Andy Bending - Office Co-ordinator - Cycling City Cycle Advice Team
I live in Fishponds and cycle into the city centre every morning. Rather than using the Bristol-Bath Railway Path, I prefer to cycle down the Frome Valley into town.
This route takes me about 25 minutes during the morning rush hour from Fishponds to Castle Park; I burn approximately 300 calories, see some beautiful green parts of Bristol and get free parking, what a bargain!
This route starts from the Brick Fish sculpture on the Bristol-Bath Railway Path, near Morrison’s supermarket in Fishponds. Head in the direction of Bristol for about 40 metres and come off the path to the right onto the mini roundabout at Hockey’s Lane. Take the second exit and almost immediately, left into Lower Station Road. This road is busy with parked cars and narrow, beware of oncoming vehicles. Go straight over at the crossroads into Albert Terrace and look for an alleyway on the right between the houses and the office building; this will bring you out onto Fishponds Rd which you can cross at the zebra crossing.
Head down the side of the Red Lion pub into Alexandra Park where you start to head down a slight incline to the end of the road; take the left along the tarmac lane. This will bring you out next to the All Saint’s Church and at the end of the lane turn right onto Grove Rd.
This road merges into Thingwall Park and a little further along, take the right into Everest Road. The road drops steeply down to a quiet field, merging into the fringes of Eastville Park. Take the yellow surfaced path that drops steeply down into the valley and follow it around. Drop down another slope, into the trees and go to the left; here you will join the Frome Valley Walkway, with the River Frome on your right. The path here is very uneven but Cycling City are funding improvements to the surface.
You will then come to Eastville Park lake. Drop down to the lakeside path, again the surface is uneven - the smoother side from this direction is to the left. On my early morning commutes I’ve seen herons, moorhens and coots, swans and cygnets, and Canada geese with their young. At the end of the lake ascend the path to the higher part of the park, meander up, and take the path through an avenue of mature trees, with the children’s play area to your right. Then exit the park at Eastville roundabout, leaving the peace and quiet behind!
I find it quicker to use the crossing here, but alternatively you could use the underpass. On the other side, keep the roundabout and the M32 on your right, cross the mouth of Fremantle Gdns and go left along Stapleton Rd. Beware of speeding traffic here - get off your bike and push for a few minutes if that feels safer. Just before Stapleton Rd and Fishponds Rd meet at the junction with Robertson Rd, take the right up Napier Rd with the mosque on your left, and keeping the M32 to your right take the cycle path that runs parallel to the M32.
This path meanders under a railway bridge up slightly. Take a right onto Fox Rd, past the old Fox pub and back onto another cycle/walking path right next to the M32 Jct3 slip road. Here you could take the ramp and bridge over the motorway into St.Werburgh’s, and a visit to the City Farm or Bristol’s organic supermarket in Sevier Street.
Further along you will need to cross Millpond Street - as a cyclist crossing the two lanes of traffic without an island can be a little hairy during rush hour. Once safely across descend into the underpass, turn left on the other side and descend into the next underpass, turn right and in front of you, you will see an old brick wall with the River Frome behind it. To your right is the M32 and the path here follows the river before once again, it goes into a culvert underground. Follow the river into Riverside Park, a hidden green space just behind the new Cabot Circus development, and onto Wellington Road. At the T junction use the crossing and go almost straight ahead into River Street.
At the time of writing, the road was partially blocked with building works, but look out for a row of old houses on the right and an archway beneath the new hotel complex, this will bring you out to a pelican crossing on Bond Street South, head across and turn left along the shared pavement. Take the next right skirting the edge of the Cabot Circus shops and go left onto Lower Castle St; at the lights take the cycle lane to the right into Castle Street and another right into Castle Park, beware of wandering pedestrians unaware of the split-use path!
We've nearly finished our rounds in Bishopston and will soon start knocking doors in Redland, providing free practical support and advice to those of you who want to start cycling and those of you who would like to cycle more. I'm pleased to report that the reaction in Bishopston has been overwhelmingly positive and friendly, and that we've talked to and helped hundreds of people in the area over the last couple of months.
