon crosses over the Lancaster canal. Here take the path down to the canal, and turn left on the towpath under the new bridge (sign Carnforth via canal). The towpath is legal to cycle on and mostly tarmac.
Take great care under the bridges, as the towpath is always narrow, with poor visibility ahead. After a couple of miles a sign takes the route left, away from the towpath (sign Morcambe, Heysham) and quickly onto a short public street.
At the end of this street, join the main road, going left, using the green painted bike strip. In a couple of minutes the route has to cross over this road to the start of the Promenade by a Toucan traffic light bike crossing. Follow the Promenade.
The Promenade is wide and a couple of miles long, often busy, with lots of pedestrians. The Eric Morecambe statue is just beyond the clock tower. Continue past the nearby Midland Hotel to the start of Sustrans 69 Way of the Roses route to Bridlington. It is 9 miles (15 km) from the start of the ride to here.
Here leave the Promenade and follow the Route 69 signs for this short urban section – across the roundabout to go along Central Drive dual carriageway, and (taking care) right at the next roundabout to join the old railway line (sign Lancaster via cycleway) behind Frankie & Bennie's restaurant. The nearby station has trains for the short hop back to Lancaster B.R. if need be.
Continue all the way to Lancaster on the cycleway, and cross the splendid Millenium bridge. Go to the bridge end, and turn right to rejoin the path back to the railway station.
