With The Lake District and The Yorkshire Dales on our doorstep - KDCS offers an exciting selection of cycle rides throughout the local area and beyond. There are social gatherings including slide shows, talks and supper evenings and members are kept up to date with cycling news and issues through this web site, emails and our Facebook pages. KDCS are an affiliated group of Cycling UK.

KDCS route 26c - near Caton through Lancaster and Overton to Sunderland Point

Summary

Route 26c The route runs from near Caton through Lancaster and Overton to Sunderland Point, then comes a foreshore bridleway, through Old Heysham, along Morecambe promenade, to Hest Bank, then the Kellets and over to the Lune valley for the return.

A shorter and easier option is available, omitting the Kellets and beyond.

FROM THE CROOK O LUNE PICNIC AREA THIS IS A TRAFFIC – FREE RIDE ON THE OLD RAILWAY LINE TO LANCASTER MILLENIUM BRIDGE AND OVER AND BEYOND, THEN TARMAC SOUTH TO SUNDERLAND POINT VIA THE TIDAL ROAD. A SHORT SECTION OF FORESHORE BRIDLEWAY LEADS TO TARMAC TO OLD HEYSHAM AND SEVERAL MILES OF PROMENADE, BEFORE BEARING INLAND FOR A FINAL LONGISH LOOP BACK TO THE START.
A SHORTER OPTION IS AVAILABLE, OMITTING THIS LONGISH LOOP AND WITH LESS CLIMB.

Longer option    37 miles ( 59 km)  1,365' climb  (416 m)  Grade - Moderate

Shorter option   25 miles (40 km)   640' climb (195 m) Grade – Easy

OS 97 (Kendal) and small part 102 (Preston & Blackpool)

Map - Long Route


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=700429


Map - Shorter Route


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=700445



The ride starts at the Crook O Lune Picnic Area and car park (GR 521 647, postcode LA2 9HU), small Pay & Display fee, wc, refreshment kiosk Fri/Sat/Sun, west of Caton (upriver from Lancaster).

It follows Sustrans Route 69 Way of the Roses into and through Lancaster, leaving 69 soon after crossing the Millenium Bridge: -

From the Crook O Lune car park descend to the shared path to the old railway line (69 sign), going right, over the bridge towards Lancaster.

This is followed for c 3 miles (5 km) into Lancaster alongside the Lune. There comes a road underpass (with barriers), then immediately after up (right) to a narrow but short shared path along the riverside (City Loop West, Morecambe).

The Millenium Bridge is soon crossed (69, Lancaster North, Morecambe and Kendal) to the opposite bank, the shared path now running alongside the main road to Morecambe.

¼ m after bearing away from the main road take the 1st left off the main 69 cycleway onto a smaller cycleway (sign Snatchems, Overton, Sunderland), pass Salt Ayre cycle circuit, then soon come to the end of this nearly 6 miles (10 km) traffic – free section.

At the public road go left (bike sign Sunderland, Overton), past the Golden Ball (ex Snatchems) and again left at the next junction (same signs).

Follow this road for c ¾ mile (1+ km), bearing left off it for Overton. In Overton continue through the centre (bike and road signs Sunderland Point) to soon reach the start of the tidal road (flood warning, 1-2 hours either side high tide) by the Globe pub.

Sunderland Point (wc, no cafe) is reached in 1 ¼ miles (2 km), and the route continues on the pebbly beach, past a Private Road sign and then past houses it turns right  (signs Sambo's Grave, bridleway Carr Lane 1 1/3 , West Shore 1/3).

The track to West Shore becomes narrow between hedges, to the beach gate at the end. On the beach Sambo's Grave is to the left, the bridleway to Carr Lane (now 1 mile away) on the right.

The bridleway is on grass, sand and rock on the salt marsh edge, mostly rideable, maybe having to push short bits in the middle. In ½ mile (1 km) the foreshore route ends, and joins a stone track leading from fields.

In a further ½ mile (1 km) the stone track ends at Potts Corner  - the public Carr Lane road, with immediately Shorefields Caravan Park (cafe, wc) on the left.

Carr Lane continues, soon turning right (big entrance to Middleton Towers on the left) and on into Middleton. The route here goes left (Heysham, Morecambe) and on to the big main road A683 roundabout leading to Heysham port, again going left (sign Heysham).

In a couple of minutes the route goes right at the traffic lights  (sign Freight Traffic, Heysham Village) and almost immediately right again (Heysham Village). In about c 200 yds/m go left into Smithy Lane and continue to the village centre (cafes, wc, shops)

In Heysham centre the route turns left into an unsigned road through Old Heysham, past the historic church, and to Bailey's Lane, at the end of which it turns left onto Knowlys Rd, uphill past houses.

Where Knowlys Rd meets a bigger road go left onto a shared path (unsigned) towards the sea, which quickly leads to a right turn to drop down to Heysham promenade.

This is followed for c 4 miles (7 km) to, through and past the busy Morecambe promenade. At the prom end, soon after the mother and child statue, the route crosses at cycle traffic lights onto the far shared footpath, going left (69, 700, Hest Bank/ Carnforth via canal) gradually uphill to and right into Rushley Rd, (same signs). (Note – the cycleway on the road highway edge is for downhill travel, the shared footpath for uphill travel, a bit confusing.)

At the Rushley road end the same signs lead the shared path route down to the canal, where it joins (turning hard left) the towpath (700/ 6, Carnforth village centre).

The towpath is only followed for a couple of minutes. After c ¼ mile (½ km) on the canal, pass under the 2nd bridge (bridge number 118) and immediately after go up the ramp to the bridge, then left on the road, and soon again left into Peacock Drive.

At the end of Peacock Drive, turn right onto Hanging Green Lane up to the main A6 road.

There go left and immediately right onto Bottomdale Rd (Slyne caravan park sign) and follow this undulating road to Four Lane Ends crossroads.

Here there is a choice, to continue the route or cut it short by about 12 miles (20 km) and return to the start point in a couple of miles and a quarter of an hour or so.

To do the shorter route cross straight over at the crossroads (unsigned, but Foundry Rd) and drop down over the M6 to Halton, where again straight over at the  mini -roundabout (bike sign 90 Lancs Cycleway/ Community Centre) and in 200 yds/m right  at the Greyhound (signs 90, narrow weak bridge).

After the narrow bridge go left onto the cycleway, now joining the outward route (Crook O Lune, 69). In a mile+ (2 km) and after the 1st bridge climb back up to the start (picnic area, 69).

The longer route  goes left at Four Lane Ends crossroads (Nether Kellett, Lancs Cycleway 90) and on to a T, going right, over the M6 and then a steady climb through and beyond Nether Kellet (shop, pub), going straight on where 90 goes left.

Next up is Over Kellett (shop, pub), where the route goes straight over at the green (Capernwray/ Borwick) and straight on (Capernwray) at a nearby junction.

At the T by the church the route turns right (Arkholme/ Gressingham) and soon a lengthy but not too steep gradual hill follows, before flattening to the main B6254.

Here it goes left and immediately right (Gressingham, Hornby) to descend and soon take the 1st right (Eskrigge, 69). Way of the Roses 69 has now been joined, and is followed back to the start.

The gradual drop continues, the road then swinging right (Halton, Lancaster, 69) and commencing the climb, steepish in places, back up to the main road.

The route goes left at the main road (same signs), but in 1/3 mile (½ km) bears left off it (69 sign only)

From here comes a steady descent (take care at 1 steep drop), with lovely views over the Lune, before a short stretch of  open parkland road, going left at the end (69) for the final descent to Crook O Lune, reached in a couple of minutes.