Cycling disused lines?

[bnm]

Not as fit as I once was, but I used to regularly cycle the Bristol and Bath Railway Path, the trackbed being the former Midland Railway's Bristol and Gloucester line and Bath branch line via Mangotsfield.

Should I get the bike out again in the near future I want to cycle the Two Tunnels Greenway between Bath and Midford over part of the former trackbed of the Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway's line from Bath Green Park to Bournemouth West. The cycle route uses two tunnels south of Bath, Combe Down Tunnel once being the longest single track tunnel in the UK without intermediate ventilation. A hell-hole for steam train crew apparently.

Toward the end of the cycle route is Midford Viaduct. Here there is some very interesting industrial historic architecture. Straddling the valley you have the remains of a former coal canal, and one railway viaduct over the remains of another. The two viaducts feature in the opening scenes of the film 'The Titfield Thunderbolt'.

 

[leightonbd]

Is that Swansea - Gowerton? If so, we're doing that next month.

It is indeed.

Start at Gowerton and then you'll be going downhill!

 

[yorkie]

It is indeed.

Start at Gowerton and then you'll be going downhill!

Google Earth has both Gowerton and Swansea stations as being roughly the same height above sea level.. is that wrong?
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Is anyone interested in cycling the Cuckoo Trail this Saturday? We've got a Daysave for 4, but only 3 of us so far...

 

[leightonbd]

Google Earth has both Gowerton and Swansea stations as being roughly the same height above sea level.. is that wrong?
...

Actually on reflection this is my mistake - taking the perspective of a local (Swansea is my home town) and thinking the natural place to finish the ride is on the cycle path at Swansea Bay but I hadn't really thought through that you must be arriving and departing by train? In which case you would indeed have to gain some height to get back to High Street.

From Gowerton to the sea front, or vice versa, actually seems to involve a bit of 'up, over and down' whichever way you go.

Good luck with the weather!

 

[PeterY]

Living in Hertfordshire, luckily there are a few good cycle routes along disused railways.

Ebury way, former trackbed of Watford to Rickmansworth. The surface, in parts can become very soft after rain.

Nicky Line, Hemel Hempstead to Harpenden. Good surface.

St Albans to Hatfield. Excellent tarmac surface .

Welwyn GC to Hertford. Hard to follow route though Welwyn . On the whole good surface.

Welwyn GC to Dunstable. Bit awkward to follow around A1m and though Wheathamsted. Also you need to road it for 2 miles after Wheathamsted. Luton to Dunstable portion follows the guided busway.

Last weekend I did Northamton to Market Harborough. (Brampton Way) quite muddy in places and the two tunnels were very wet. Lights recommended. Also chance to ride alongside Northampton and Lamport railway.

Vision in September to ride "Two tunnels" in Bath.

 

[yorkie]

PeterY, those are good suggestions. I've done them all! I'm having to go further afield to do new rides now!

I'd be up for some of them again though at some stage.

 

[yorkie]

PeterY, those are good suggestions. I've done them all! I'm having to go further afield to do new rides now!

I'd be up for some of them again though at some stage.

 

[185]

My most epic of disused lines, December 2013.....

Dunedin (New Zealand) by train 70km to Middlemarch
then cycle the remainder of the line 150km to Clyde.

Cycle hire from one end, they ship your suitcase to the other end, and you pick your case up when you drop the bike off :P

£100 for 5 days, pay for your own hotels on the way.

 

[lj9090]

Castleman's Corkscrew is nearby, and I've regularly cycled the Brockenhurst to Burley part, and recently did Wimborne to Hamworthy. I plan to do Ringwood to West Moors some day but from here it's not an appealing circular route so might have to drive to a start point.
Also done Hurn to Christchurch a couple of times, although that's not particularly long or interesting.
There's a few bit of the old IOW railways which are cycleable, so used the Yarmouth to Freshwater section a few times, and there's a tiny bit heading east that cuts through to a quieter backroad.

A little bit further afield Ashbourne to Hartington and the line south of Talybont in the Brecons.
And much, much further afield the old Eastern Railway alignments in Perth, WA.

 

[fowler9]

My most epic of disused lines, December 2013.....

Dunedin (New Zealand) by train 70km to Middlemarch
then cycle the remainder of the line 150km to Clyde.

Cycle hire from one end, they ship your suitcase to the other end, and you pick your case up when you drop the bike off :P

£100 for 5 days, pay for your own hotels on the way.

Gutted I never made it down to Dunedin when I was in New Zealand.

 

[PeterY]

I'm sure that there are still some good disused railway routes that could easily be made in cycle paths.

I'd love to see Shanklin to Ventnor on the IOW opened up including Ventnor tunnel.

 

[yorkie]

Is anyone interested in joining us on some cycle rides along disused lines this Summer?

In particular:

Strathspey / Keith & Dufftown - a cycle ride along the Strathspey Way, and a visit to the Strathspey Railway and Keith & Dufftown railways at each end (again, hopefully with a behind-the-scenes tour of each). People can make their own way between railways if they are unable to cycle (if there's enough, a taxi may be viable, assuming there's no bus).

Cornish / South Wales rides - Including possibly the famous Camel Trail including a trip on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway, and perhaps Maesteg - Bridgend via the scenic Afan Valley and maybe a repeat of the superb forum meal when a type of wading bird in the genus Phoenicopterus joined us for one of the best, and most scenically located, forum meals ever

Gloucestershire & Warwickshire - A cycle ride from the station to the Racecourse (this is walkable or you can get the bus), a trip on the railway and a ride to Honeybourne or possibly Stratford upon Avon.

And perhaps some rides in the Peak District (e.g. High Peak, Tissington or Monsal Trails) and maybe the Waskerley Way in County Durham (to Gateshead, Sunderland or Durham)?
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Has anyone done the Dava Way (Forres-Grantown) or the Grantown-Dufftown part of the Speyside Way?

 

[scott118]

Parsley Hay is a good starting point. There's two choices of rides from there too. Turn left and you can ride to Middleton Top or take the right fork and you can peddle to Ashbourne along the Tissington Trail. One word of warning though, if you are setting off from here, it's all uphill getting back to your car ..lol

 

[yorkie]

Parsley Hay is a good starting point. There's two choices of rides from there too. Turn left and you can ride to Middleton Top or take the right fork and you can peddle to Ashbourne along the Tissington Trail. One word of warning though, if you are setting off from here, it's all uphill getting back to your car ..lol

Yep done those before, but if there's some members who wish to join us we'd do them again!

We don't tend to involve cars. Fortunately a Derbyshire Wayfarer proves very handy for an affordable round trip.

 

[scott118]

Yep done those before, but if there's some members who wish to join us we'd do them again!

the Manifold Trail is also close to Ashbourne and could be incorporated into a Tissington tour...

should you wish to travel further, then the Marriotts Way Trail (Norfolk) has been recommended by many i know..
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a pretty comprehensive list...

http://www.gps-routes.co.uk/routes/home.nsf/rail-trail

 

[yorkie]

Anyone more suggestions?

Bakewell to Buxton along The Monsal trail is pretty good.

Agreed. I'm putting together some plans for a forum meet.

Would anyone be interested? If so please feel free to add your forum username to this Doodle http://doodle.com/s7dn9n3nvp2isyai (from which we'll pick the winning date).

There would be options to cycle (from Buxton to Matlock) or alternatively there are buses that allowa walk along part of the route(I'd recommend Millers Dale to Monsal Head), and these would be covered by both GM Wayfarers and also Derbyshire Wayfarers, I believe.
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I'm putting together some plans for a forum meet

This is now done, see Monsal Trail walk