Left adrift

A seafront cycle route is all well and good, but it needs to be part of a joined-up network to make a difference, writes Laura

I’ve become an accidental connoisseur of seafront cycle routes. Traversing the National Cycle Network for my recent book Potholes and Pavements, I determined that keeping the sea on my left would stop me becoming lost, so I’ve lost track of the miles of glittering seas I’ve pedalled beside. From the North Wales Coastal Route to Morecambe Bay, to the Viking Coastal Trail in Kent, great views don’t always mean great paths. Maybe there’s a badly-painted cycle lane, but most involve sharing space with pedestrians. Mysteriously, these lanes are seemingly invisible to anyone on foot, causing people to constantly wander into cyclists’ paths. Enter the brand-new, five-mile, £11m cycle route connecting Whitley Bay to Tynemouth, with a separate, clearly marked cycle path and freshly widened pavement. Phase two is currently under…

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Cycling Plus (Digital) - 1 Issue, February 2025

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