Flat routes

[Iainj837]

I live in Somerset and looking for fairly flat routes I have 3 which strawberry lane Axbridge to Yatton, Highbridge to weston and Bridgwater to Taunton canal.

 

[mjr]

Are you looking for non-motorised routes, then? NCR 33 Festival Way between Nailsea and Bristol isn't completely flat but only has a few rolling climbs around Long Ashton IIRC, if you follow the bypass instead of going through Ashton Court (I forget which is the signposted route now). Then I think that also gives access to the Portway cycle route, the Frome Greenway, Bristol and Bath Railway and Malago Greenway, but bits of back road and cycle lane have to be used to connect them.

If you don't mind mostly-quiet roads then the rest of NCR 26 (Strawberry Line) to Clevedon and then 410 to Pill is pretty flat, or the other way to Cheddar; plus the rest of nearby 33 and 3 until you get to Wells I think are also quite flat. As are almost all the back roads between Brean/Bleadon, Bridgwater and Wedmore, except for the obvious hills that you can see coming.

 

[All uphill]

I live in Somerset and looking for fairly flat routes I have 3 which strawberry lane Axbridge to Yatton, Highbridge to weston and Bridgwater to Taunton canal.

It's always surprising to me that many people would rather have broken surfaces, loose gravel, loads of walkers than enjoy undulating, empty country lanes.

I know the Bridgwater to Taunton canal route well, and find it far less pleasant than cycling out through North Petherton, North Newton, and Creech.

Somerset is full of gentle country lanes. We are so lucky.

May I ask your reason for wanting to avoid the ups and downs?

 

[mjr]

It's always surprising to me that many people would rather have broken surfaces, loose gravel, loads of walkers than enjoy undulating, empty country lanes.

As you know, in Somerset, many of the country lanes also have broken surfaces, loose gravel and loads of walkers!

Some people enjoy not having to give a toss about where the next motorist is coming from for a bit. The non-canal route you suggest between Bridgwater and Taunton is OK but it's only 2km shorter, the crossing of the A361 is a bit crap and that bit of canal wasn't too bad the last time I saw it (a few years ago now), so if you had the tyres for it, how would the canal be less pleasant?

 

[Iainj837]

It's always surprising to me that many people would rather have broken surfaces, loose gravel, loads of walkers than enjoy undulating, empty country lanes.

I know the Bridgwater to Taunton canal route well, and find it far less pleasant than cycling out through North Petherton, North Newton, and Creech.

Somerset is full of gentle country lanes. We are so lucky.

May I ask your reason for wanting to avoid the ups and downs?

My sister is fairly new to cycling, and trying to build her confidence up and starting with smaller hills and over time increase the climbs

 

[Andy in Germany]

There's a lovely route from Taunton via Trull to West Buckland and Wellington: I used to commute there when I liven in Wellington and worked at a certain big box store that sells bicycles. The route isn't entirely hill free though, I'm afraid.