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National Cycle Route 24, otherwise known as the ''Colliers Way'' currently runs from
The route follows a mixture of low traffic roads and old railway lines serving the Somerset coalfield.
There is a visitor centre, cycle shop and cafe at Dundas Aqueduct, where this route meets
National Cycle Route 24, otherwise known as the ''Colliers Way'' currently runs from Dundas Aqueduct
Dundas Aqueduct () carries the Kennet and Avon Canal over the River Avon (the Somerset / Wiltshire border) and the Wessex Main Line railway from Bath to Westbury. The aqueduct is near Monkton Combe, Somerset, and is about southeast of the ci ...
to Frome via Radstock
Radstock is a town and civil parish on the northern slope of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England, about south-west of Bath and north-west of Frome. It is within the area of the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset. The Rads ...
, although it is intended to provide a continuous cycle route from Bristol and South Wales
South Wales ( cy, De Cymru) is a loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire, south Wales extends westwards ...
to Southampton and Portsmouth.
Route
The route follows a mixture of low traffic roads and old railway lines serving the Somerset coalfield.
There is a visitor centre, cycle shop and cafe at Dundas Aqueduct, where this route meets NCR 4
Between these, the route runs through Reading, Bath, Bristol, Newport, Swansea and St David's. Within Wales, sections of the route follow branches of the Celtic Trail cycle route.
Route
The total length of the path is 443.6 miles and takes a ...
on the Kennet & Avon Canal
The Kennet and Avon Canal is a waterway in southern England with an overall length of , made up of two lengths of navigable river linked by a canal. The name is used to refer to the entire length of the navigation rather than solely to the cent ...
. From there it follows a road to Midford. The next section proceeds to Wellow and then past Peasedown St John and Foxcote to Radstock. It then follows an old railway line past Kilmersdon, Buckland Dinham
Buckland Dinham is a small village near Frome in Somerset, England. The village has a population of 381. The village's main industry is farming (arable and dairy), but the village is also a dormitory village for the nearby cities of Bath and ...
and Mells to Great Elm. An interim route is then provided along lanes from Great Elm through Vallis Vale (among other less hilly routes) into Frome, as the continuous cycle path ends in Great Elm. The track running from Great Elm is still in use by the local quarries for distribution of locally mined limestone to national terminals. This factor means the cycle path legally couldn't continue along the tracks, unless they close to trains altogether. The tracks connect to the Bristol to Weymouth line, shared by passenger and freight transport.
Linear orchard
The remains of apple cores thrown from train passengers have left the route with several apple trees. A programme of planting of apple and pear trees is now being undertaken to turn this into a linear orchard. A series of etched and enamelled copper plate signs which are being set into boulders along the route highlighting the names of Old English varieties.References
Further reading
* {{NCN Cycling in Somerset Footpaths in Somerset