Photo: Peter McDermott, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia CommonsAround the edge of Morecambe Bay on long low viaducts across the Kent and Leven estuaries, past Grange-over-Sands and Ulverston to Barrow.
The Furness Line leaves the West Coast Main Line at Carnforth and immediately skirts Morecambe Bay past Silverdale, an area of limestone woods and salt marsh. It crosses the Kent estuary on the 500-yard Arnside Viaduct, with the Lake District fells ahead, and runs along the promenade at Grange-over-Sands, an Edwardian resort.
From Kents Bank and Cark the line crosses the Leven estuary on a second long viaduct to Ulverston, birthplace of Stan Laurel, then passes the Furness Abbey ruins and reaches Barrow-in-Furness, the shipbuilding town at the tip of the peninsula, where the Cumbrian Coast Line continues north.
Northern Class 156 and 195 units work the route; TransPennine Express runs some through trains from Manchester Airport. Arnside, Grange and Ulverston are the stops, and the line is the southern part of the Cumbria Travel Pass area.
Morecambe Bay is on the left at Hest Bank, Grange and Kents Bank; look right from the Kent and Leven viaducts for the Lakeland fells.
Sides are given facing the direction of travel. Miles are approximate from the start of the journey.
Guided cross-bay walks from Arnside to Kents Bank are led by the King's Guide; never attempt it unguided.
No; it is diesel throughout.
The Cumbria Travel Pass at £40 covers Lancaster to Carlisle by both the Furness and West Coast routes plus buses.
Scenic lineEngland's most celebrated main line, climbing from the Yorkshire Dales over Ribblehead Viaduct and Ais Gill summit into the Eden Valley.
Scenic lineOften voted the world's most scenic railway: Loch Lomond, Rannoch Moor, Ben Nevis and Glenfinnan Viaduct on one ordinary ScotRail ticket.
Scenic lineCoast-to-coast across the Highlands from Inverness to the Skye ferry port, ending on a shelf blasted along the shore of Loch Carron.