The Friars: at the hub of European cycling!

Through the Friars run Route 1 (Dover - John O'Groats) and Route 11 (Harlow - Wells-next-the-Sea). Route 1 is also part of the North Sea Cycle Route: Trondheim to Lerwick (via Harwich! National cycle route? Sustrans explains!)

Sustrans' map: Route One through the Friars These cycle routes carry an estimated 2500 visitors a year through our town, but this isn't a multi-lane highway: the route crosses Hardings Pits and arrives in the Friars at the Nar sluice, passes the Carmelite Arch, joins Bridge Street on the corner by the Friend's Meeting House (where thoughtless parking often blocks it completely!) and goes straight over the roundabout and away along to the Saturday Market Place, where it (apparently) does the High Street and New Conduit Street on foot, before escaping into the Walks past the railway station. You might guess from this account that cycle routes in Kings Lynn are a bit less than joined up.

Local cycling

Cycle routes around the Friars

KLWNBUG and local cycling issues

Kings Lynn and West Norfolk Bicycle Users Group campaigns for better facilities, organises rides and generally gingers things up bike-wise in West Norfolk. Current areas of concern in our neck of the woods are :

My own personal bleat is to replace the gate by the children's playground with something bike-permeable: bollards, maybe. Valingers Road - Bridge Street is an excellent short cut if you are cycling between the Friars or the Chase and the South Quay/ King Street/ Tuesday Market Place area, and would be all the better if the gate wasn't there.

Bike links

Thanks to Rob Archer, cycling wizard, BUG enthusiast and all-round good egg for inspiring this page!