stokell

I'm looking to tour probably from Bristol to my 3 favourite places Avebury, Glastonbury and Stonehenge. I've done all of this 20 years ago or more and I recall that the Bristol, Bath portion is on a canal tow path. I also recall going cross-country from Avebury to I think Marlborough. I can't remember how I got to Glastonbury, but I loved the Tor.

Any ideas? I travel on a fully loaded touring bike for fully unsupported touring and I usually stealth camp. I prefer rail trails and canal tow paths to motorways.

snafu21

https://www.sustrans.org.uk/map

stokell

Been there. Done that.

BTW: The West Country Way map book is out of print. I'm actually looking for someone with local knowledge of the area.

Russcoles11

Bristol to Bath is easy, the Bristol to Bath cycle route is an old railway and was the 1st route on the national cycle network. It starts near Temple Meads Station.
https://www.bristolbathrailwaypath.org.uk/home.shtml

The Whitchurch railway path will take you as far as Wells however I have never been on it and have only heard from people who have been halfway. I would suggest however that Wells is well worth a visit on your way to/from Glastonbury.

This Map has both the above marked on it but only goes as far as Chew Valley lake (right at the bottom) in going towards Wells
https://www.bristol.gov.uk/ccm/cms-se...et_id=29934233

Russcoles11

Ok looking a bit further, the Whitchurch railway path is part of NCN3 which will get you all the way to Glastonbury.
https://www.movingsomersetforward.co....e-cycle-routes
To get to Avebury, you probably want to Stay on NCN4 from Bath (the bristol to Bath cycle path is part of this route). It has 2 routes from what I can find out, the North Wiltshire Rivers route should take you to Avebury. The southern route follows the Kennet and avon canal.

Have drawn a blank on getting to Stone Henge sorry, I'm in Bristol so its rather out of my area of local knowledge.

AndrewP

On the Sustranstrans map from Avebury follow the sustrans route 5 miles East of Devizes, then head S to Larkhill which is within spitting distance of Stonehenge. It is worth going on past Woodford to Salisbury to see the cathedral. Over 50 yrs ago I used to cycle from Bristol to Priddy to go caving. I took the route via Pensford (the home of Acker Bilk) and Chew Lake.

stokell

Thank you very much gentlemen.
At this point, since I'm coming in by plane to London, I might take the train to Reading and then the canal/river route to Marlborough where I'll head overland to Avebury, then south toward Devizes. At that point I still have Glastonbury and Stonehenge to cover. AndrerwP's suggested route would take me from Devizes to Stonehenge. Should I give up on Glastonbury and just go to Salisbury? Glastonbury is a tourist trap as I remember but it does have the Tor! Is there a pleasant route from Stonehenge to Glastonbury. By pleasant I mean off road or lightly travelled roads. I might like to go by South Cadbury as I was once told that it might have been the site iof King Arthur's castle.

Any ideas?

AndrewP

You could take the bike route 24 to Frome, then you would be left with 20 something miles the Glastonbury via Shepton Mallet on A361. This has a gradual climb of about 500' over 8 miles, flat for 3, then a 700' descent over 6 miles. For an A road I think the traffic would be fairly light (but no shoulders), There are small roads paralleling A361 for 5+ miles before Shepton Mallet. Its a tough climb going up onto the Mendips from Wells. but easy once you get on top. The run down into the Chew valley will compensate for the climb.

AndrewP

https://www.opencyclemap.org/ is useful as it shows a lot of paths accessible thsikes that are not on the Sustrans maps. It also shows contour lines.

stokell

I've planned most of the tour (leaving out Glastonbury) on a Google map. If anyone is interested in reviewing it and making suggestions please send me a personal message and I will email you the link. Just hyperlinking the URL to this post never seems to work.

Russcoles11

Discovered another route if u had decided on Glastonbury. If you took the NCN3 to Wells from Glastonbury theres a route following the old strawberry line railway to Yatton. From Wells to Cheddar the route hasn't been created yet but there are plenty of country lanes. From Cheddar its all old railway to Yatton. This route will take you through the mendip hills and should be quite scenic taking in Wells (a city with cathederal but otherwise more like a small village) and Cheddar (Cheese and gorge, bit touristy). From Yatton to Bristol there are 2 options; either accross the moors via Kenn to Clevedon and on to Portishead along the coast then up the Avon Gorge following the old railway or across the moors to Nailsea then theres a cycle path that follows the Railway towards Bristol.