Bishopston to the Bristol-Bath Railway Path

Now that our cycling advisers have been working in Bishopston for a few weeks, we're starting to get to know the area and the best routes to our favourite places. So we've planned a route to get you onto the Bristol-Bath railway path at an access point in Easton. It's just under 2 and a half miles and avoids all the major hills and busy roads between Bishopston and the path, to get your trip off to a flying start.

The Bristol-Bath railway path is the jewel in the crown of the National Cycle Network. Converted between 1979 and 1986, it offers 13 miles of well cared for off-road cycling linking Bristol and Bath. Equally loved by weekday commuters and weekend leisure riders, it can provide a day out for everyone.

One way to enjoy the path is to cycle in one direction and take the train back - giving you plenty of time to explore at the other end. There are also various stops along the way - Bitton station offers a lovely cafe and access to the Avon Valley Country Park, or stop off at a pub like the Jolly Sailor in Saltford. If you'd like to know more there is a leaflet available with lots of info, just ask one of our advisers or have a look at this section of the Bristol City Council website .


View Bishopston to the Railway Path in a larger map

Setting out from the County Cricket ground, head down Kennington Avenue, then cross Ashley Down Road (if you're unsure about this then remember you can always get off and walk across junctions!). If you head down to Station Road you can access a really handy path which leads through the Ashley Vale allotments and pops out in St Werburgh. From here it's a straight run down Mina Road (which is busy only at rush hour) to a footbridge over the motorway and into Easton.

Once you've crossed the motorway you can follow residential streets to cross Stapleton Road until you eventually go under another railway bridge, then follow alongside the railway to access the Path through Chelsea Park. You can follow our route on the map above, with handy photos to show you the way.

Bear in mind that if you're using this route in reverse you'll need to follow the one-way system in Easton (don't worry, as long as you follow the arrows you can't go wrong - just look out for the railway bridge). If you're interested in other routes around Bishopston, or maybe are looking for some help before you take your first trip - get in touch, we're here to help.

City Centre to the Create Centre and beyond

Over the last few weeks we've had a number of people ask us about car-free leisure rides in and around Bristol. The city is blessed with plenty of shortcuts and alternative routes that can make a bike ride that little bit more pleasant; here's one.

From the city centre it's possible to reach the Create Centre on an almost entirely traffic-free route. From there you can head up into Ashton Court and enjoy some beautiful (if hilly!) on and off-road cycling, or you can head along the river Avon on the Ashton to Pill cycle route (National Cycle Network route number 41)


View in a larger map

Heading out from the fountains at the centre, go down Narrow Quay to the Arnolfini where you can get onto the cycle lane over the Prince Street Bridge. Once you get over the bridge swing a sharp right and head off down the harbourside under the crane structures and past the old Industrial Museum - currently being redeveloped as the Museum of Bristol and due to open in 2011. A handy hint for cycling near embedded railway lines is to make sure you hit them as obliquely as possible to make sure you don’t get your wheel stuck!

Follow the train tracks until you see a level crossing on the other side of the road. Watch out for the trains! Once across the level crossing turn right and cycle along the path, under the road bridge and out onto the beautiful 'Chocolate Path'. It's a little bumpy here but you get a lovely view downriver.

Just before you get to the Create Centre (the second of the two enormous bonded wharehouses along this stretch) head over the bridge to your left, crossing the river and then turning right. Cycle under the Brunel Way flyover, bear right, and a little further on at the top of a short steep hill you'll reach a junction. From here you can either turn left and cycle along Clanage Road to Ashton Court - the road can be quite busy, but it's only a short stretch - or turn right and follow the Ashton-Pill path down the river. Remember to take a picnic.

Bank Holiday Bike Rides

So our first week of cycling city advice has gone swimmingly – we’ve had a great response from local residents in Bishopston with almost 50 of you signing up to spend some time with our advisers to help you get on your bikes. We’ll be around again this week so if you haven’t seen us yet do keep an eye out.

In the meantime we hope everyone enjoyed the Bank Holiday despite the blustery weather. Some of our advisers had a day off yesterday at the North Somerset Agricultural Show, where they enjoyed terrier racing, sheepdog displays and ‘a lot of tractors’. The show was hosted at Bathing Pond Farm, Wraxall, which is handily situated just off the Avon Cycleway. The Avon Cycleway is a great resource for getting out into the countryside, and at 85 miles long there are plenty of sections to choose from. To get to Wraxall you could head down from the Suspension Bridge and through Ashton Court (stopping off for an ice cream maybe?); or take a long loop through Clevedon – the official Avon Cycleway map can be downloaded here.

We’ll be doing our best over the coming months to post some of the leisure routes that we’ve enjoyed. If you’ve got a favourite route that you’d like to see featured, let us know by email to info@cyclingcityclub.com