I thought I’d give this post a sexy title to boost readership. Not that I look at all sexy in my fading Lycra cycling shorts. There should be an age limit for appearing in public wearing Lycra, and whatever it is I am long past it.
I’ve driven up the motorway, coming off at Junction 36 and found the narrow lane leading down to a car park at the redundant Halton station. This is on the old Morecambe to Wennington line which closed under The Beeching Act in 1966. Route 69 of the National Cycle Network connects Hest Bank on Morecambe Bay with Cleethorpes on the East coast and uses this section of line from Morecambe to Caton. Off I pedal westwards on the 69 into Lancaster. The River Lune is mainly hidden and I don’t recognise much until the Millennium Bridge where the 69 crosses the river. I’m heading to Glasson Dock, so I stay on the south side of the water. There seem to be a multitude of cycle paths in Lancaster and just following my nose I end up under the castle with the priory church looking down on me. A few streets later and I find my way back to the river which is not looking its best, the tide is out exposing lots of mud. I’ll locate the correct way next time.
Halton station.
Soixante neuf.
Under the M6.
The canal aqueduct.
The new Greyhound and Millennium Bridges.
Priory church — getting lost.
Lost.
Eventually I’m safely on the old railway track heading to Glasson. Lots of cyclists are using this route, I keep leapfrogging various parties as we go at different speeds, and I’m frequently stopping to take pictures of the Lune estuary. I have walked this stretch in the past when I was connecting a Lancaster Monastic Way. It is interesting to contrast walking a route and cycling it. One misses the little details as you ride by and although everyone says hello there is no chance to chat, that is until you reach a café and then can delve into gears and stems. As I don’t know one stem from another, I avoid the busy cyclists’ rendezvous at Glasson and cross over to the little shop which has freshly baked pies and good coffee. Here I can talk to the mature couples who have motored here for a good old-fashioned afternoon out. And of course there are the fishermen with their ready tales of yesterday’s catch.
Glasson across the marshes.
Up the creek?
Lost forever.
Smell that coffee.
Pike?
A lot of the cyclists head back the way they came, but I’m in for exploring different options that I’ve spotted on the map. So off I go along the rough narrow track, you couldn’t call it a towpath, alongside the Glasson Branch Canal to meet up with the Lancaster Canal. Ahead are the Bowland Hills, looking splendid in today’s sunshine. An easy option would be to follow the canal back to Lancaster, but I’ve walked that stretch many times.
The Glasson Branch
Endless games of fetch the stick.
Junction with the Lancaster Canal.
So again I go my own way again, threading through Galgate and onto lanes crossing the motorway and leading into the hills. There is only one bit I have to walk up, and then I’m onto the lovely high level road to the scattered houses of Quernmore. From up here are views across Morecambe Bay to the Lakeland Fells with the Bowland hills rubbing at my right shoulder. I sweep down past the isolated Quernmore church and on to the entrance to Quernmore Estate at Postern Gate which I recognise from our ‘trespass’ on the straight line from my house to Sir Hugh’s in Arnside. I daren’t risk cycling through today so I take the busy road down to Caton and am soon back onto that rail line — Route 69.
Lancaster University, Morecambe Bay and Black Coombe.
Grit Fell.
Quernmore Church.
Postern Gate — tempted.
Down to Caton.
This last section back to Halton is impressive by dint of passing over two viaducts above the Crook Of Lune built in 1849 to carry the railway. This is a popular spot today with tourists, walkers and cyclists. There are stunning views up the Lune towards Hornby Castle and Ingleborough. Turner’s painting of the scene, pre railways, shows the original Penny Bridge carrying a road. This road bridge was rebuilt in 1889 and stands just below the East Viaduct. A long stretch in trees with little sight of the river has me back at Halton Station.
Eastern viaduct.
The Lune valley eastwards.
Crook of Lune road bridge.
Western viaduct.
Halton Bridge.
I go down to the river near the wrought iron lattice bridge built in 1911 from the remains of the Original Greyhound Bridge in Lancaster. Sitting quietly in the sunshine, contemplating the slow flow of water before hitting the motorway. I didn’t need that sexy title — this landscape has no need of titillation.
*****
We do have plenty pf opportunity for cycle routes on quiet roads and lanes. I have always been a little skeptical about the claims of Sustrans to have created a national network of cycle routes including your Soixante Neuf. All they have done is erect a series of fingerposts on road junctions, presumably for folk who can’t read a map, and where we have plotted our own routes for years. One advantage of cycling is that you are more motivated to divert to a café at a distance from your route than you are if walking. That was a good round on ground familiar to me including the half sunken boats on the Glasson link canal.
I know what you mean about Sustrans, but I have supported them for years and they do make good signs. I thought you would recognise most of the route and put in the Postern Gate photo as a reminder.
Yes, I’m ashamed to say you had me with the title, even though I suspected it was click-bait. Some familiar sights there around Glasson, one of my favourite ports of call. That’s quite a circuit you did, but I’m still not tempted to dig my bike out.
Clickbait? I wouldn’t want to deceive or mislead my readers, maybe just a gentle tease to the knowing.
If you do dig your bike out, check the wheel nuts before you ride it.
Now, those were the days when I could fully service my own machine!
Its only a bike.
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Another great ride with the Glasson area being familiar territory to me. I walked the Glasson Arm to the main canal and back last year, it was a lovely walk but seemed longer than it actually was. That old boat has obviously sunk much lower than it was when I saw it last year, there was still quite a bit of the wheelhouse sticking up back then.
I never tire of Glasson Dock. I love the little shop with its coffee and pies.