A CYCLEWAY covering the lush coastal countryside of Arnside and Silverdale, the remote Forest of Bowland and the majesty of Pendle Hill has been upgraded and relaunched.

The 260-mile Lancashire Cycleway claims to be Britains most scenically diverse cycle ride.

The first official users of the relaunched route were pupils from a primary school in Slaidburn, who were led along part of the cycleway by Lancaster-based travel writer Jon Sparks, author of a new guidebook to the Lancashire Cycleway.

The cycle route has northern and southern circular routes that meet in the historic town of Whalley, just south of the Bowland Fells.