Cycling and Walking

The area benefits from an excellent network of walking and cycling routes. The Monarch’s Way, a 615 miles long-distance footpath in England that is said to have been the escape route taken by King Charles II in 1651 after being defeated in the Battle of Worcester. The footpath is waymarked, starts at Worcester and ends at Shoreham-by-sea. The Monarch’s Way enters Somerset having crossed the River Avon at Keynsham where it diverts from the route taken by Charles II into Bristol and instead runs alongside the River Chew where it shares the route with the Two Rivers Way, through the Chew Valley to Chewton Keynsham, Compton Dando and Woollard.

The River Avon Trail, a medium-distance path of 23 miles is enjoyed by walkers and in some sections by cyclist and horseriders. The Trail runs from Pill in North Somerset to Pulteney Bridge, Bath.

The Bristol and Bath Railway Path is a 13 mile off-road link between the two cities is a shared use path opened to walkers and cyclists. The Path is a commuting route as well as an attractive leisure path and an important wildlife corridor. The path was constructed on the former track bed of the Midland Railway closed at the end of the 1960s. The path was constructed between 1979 and 1986. Some of the former stations are stopping points and provide a source of historical interest.

Take a more leisurely stroll on the Keynsham’s Millennium Mosaic Trail. It is a historical walking route which starts and finishes in the town centre. The trail, illustrated by ten mosaics, depicts the history of Keynsham dating back to 1167 when Keynsham Abbey was founded by William, second Earl of Gloucester. The Mosaics were part of a project funding by Keynsham Town Council, Bath and North East Somerset Council and directed by B&NES Museums Education Service, who enlisted the help of two community artists. Please contact us for more information.

For some more information about footpaths, walking and cycling routes; Bath & North East Somerset Council and Cycle West