A new 170-mile cycle route through the Forest of Bowland and the Yorkshire Dales National Park has opened.

And the launch coincided with the 15th anniversary of the National Cycle Route developed by sustainable transport charity Sustrans.

The route has been named Way of the Roses – a play on War of the Roses, as it links Morecambe to Bridlington via Lancaster, the Forest of Bowland, the Dales National Park, Ripon, York and the Yorkshire Wolds.

Andy Ryland, transport and visitor management officer for the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA), said: “This new route will bring benefits to local businesses including cafes, pubs and cycle shops along the entire route.

“The YDNPA has contributed towards funding to the development of the route through its recreational activities budgets and its Sustainable Development Fund, which is managed by the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust.

“We have also helped plan the 24-mile section through the National Park from Settle to Keld Houses.”

David Hall, Sustrans’ regional director for Yorkshire said: “The Way of the Roses runs through some of northern England’s most stunning countryside.”

For more information on the route and to buy a map see sustrans.org.uk.