Bristol advice

secretsam

Am off down to my beloved home town this weekend, illness in family

Am using the trip to renew acquaintances with cycling in God's own city. Was thinking of dandering out to Portishead on the cyclepath routes from sunny Hanham - how easy would this be and what are these paths like? My only experience of a cycle path is the Bristol-Bath jobbie when it had just opened (and that long tunnel was still unlit, I once disturbed two lads who were getting high as kites on glue down there...)

And advice on bike shops for a new lid for my pumpkin-like head also welcome.

thanks in advance,

pangolin

I'd be interested in this too having moved here recently. I'm working near Ashton Park, anyone know if the following route is nice enough? The top loops past my house so it could make for a nice ride one evening.

http://www.cycle-route.com/routes/Horfield_Circular_via_Clevedon-Cycle-Route-2930.html

ryanshattered

Not sure about routes coming from Hanham - does that use the ring road path? Ring road path is good quality tarmac.

Pangolin - I planned out a ride a few weeks back for my wife and I and it was very similar to the one you linked (we live in Horfield) - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/12493384
It's really nice - you can see that our route drops down to Wraxall and then has a tasty short but steep climb up Wraxall hill, it also differs on the way back as we diverted off to use the dirt/gravel path that goes along the avon to Cumberland Basin and then another decent climb up Bridge Valley Road towards the zoo. The Avon Cycleway on this route that takes you from Clevedon into Portbury is lovely - you pass a lot of farms on a very quiet road and there's lots to look at.

Another lovely route nearby is the strawberry line. You park at Yatton Train Station (just outside Clevedon) and it goes all the way into the mendips, I've only done a small portion of it with my 2 year old in the trailer this weekend just gone but the scenery was stunning. It goes through the Thatchers Cider orchards too.

pangolin

Great tips thanks very much. I'll check out the Strawberry line one weekend.

secretsam

ryanshattered wrote:

Not sure about routes coming from Hanham - does that use the ring road path? Ring road path is good quality tarmac.

It would do, before linking up with the Bath to Bristol railway path. Not sure how that links to the route to sunny Portishead, guess I'll have to ride it to find out!

meanredspider

If it's God's own city, God likes a traffic jam. I hate going into Bristol

redvee

SecretSam wrote:

Was thinking of dandering out to Portishead on the cyclepath routes from sunny Hanham - how easy would this be and what are these paths like?

You could drop down onto the river then following that then picking up the tow path along the Avon to Pill then Portishead or using the Portway on the opposite side of the river to the tow path then crossing the M5 bridge.

SecretSam wrote:

ryanshattered wrote:

Not sure about routes coming from Hanham - does that use the ring road path? Ring road path is good quality tarmac.

It would do, before linking up with the Bath to Bristol railway path. Not sure how that links to the route to sunny Portishead, guess I'll have to ride it to find out!

Once in central Bristol pick up either option as above.

holiver

I love cycling around Bristol! Visiting Portishead and Clevedon is a good shout. There are decent on and off road routes.

secretsam

In the end I stayed local and did a route round Pucklechurch and Lansdown into Bath and back via the cycle path, an experience that I won't repeat as a) it's dull and b) dogs, dogs, dogs...

Went to Spesh store for some insoles and to try lids - superb service, really highly recommended. Didn't get a lid but sorted some insoles for my wide feet.

ryanshattered

SecretSam wrote:

In the end I stayed local and did a route round Pucklechurch and Lansdown into Bath and back via the cycle path, an experience that I won't repeat as a) it's dull and b) dogs, dogs, dogs...

Went to Spesh store for some insoles and to try lids - superb service, really highly recommended. Didn't get a lid but sorted some insoles for my wide feet.

Yeah, Bristol-Bath cycle path is a bit dull. Check out 'Colliers Way' from Bath to Frome.
Here is a nice circular route which incorporates it http://www.movescount.com/routes/route1 ... lliers_Way
Colliers Way itself is mostly cycle path, some bits quieter than others. The section from Frome through Farleigh Hungerford as far as Avoncliffe is lovely on a nice bright clear day - very quiet roads through farmland, past the castle etc. The section from Avoncliffe into Bath is canal towpath which may or may not be to your taste (rough surface, muddy puddles, people, dogs etc).

rjsterry

Pucklechurch, eh? <gazes wistfully into distance> I'm originally from Frampton Cotterell, so got my first taste for cycling around the lanes between Frampton and the edge of the Cotswolds. Wish we had some proper hills in London <sigh>.

secretsam

rjsterry wrote:

Wish we had some proper hills in London <sigh>.

Simple: pop up to Marylebone, train to Wendover (50 mins), 5 mins ride to Chiltern hills - bingo.

Happy to let you have some local routes. Cafe in the woods at Wendover Woods very good and cycle friendly, ditto the one at Ashridge (NT property). Many hills, none very long but some most relatively steep!