Getting around Bristol

andrew@snowrace

Hi two of us are riding from Abergavenny to Crediton in devon next weekend the only bit of the route that looks a little dodgy is from aust services to south of bristol any input from Bristol cyclist would be great. Cheers Andy

GeorgeShaw

The Avonmouth road from Aust isn't too bad, it's a wide enough road to not get into any trouble with heavy traffic. Don't follow the cycle route that leaves this road about half way down as you'll end up winding around the back of Lawrence Weston - it's a pain. If you don't fancy the main road then go from Pilning to Easter Compton to Hallen and then through Lawrence Weston.

Towards the Avon, go into Shirehampton and you can cross the Avon by the motorway bridge on the east side. You'll end up in Pill, but just get up to the main road and drop a few hundred metres down the hill and turn left to Portbury. Then you have a virtually straight ride on back roads to Clevedon.

andrew@snowrace

Cheers just to clarify when you say cross by motorway bridge do you mean there is another bridge close to or is there a footpath/cycle path over the motorway bridge like the severn bridge Andy

GeorgeShaw

It's the same bridge. There's a wide footpath/cyclepath to one side of the motorway. You can check the Ordnance Survey Get-A-Map for details on how to find it, but it's signposted from the B road in Shirehampton easily enough.

DaveyL

Agree with what GeorgeShaw says. The road from Aust down into Bristol depends on when you are riding it - there can be a lot of lorry traffic on it but at the weekends it is fine. Not very scenic as you come through the industrial estate though!

Agree that going over the cycle path on the M5 bridge is the best bet but it's a bit of a labyrinth at the other end - make sure you have a map that's detailed enough to plot your way out through Pill.

Norton's Wood Lane will take you from Portbury to Clevedon, or you can go up the hill in Portbury and then drop down towards Wraxall or Tickenham depending on where you are heading after Bristol.

If you fancy some hills, go up the hill from Portbury and drop down Tickenham Hill then go right through Tickenham and turn left before Clevedon and cut across Kenn Moor to Yatton then pick up the B3133 to Congresbury. Otherwise take Norton's Wood Lane to Clevedon, go through Clevedon, turn right and head across Kenn Moor Lane to Yatton. I hope the SWerly isn't too strong that day!

Lots of nice roads round there, I miss riding over in Bristol!

steve_l

There's a new route from Pill, just after you come off the M5 crossing, over to portishead, where you can carry on down the coast to clevedon, which is a nice stretch of route, then you need to head inland and deal with the trouble behind weston super mare. Consider heading east to Burrington coombe and doing that and Cheddar Gorge, if you like your hills

The council will post you free maps of the area, just apply online: http://www.bristol.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/transport-and-streets/cycling/cycle-lanes-and-routes/. You will need South Gloucs. for the M4 to M5 stretch; bristol for the bit in the middle, maybe, then N. Somerset for Pill to Weston.

The Abergavenny to Chepstow stretch will be nice if you do the Usk road; from Aust to Somserset its not hazardous, just, well, boring. After that, the coast becomes nice.

andrew@snowrace

We are heading down to crediton so will need to ick the a 38 at some point

DaveyL

You migth want to have a look at the route of the Exmouth Exodus:

http://www.exmouthexodus.co.uk/

To see how they head south avoiding main roads (it's a ride through the night) - doesn't end up too far away from Crediton so you could talior the route a bit maybe.

vorsprung

If you want a longer route cut across the A38, round the back of bristol via Coalpits to pick up the Bristol-Bath cycle path at Siston. Then go via Bath to Frome, Frome to Glastonbury, A361 to Taunton, A38 to Peamore X at the back of Wellington, lanes via Nicolasheigh, Culmstock and Uffculme to Willand, Cross M way bridge, right to Brithem Bottom and lanes to Crediton

Second the Exmouth Exodus route, if you can get to the centre of Bristol it is an easy and fast way from the Clifton suspension Bridge to Taunton

Pross

Did Exeter to Abergavenny a few years back and (in reverse) rode down the Severn Beach rode to Avonmouth, A4 Portway, Bedminster, Cheddar Gorge, and then on the A38 pretty much. If I were doing it now I would miss out the Portway and get on the Avonmouth bridge cycleway then on the A369 from the Portishead junction, turn right around the top of Ashton Court (B3129) and then B3130 up through Barrow Gurney. You can then go past Chew Lake and over the Mendips. Once up there you have plenty of choice as long as you don't mind a few lumps to climb Alternatively, a slightly nicer route than the chemical works / M5 may be to turn off the A403 at Crooks Marsh, cut through Henbury, over Clifton Downs and across the suspension bridge which will bring you back onto the B3129 at Ashton Court.

GeorgeShaw

I'd avoid the Barrow Gurney road. It's a rat run - narrow and fast and full of cars trying to get to the airport in time. Plenty of other options.

redvee

GeorgeShaw wrote:

I'd avoid the Barrow Gurney road. It's a rat run - narrow and fast and full of cars trying to get to the airport in time. Plenty of other options.

This the road that you take form the Flax Bourton junction of the A370 to the A38? Was going to ride that road one sunday afternoon.

GeorgeShaw

redvee wrote:

GeorgeShaw wrote:

I'd avoid the Barrow Gurney road. It's a rat run - narrow and fast and full of cars trying to get to the airport in time. Plenty of other options.

This the road that you take form the Flax Bourton junction of the A370 to the A38? Was going to ride that road one sunday afternoon.

Yup. Might be better on a Sunday, but I'd avoid it. Too many cars going somewhere too quickly. It depends where you're trying to get from and to (as always). The roads north of Flax Bourton are OK. If you're heading south then take the road from Farleigh up to the airport, that's quiet enough.

Pross

It's a rat run but I wouldn't say it's fast! It's so narrow that cars have to give way to oncoming vehicles all the time, I'd have no problem riding along it. If it wasn't for the huge chunk of traffic jam it takes out around the Parson Street system people wouldn't use it plus the shouldn't be any HGVs on there (although I did get stuck behind a foreign lorry on my way to the airport which caused chaos!).

GeorgeShaw

Yeh, not fast-fast, I was more thinking of the impatience factor, which is dangerous on narrow busy roads.