One of the most beloved aspects of modern Falmouth Culture, along with its beaches, ponds and harbors, is the aptly-named Shining Sea Bikeway. Scroll down and enjoy a tiny glimpse of what the Bikeway offers.
The Bikeway was named for the line in the song America The Beautiful, which was written by Falmouth native
Katharine Lee Bates. The Bikeway follows the original route of the New York,
New Haven and Hartford Railroad that used to run all the way down from Buzzards Bay, through North and West
Falmouth, around Woods Hole and into Falmouth Station. Train travel throughout the Upper Cape was sporadic at best
after the late 1950's and in the early 1970's the Town of Falmouth purchased the right of way, tore up the tracks and officially
opened the Bikeway in 1975.
The Bikeway winds from sea to shining sea, surrounding Falmouth from the coves along Buzzards Bay, through Woods Hole, and along the shores of the Vineyard Sound.
Although some of the Bikeway takes bicyclists, inline skaters, runners and pedestrians along Falmouth streets, much of the
path offers its travelers a chance to get away from the steady vehicular traffic the Cape is notorious for. Particularly enjoyable is the
opportunity the path provides for a look at some of Falmouth's diverse aquatic birdlife where on any given day in the summer, you might
find all sorts of waterfowl, plovers, terns, herons and even osprey.
The Bikeway is also the route for the internationally-famous Falmouth Road Race, which takes professional and amatuer runners from the center of Woods Hole to the cliffs of Falmouth Heights. For more leisurely path-goers, there are plenty of wonderful spots to take a break and enjoy the surroundings.
