Weston to Bristol Parkway

[summerdays]

If the aim was just getting home, would Temple Meads have been an option? (Past tense cos it's probably too late to make a difference)

Trains to Worcester are a pain especially on a Sunday! I can't remember if you have to change if you do that route?

 

[AlanW]

Well we did the ride to Weston, see HERE

But (as usual) things didn't quite go to plan, firstly we had a head wind all the way.

Secondly the Forest of Dean took its toll on a couple of the lads and the trek into Bristol and over the Clifton Bridge just about finished them off!!
Thirdly, it pissed it down for the last 30 odd miles.

And last of all, we lost one of the group who some how (??) managed to ride in and out of Weston not realising that he was already in Weston and carried on and finally stopped at Brean Sands FFS???

But I see what you mean by the amount of climbing in or around Bristol, lessons learnt and next time we do it we will avoid Bristol and go via Yatton and Strawberry Lane.

Anyway, it was abundantly clear when we stopped for lunch in Chepstow that we were going to be a couple of hours behind schedule getting to Weston. And this was before we knew what Bristol had to store for us!! Anyway, cutting a long story very short, I managed to convince my wife that it would be nice to spend some time together at the seaside, so she drove to Weston and bought me and the bike home.

Thank the Lord that I didn't have to ride back to Bristol Parkway or even Temple Meads in order to catch a train.

 

[Arjimlad]

Brean Sands ha ha !!

Sounds like a great ride, apart from the rain. I was out in that and it was a nasty shock after all the good weather we have been enjoying. Well done all round !

 

[summerdays]

You were unfortunate with the rain.... I checked how much we had and it was 0.2 mm, we could have done with having more the ground is borne dry!

But a fantastic ride... (I'll tell my middle child they can make their own way to Worcester with their stuff in the Autumn!)

 

[AlanW]

I've done another route cutting out Bristol, it's worked out at being one mile less, but more importantly 1000' less climbing!!
The plan is to do another ride down to test it. The downside is that MrsW has refused point blank to drive down next time to collect me. Mind you so to have other peoples wifes/partners too. lol

So at least I won't be on my own catching the train next time....every cloud and all that.

 

[summerdays]

So which way are you going around? And is there a reason you didn't catch a train from Weston?

 

[AlanW]

This is the new flatter route, turn right just outside Hallen instead of carrying on into Bristol - HERE

The main reason for not catching the train from Weston is that we would have to change twice in order to get back to Redditch. Then just to spice it up, the first change at Bristol only allows us 7 minutes to swap trains.

 

[summerdays]

This is the new flatter route, turn right just outside Hallen instead of carrying on into Bristol - HERE

The main reason for not catching the train from Weston is that we would have to change twice in order to get back to Redditch. Then just to spice it up, the first change at Bristol only allows us 7 minutes to swap trains.

That was the potential alternative I was going to suggest, though I don't know the other side of the bridge other than a loop down the other side of the Avon. There is a cycle path behind Long Cross but it ca get a bit of glass/slightly over grown vegetation but nice if you want quiet from the traffic (excluding motorway which is quite noisy in Avonmouth, I assume because it is raised).

 

[AlanW]

That was the potential alternative I was going to suggest, though I don't know the other side of the bridge other than a loop down the other side of the Avon. There is a cycle path behind Long Cross but it ca get a bit of glass/slightly over grown vegetation but nice if you want quiet from the traffic (excluding motorway which is quite noisy in Avonmouth, I assume because it is raised).

I have ridden that section a couple of times before to and from Weston, and yes it can be a bit overgrown, but much better than the Bristol option IMHO. The café at Yatton station makes a good quick cake stop before the final push to the sea front