Bristol and Somerset
Free maps are listed at the bottom of this page.
Would you like to be involved in the development of access to the outdoors in this area?
Are you interested in being a voluntary member of the Joint Local Access Forum (the JLAF), which gives independent advice to Councils on paths, public rights of way and access land both in the countryside and in urban areas? Will you be able to advise the Councils on how to attract new users to the network of paths in this area? For more details, please contact Chris Hogg, Secretary to the JLAF on tel: 01225 394161 or visit www.jlaf.org.uk
Open routes
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National Route 3 |
National Route 3 runs along the St. Philips Greenway from Bristol Temple Meads (leave by main entrance) and out of the city on the Whitchurch Railway Path. The route crosses the Chew Valley passing through Chew Magna and climbs over the Mendip Hills to Priddy before heading down through Wells, Glastonbury, Bridgwater and Taunton on its way to Devon and Cornwall. The Somerset section is a part of the West Country Way.
Route Open: Cossington and Bawdrip Path
At long last the path at Bawdrip between Bridgwater and Glastonbury has been re-opened for use. Thanks to the generosity of a local landowner and funding from Somerset County Council it has been possible to build a diversion of the route. Not only is The West Country Way, National Route 3 back in use as a result, but The Stop Line Way, National Route 33 can be opened between Burnham on Sea and Chard, adding 17 miles to the existing route.
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National Route 4 |
National Route 4 connects London and Fishguard via Bristol and Bath. Bristol to Reading via Bath and Devizes is a part of the Severn & Thames cycle route and includes the Bristol & Bath Railway Path and the Kennet & Avon Cycle Route. Severn Beach to Chepstow and on to Newport and Swansea is a part of the Celtic Trail East.
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National Route 24 |
National Route 24 is open between Dundas Aqueduct on the Kennet & Avon Canal and Frome and known as The Colliers Way. Beyond Frome the route is under development and is planned to continue to Warminster and Southampton.
A new website has been launched to publicise the Colliers Way www.colliersway.co.uk which is well worth a visit for a wide range of information on the route and the surrounding area, which is full of surprises for the visitor.
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National Route 26 |
National Route 26 is open and signed between Portishead and Pill with links to either Avonmouth or Bristol on National Route 41 (see below). The route is still proposed between Portishead and Clevedon, but is open between Kenn (just outside Clevedon), Yatton and Cheddar where the route is known as the Strawberry Line. The route is also open between Castle Cary and Dorchester passing just south of Yeovil.
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The Stop Line Way - National Route 33 |
National Route 33 is a planned route between Bristol and Seaton on the Devon coast. The route goes from Bristol - Weston-Super-Mare - Highbridge - Bridgwater - Taunton - Ilminster - Chard - Axminster - Seaton. The route is known as The Stop Line Way between Weston-Super-Mare and Seaton.
Open sections are:
- Cambridge Batch to Backwell Common (with links to Nailsea) on the Flax Bourton Greenway
- Burnham on Sea to Highbridge
- Highbridge to Bridgwater
- Ilminster to Chard
In Devon the route is also open between Axminster and Seaton.
History
The Stop Line Way will largely follow the line of the old World War II Taunton Stop Line. Along the route it is possible to see the old pill boxes, tank traps and gun emplacements. These were defenses against a potential German invasion.
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National Route 41 |
National Route 41 is currently open between Bristol City Centre and Gloucester via the traffic-free "Chocolate Path" to the Create Centre in west Bristol and the Ashton to Pill path through the Avon Gorge to Pill. The route heads across the Avonmouth Bridge and around Avonmouth to Severn Beach, Olveston, Oldbury-on-Severn and into Gloucestershire. It is also a part of the Severn & Thames cycle route.
National Route 339
Route 339 runs from Bridgwater to Langport to Ilminster and is all open.
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The Avon Cycleway |
The Avon Cycleway (signed as Regional Route 10) is an 85 mile circular route around Bristol taking in Thornbury, Yate, Saltford, Chew Magna and Clevedon. A map is available for this route to order or download from Bristol City Council.
Route Development
National Route 3 - Dulverton
Brushford Parish Council have put forward a proposal for a traffic free path between Brushford and Dulverton, the town on which it depends for its services - schools, doctor, shopping, and employment. This would take a section of the National Cycle Network off a busy road and is fully supported by Sustrans. We are working with the local community, the Exmoor National Park and the County Council to progress this route.
The Colliers Way
The Colliers Way at Radstock has been re-surfaced with tarmac to replace the original 'temporary' stone and dust surface which had degraded badly. Although this only affected a short stretch of this traffic free route, many cyclists were put off using the route at all because they had to first negotiate this one poor section. The re-surfacing was made possible by funding from Natural England through the Countryside Stewardship scheme and Bath & North East Somerset Council.
Bath & NE Somerset Council are extending the reach of signage by creating signed routes from the Colliers Way to nearby villages and attractions, allowing a wider range of communities and businesses to benefit from this popular route.
A petition has been set up to support the extension of the Colliers Way from Great Elm along the railway route into Frome town centre. Find out more at www.fromesmissinglink.org.uk
National Route 26
The route between South Cadbury and Glastonbury will be re-aligned this spring and signed by Sustrans Volunteer Rangers. The new alignment, to the west of the current one, avoids the longstanding unresolved issue of a satisfactory crossing of the railway and the A371 at Castle Cary. Sustrans will however continue to pursue the original route as well as a link from the station at Castle Cary to the Glastonbury Festival site at Pilton.
Festival Way, Bristol and North Somerset
The Sustrans Connect2 scheme for Bristol and North Somerset is a visionary new traffic free route which will for the first time open up a good quality walking and cycling link between the city and one of its finest green spaces, Ashton Court. This historic parkland is cut off from the city by a network of busy roads which dissuade many local people from making the short trip it except by car. The route will continue into North Somerset, using the traffic free paths already in place in Long Ashton, and picking up the Flax Bourton Greenway built by the Sustrans workcamp in 2007. A short but important link in the route at Paulman Gardens Long Ashton is now open, but will not be signed as National Route until the residential development through which it passes is nearer completion.
The Stop Line Way project is currently undertaking negotiations with land owners on the following sections:
- Weston-Super-Mare and Brean
- Taunton and Ilminster
- Chard to Chard Junction
The Stop Line Way steering group is made up of Sustrans, the 8 local authorities that the route goes through and the project officer. It meets once a month to discuss the project.
Free cycle maps for Bristol & Somerset
The Kennet & Avon Cycle Route Bristol to Reading
(National Route 4) - out of print but available to download (pdf)
A more detailed GEOprojects Kennet & Avon Canal map is also available.
The Strawberry Line Yatton to Cheddar
(National Route 26) - Sustrans, tel: 0845 113 0065 or download (pdf)
Brue Estuary Path and Beaches Highbridge, Burnham, Berrow, Brean
(National Route 33) - Sustrans, tel: 0845 113 0065 or download (pdf)
Chard to Ilminster and Bridgwater Part of the Wessex Way Cycle Route
(National Route 33) - out of print but available to download (pdf)
The Stop Line Way (National Route 33) - available to download(1) download(2) (pdf)
The Colliers Way (National Route 24) - Sustrans, tel: 0845 113 0065 or download / artwork (pdf)
The Avon Cycleway 85 mile circular cycle route around Bristol and Bath
(Regional Route 10) - download from Bristol City Council or tel: 0117 903 6822
South Somerset Cycle Route 80 mile cycle route around South Somerset
(Regional Route 30) - download from Visit South Somerset or tel: 01935 845946
North Somerset - A Map for Cyclists - North Somerset Council, tel: 01934 888 888
Bath & N.E Somerset - A Map For Cyclists - BANES Council, tel: 01225 477000
South Glos - A Map for Cyclists - South Glos Council, tel: 01454 868686
Bristol - A Map for Cyclists - Life Cycle UK, tel: 0117 929 0440
Whitchurch Railway Path - Sustrans, tel: 0845 1130065
The above five maps can also be downloaded from the Bristol City Council website.
Family Explorer North Somerset - Weston TIC, tel: 01934 888800
Quantock Cycle Rides - Bridgwater TIC, tel: 01278 436438
Sedgemoor Cycle Rides - Bridgwater TIC, tel: 01278 436438
Taunton Cycle Trail - Somerset CC, tel: 0845 3459155
Cycling And Walking in Somerset - set of 20 maps to order from Moving Somerset Forward or tel: 0845 345 9155
Picturesque Bike Rides - Produced by South Glos. Council & CTC, available from Sustrans, tel: 0845 113 0065
- Wooton-Under-Edge
- Castle Combe
- Severnvale
- Pilning & Severn Beach