Banjo
Fuelled with Jelly Babies
- Location
- South Wales
You ride across the maintenance lane (we used the one on the west side ) its an easy ride ,we stopped at the top to look at the view and have a bite to eat.
Rode over Severn Bridge
- Thread starter Banjo
- Start date
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You ride across the maintenance lane (we used the one on the west side ) its an easy ride ,we stopped at the top to look at the view and have a bite to eat.
snorri
Legendary Member
- Location
- East coast, up a bit.
Congratulations, now you have cycled across national boundaries.
It is yet another advantage of cycle travel that you can stop on your way across these bridges to admire the view.
Do you have plans to cross any other of our high bridges?
It is yet another advantage of cycle travel that you can stop on your way across these bridges to admire the view.
Do you have plans to cross any other of our high bridges?
OP
OP
Banjo
Fuelled with Jelly Babies
- Location
- South Wales
snorri said:Congratulations, now you have cycled across national boundaries.
It is yet another advantage of cycle travel that you can stop on your way across these bridges to admire the view.
Do you have plans to cross any other of our high bridges?
Took my passport just in case . I dont think you would get a good reaction if you stopped the car at the top to take some pictures and have a sarnie.
Next time I am in the Bristol area Im thinking of a circular route using the Clifton Suspension Bridge and the M5 Avonmouth bridge.Im not a bridge anorak or anything but they do make a highlight on a ride .
Davidc
Guru
- Location
- Somerset UK
That brings back memories.
I rode that a lot when it was still new! Walked over it as well on a charity walk. I've always thought that the biggest advantage of going self-propelled was the view, fabulous. The Avonmouth one has good views as well, not as spectacular but worth seeing.
When I was a student (in Bristol) I used to ride with friends over the Severn Bridge, up through the Forest of Dean, across the Severn at Gloucester, and back on the East side. Quite a long ride, but very beautiful in all seasons.
Must go and ride across again sometime.
I rode that a lot when it was still new! Walked over it as well on a charity walk. I've always thought that the biggest advantage of going self-propelled was the view, fabulous. The Avonmouth one has good views as well, not as spectacular but worth seeing.
When I was a student (in Bristol) I used to ride with friends over the Severn Bridge, up through the Forest of Dean, across the Severn at Gloucester, and back on the East side. Quite a long ride, but very beautiful in all seasons.
Must go and ride across again sometime.
trustysteed
Guest
done this a couple of times as i live about 16km from the bridge on the bristol side, it's a good ride across and back, isn't it?
GilesM
Legendary Member
- Location
- East Lothian
Banjo, sounds like a good ride, does the old Severn Bridge still bounce up and down when lorries go by, thought I had a puncture first time I was riding across.
summerdays
Cycling in the sun
- Location
- Bristol
I've yet to do it... but I keep meaning to cycle across to friends in Chepstow.
mr Mag00
rising member
- Location
- Deepest Dorset
yh i have done it and walked it, used to love the way it moved when lorries go past. grew up a miles away, used to walk to forest of dean and camp in the woods. have also ridden the route up and over and back down the east side
Davidc
Guru
- Location
- Somerset UK
GilesM said:
All suspension bridges do, it's quite a lot on that one though.
Summerdays - I'd advise doing it on a dry and calm day. I've been across on a wet and windy one and it isn't fun!
OP
OP
Banjo
Fuelled with Jelly Babies
- Location
- South Wales
Yes the bridge does move around a lot more than you would expect.
No ride is especially fun in rain and wind but you are even more exposed to the weather than usual up there. They may stop you using the path in strong winds I dont know for sure.
No ride is especially fun in rain and wind but you are even more exposed to the weather than usual up there. They may stop you using the path in strong winds I dont know for sure.
skudupnorth
Cycling Skoda lover
- Location
- Astley,Manchester
I plan to cross the bridge next year on my ride down to Cornwall,i take it it's a real buzz ?
Amanda P
Legendary Member
- Location
- York. Well, York-ish...
When I was a student, harrumph-ty years ago, I used to drive across it to get to Cardiff.
Back in them days, it were the only bridge over the Severn there, and the traffic was constant and heavy. I parked at the Aust Services one time and walked over.
The bridge was full of welders repairing cracks in the steel. I was chatting to one who was having a coffee break. After checking no-one was watching, he showed me the crack he'd been welding (it was just inside the hollow deck; you could see it through the access hatch and there were lights set up inside).
He'd just re-welded a couple of metres of a seam, and while he'd been having his coffee, six inches or so of it had cracked again!
He explained that this was the reason a second Severn crossing was being built, and why the speed limit was down to 40mph, but the bridge just couldn't cope with the number of heavy lorries making it flex. And as some seams opened up, the surrounding ones flexed more and became more likely to split and crack. There had been a big backlog of repairs and only recently had the money to fix it properly become available.
Think of that when you feel the deck buckle underneath you as a 40-tonner goes by!
Back in them days, it were the only bridge over the Severn there, and the traffic was constant and heavy. I parked at the Aust Services one time and walked over.
The bridge was full of welders repairing cracks in the steel. I was chatting to one who was having a coffee break. After checking no-one was watching, he showed me the crack he'd been welding (it was just inside the hollow deck; you could see it through the access hatch and there were lights set up inside).
He'd just re-welded a couple of metres of a seam, and while he'd been having his coffee, six inches or so of it had cracked again!
He explained that this was the reason a second Severn crossing was being built, and why the speed limit was down to 40mph, but the bridge just couldn't cope with the number of heavy lorries making it flex. And as some seams opened up, the surrounding ones flexed more and became more likely to split and crack. There had been a big backlog of repairs and only recently had the money to fix it properly become available.
Think of that when you feel the deck buckle underneath you as a 40-tonner goes by!
Davidc
Guru
- Location
- Somerset UK
skudupnorth said:
Not sure I'd call it a buzz, but certainly an experience not to be missed (especially from what Uncle Phil has to say about it!)
Davidc
Guru
- Location
- Somerset UK
Uncle Phil said:
It sounds like a good reason for making it bikes and pedestrians only (We could let motorbikes on it as well I suppose).
Just put up the tolls on the other one to pay for its maintenance.
Amanda P
Legendary Member
- Location
- York. Well, York-ish...
I'm pretty sure it's safe now!
I think they'd just let the maintenance lapse somewhat, and had some urgent catching up to do.
Making it bikes and pedestrians only would be cool, though.
I think they'd just let the maintenance lapse somewhat, and had some urgent catching up to do.
Making it bikes and pedestrians only would be cool, though.