Easier route for Okehampton to Bristol?

[wintonbina]

For Day 2 Okehampton to Bristol. We are (or were) intending to ride up the A38 but then I got this route sent to me: Bridgwater A38 northpassed Burnham on Sea and turn left onto A370 beside Brent Knoll (BK is anobvious isolated hill) towards Weston Super Mare. Through WSM on A370 northeast then left at Congresbury to Clevedon then towards Portishead but turnright on a narrow lane that runs along the contours parallel to the M5 throughClapton in Gordano to Easton in Gordano and Pill where you have to follow signsand your nose through some housing to join the cycleway along the M5 just asthe bridge starts. Cross the River Avon on the cycleway that is next to theeast side hard shoulder (barriers between you and traffic!) Over the river andget off onto the A403 through some interesting dock areas to Aust where youjoin the cycleway for the Severn Crossing. (either that or for others notwanting to cycle hilly Welsh Marches- join the A38 for the flatter route up tothe midlands. So do anyone have experiance of these routes or have an even better one! We just want the easier way with the least effort being as we are riding over 100 miles every day!! Thanks, Tony

 

[Rebel Ian]

For Day 2 Okehampton to Bristol. We are (or were) intending to ride up the A38 but then I got this route sent to me: Bridgwater A38 northpassed Burnham on Sea and turn left onto A370 beside Brent Knoll (BK is anobvious isolated hill) towards Weston Super Mare. Through WSM on A370 northeast then left at Congresbury to Clevedon then towards Portishead but turnright on a narrow lane that runs along the contours parallel to the M5 throughClapton in Gordano to Easton in Gordano and Pill where you have to follow signsand your nose through some housing to join the cycleway along the M5 just asthe bridge starts. Cross the River Avon on the cycleway that is next to theeast side hard shoulder (barriers between you and traffic!) Over the river andget off onto the A403 through some interesting dock areas to Aust where youjoin the cycleway for the Severn Crossing. (either that or for others notwanting to cycle hilly Welsh Marches- join the A38 for the flatter route up tothe midlands. So do anyone have experiance of these routes or have an even better one! We just want the easier way with the least effort being as we are riding over 100 miles every day!! Thanks, Tony

We're not going from Okehampton (Exeter) but we're using the A38 but getting onto the A370 at the earliest point and going via Weston and continuing along the A370 upto cross the Clifton bridge. We don't have to cross the bridge but I want to! I've never been across it before and it'll be awesome on a bike.

 

[Gingerbloke]

Lejog day 3.


Click on the above link, it goes straight to my Garmin plot from that day, which is pretty much the route you are talking about (I think). The Avonmouth bridge crossing is a little tricky to find, but does work very well.
I only came up from Bridgewater and was on my 3rd day as Day 1 from LE to Okehampton was brutal (climbing and winds)

Hope this can be of some help, oh and for what its worth, I think this was my easiest day of the whole trip.

Simon

 

[MacPanda]

Gingerbloke's route from Clevedon to the Avonmouth Bridge is better than the one you've been given. It's quite hard to find the start of the cycle path if you go through Pill, but his track will take you straight there. Looks like he had coffee at the services too.

Lands End to Oakhampton is a long way. I did LE to Tavistock and it was 100 hilly miles

 

[Gingerbloke]

Nearly, met the other half and the inlaws there for a quick break, before heading on up to Trumpet.

 

[wintonbina]

Thanks guys I will study a bit more this week ( after a few hard hilly Dorset rides!!!!), although I'm beginning to do the 3 monkeys bit about the 1st day being so brutal . Cheers, Tony

 

[Ian H]

The best way to the Clifton bridge is north through Long Ashton to the T. Almost opposite is a gate into Ashton Court Park. Follow the road through there, taking the sharp left and conituing uphill to exit at Leigh Wood where straight the main road to the bridge.

 

[skudupnorth]

I rode to Clifton on my one way ride from Manchester to Cornwall and it is hard but well worth crossing over just for the views.Next time i will miss that bit out now i've ticked it off the "to do list" just because they were killer roads and took a lot out of me !

 

[Glover Fan]

Not much more to add, but that you are all very brave to take the A403 through Avonmouth docks as it is a horrific, busy road full of massive lorries.

I live in the area and recommend going through Lawrence Weston, past Blaise Castle down into Hallen and follow the cycle route all the way to the Severn Bridge.

But I guess if it is speed you are after the A403 is probably the only quick route.

Oh and finding the Avonmouth Bridge through Pill on a first attempt is very hard and confusing, the signage isn't great and you will be doubting yourself when you are going through housing estate after housing estate, but it genuinely is the right route to the bridge!!!