Start point
We have selected a starting point.The plan is too start from the Mud Dock between 08:30 and 09:00 on The Grove, just to the South of Queen Square, route 3 starts here. There is a café there that serves a nice breakfast, but it does not open until 09:00, so if you want to get straight off, eat breakfast before you arrive. There is also a The Mud Dock Bike Shed (a cycling shop) to sort out any last minute problems, but stuff you still need etc.Maps
The Sustrans
map is not much use, but it does allow you to trace out the route on the OS
map, the ones you need are as follows:
- Either Landranger 1:50,000 – sheets 172 (Bristol and Bath) and 182 (Weston-super-Mare
- Or Explorer 1:25,000 – sheets 155 (Bristol and Bath) and 141 (Cheddar Gorge)
The Bristol
city map is much better than the Sustrans one for the Bristol end of the route;
free copies of this are available from the Mud Dock Bike Shed.
General comments on route
Mark Cox did
the route in both directions one hot day in early June, it took him just over 6
hours, taking route notes! So we should all be able
to it over two days – at a more leisurely pace than Mark. Mark's full route notes will be posted shortly.
Mark says “Sustrans
Route 3 is great, a varied and very quiet route”. It has a tough climb
in each direction over the Mendips. The road surfaces along some of the back
roads are pot-holed and there is loose gravel on surface at times. Riders need
to be aware of these hazards and not follow too closely behind others.
There are
two sections to be particularly aware off: the two descents of off The Mendip Hills.
They are steep and so need very good breaks to maintain control.
Signage
From Queen
Square to Temple Meads is poorly signed.
The signage for route 3 does not seem to start until you get on the
Whitchurch way path just after going under the bridge at Temple Meads. Mark did not
think the route is sufficiently well sign posted to enable riders to find their
own way – unless they are good map readers and/or very observant; the signage
is generally there but not always easy to spot and sometimes it is not clear
which direction it is pointing you in.
Don’t worry; some of us will be taking on
the task of route finding for those who just want to cycle.
