Cycling

Explore Barrow's coastline by bike

Discover Barrow by Bike 

With 60km of coastline to explore, Barrow in Furness is a fantastic place to visit for a biking weekend or a cycling holiday. Whether you are seeking gentle family rides or a strenuous route around some of Britain’s hidden gems, then Barrow is a wonderful place to stay and visit.   

Popular Cycling Routes

Cycling is very popular on the Furness Peninsula. Barrow has been one of the locations for the Pearl Izumi Criterium Series and in 2018 welcomed the Tour of Britain with a stage start from the historic town hall. 

Below are some of the popular rides you can do in Barrow and we will be adding further information about the rides in the near future:

  • Circumnavigate Walney Island by Road
    This route starts from the Walney side of Jubilee Bridge. The route offers stunning views over to Roa Island & Piel Island and over to the Isle of Man. There are a number of places along the way for refreshments, including, the Queens Arms at Biggar Village, South End Caravan Park, the Roundhouse and The Ferry at the start and end of the route.
    Download the route guide here
    Distance: 14mile | Difficulty: Flat | Watch out for horses near Biggar Village
  • Family Ride to Roa Island
    This route starts at the iconic Town Hall and travels along a dedicated cycle way to Roa Island. Stunning scenery and plenty of places to enjoy refreshments.  
    Download the route guide here
    Distance 9.5 mile | Difficulty: Flat/Easy | Very little traffic
  • Coast Road Loop
    This route starts and finishes at Roose Railway Station and takes in the Coast Road from Barrow to Ulverston and then moves inland visiting places like Birkrigg, Gleaston and Scales.

    The Coast Road is extremly popular with cyclists as it provides a flattish route out to Ulverston from Barrow. It has scenic views across Morecambe Bay and moderate traffic.
    Download the route guide here
    Distance: 19.5miles | Difficulty: Medium – Some hills | The Coast Road can have fast traffic

  • Tour de Furness
    The Tour de Furness is a charity cycle event which takes place in early September. The event has a choice of 4 routes ranging from a short family ride to a 50+ mile ride around Coniston Water. The routes start from the Cons Club at Roose and they all offer cyclists an enjoyable riding experience around the local area.
    Find out more 

 

  • Walney to Wear or Whitby
    Walney Island is the starting point for the W2W coast to coast challenge. The route is 152 or 179 miles from the West coast to the East coast.
    Find out more

 

  • Bay Cycle Way
    The Bay Cycle Way is a stunning long-distance route that takes you on a tour of Morecambe Bay, one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in the UK. It takes you from Walney Island to Glasson Dock in Lancashire.
    Find out more

Barrow in Furness is ideally located for a cycling holiday. It is a flat peninsula which borders the Irish Sea on one side and Morecambe Bay on the other, ensuring that there are a host of coastal paths and roads to explore on two wheels.

The Lake District is approximately 20 miles away and can be reached via back roads making the journey nearly as pleasurable as the destination. Coniston or Torver are popular locations for a coffee and cake or the more advanced (crazy) riders can tackle the mighty Hard Knott or Wrynose Pass which are both used on the epic Fred Whitton Challenge.

Cycling Image Gallery

Useful Links

Please find some links below to 3rd party websites, which may provide further information about the Coast Road. Visit Barrow accept no responsibility for 3rd party websites and links, but if you feel the link is not working or inappropriate, please email: marketing@barrowbid.co.uk stating the page and link you would like changing or removing.