Thornwell to Oldbury on Severn (via Olveston)

Meet 9.45 am for 10 am start.

From the car park in Tenby lane ST 539917 (2nd on the right up the hill from the
mini roundabout by Tesco Express in Bulwark), we make our way over the old
Severn bridge via Olveston to Olbury on Severn along quiet country lanes

Approx 20 miles, there and back

Lunch at the Post Office, Oldbury on Severn.

Strawberry Line

Meet at 9.45 am for a 10.00 am departure from the Yatton Railway Station car park (charge payable).

Yatton (Mainline Railway) Station, Yatton Somerset. BS49 4AJ. Go over the bridge over the railway line and then turn right into the car park. Pay and Display. (40 mins but allow extra time if school holidays)

The ride will take us along the Strawberry Line and at Winscombe we will have a stop for a coffee. Back on the strawberry Line, we will go through a tunnel and then ride through Axbridge and go on to cycle round Cheddar Reservoir before returning to Axbridge for some lunch.

After lunch we will return back to Yatton station.

About 20 miles and flat, shorter if you choose not to see the reservoir.

Sirhowy Valley

Meet at 9.45 AM – Ride will start at 10 AM

Park either on the road or in car park before the barrier.  ST 212 913, What3words – “breaches.barrel.circulate”, or enter “Sirhowy valley Country Park, Newport” into Google maps.

The ride is 22 mile, all off road on good surface, and is there and back rather than circular.  Please bring your own coffee for coffee stop.

There is a snack kiosk at our destination which opens 12 – 2pm but takes cash only, no cards.

Sharpness to Saul

Meet 10.15 am for start ride at 10.30 am.

Ride 22 miles approx

We will meet at Sharpness Docks picnic site car park GL13 9UF.

Follow Severn Way through Sharpness and Newtown villages to pick up cycle route 41.   Slimbridge will be coffee stop, there  is cafe/pub or bring your own coffee.

We will follow route 41 to Saul junction.  Then make our way back to Frampton via cycle route 45 to stop for lunch. Pub there if anyone doesn’t have packed lunch.

Continuing on cycle route 45 back to the canal, which we will follow all the way back to Sharpness. At Purton we can stop to look at the sunken ships and at Sharpness where the railway bridge would have been.

Severnside

SEVERNSIDE (Caldicot – Magor – Penhow – Caerwent)
Approx 22.5 mls 3hrs in the saddle !
Meet at 10.15 in the Caldicot Castle Car Park in front of the Castle (free parking ), to be ready for prompt 10.30 start. (note: there is a toilet block here to get yourselves comfortable before we start, or on your return ). Entrance to the Castle Country Park is next door to the Castle Inn on Church Road which runs from Caldicot Town Centre
to Caerwent.
The first half of this cycle ride will be largely flat, travelling along a mixture of ash, gravel and tarmac surfaces taking us south-west alongside the Severn Estuary.
From Caldicot Castle we will go to Black Rock, then on the Coastal Path to Sudbrook Severn-Tunnel Pumping Station and on to Caldicot Railway Station where we pick up the National Cycle Route 4 . Following this Cycle route will take us to Undy where there will be a stop for refreshment . Note that there is no cafeteria here, please bring your own light refreshments.
The remainder of the ride is all on tarmac lanes. From Undy we will again follow Route 4 to Redwick village church before turning back and taking the lanes to Magor Square. Here we will stop for lunch. There are several options to purchase coffee, sandwiches, or even tapas, in Magor Square, but note that the establishments are small and as we will be arriving around 12.30pm, they may be busy. Cycles can be parked and locked in the Square. If you are bringing your own food note that seating may be limited as the outside tables are largely associated with the eating establishments.
From Magor we will cross the B4245 to take the St.Brides Rd. to Penhow, by the
Rock & Fountain Inn.
We will have covered 2/3rds of the ride thus far, there being about an hour’s cycling still to do. In this final part there are a few small climbs that take us from Penhow and up to the picturesque villages of Llanvaches and Llanvair-Discoed. From Llanvair it will be downhill to Caerwent where we can spend a short time to take in the ruins of the ancient Roman settlement. Leaving Caerwent via it’s East Gate we will cycle the 2 miles, taking the Route 4 cycle way, back to Caldicot Castle and your vehicles.

Pontypool to The Big Pit Via the Blaenavon Railway Line

Meet at the Pantymoile basin. Fountain road, Pontypool. NP4 8ER.

Free car park that holds several vehicles but parking spaces on Fountain road if full. The car park must be vacated by 4pm

Coffee and Toilet facilities available at the start.

Good tarmac track all the way. Slight gradient but manageable and we will stop along the way to pace ourselves. 

Good news – it’s downhill all the way back… with little or no effort! Approximately 20 miles there and back.

Lunch at the Blaenavon Big pit. Restaurant available for those who don’t want to make sandwiches. 

Toilet facilities and Museum free to access.

Please bring bike locks as bikes need to be left outside.

Olveston to Berkeley

Meet 10.15 for a 10.30 am start

Olveston to Berkeley along quiet country lanes, about 22 miles, there and back

Parking is in the allotment car park in Olveston – What3words /// bland.crypt.earlobes.

Coffee stop at the Post Office, Oldbury on Severn.

Lunch available at the White Hart tea rooms in Berkeley.

Newent Loop

Meet at 9.30 am for 10 am start

Ride starts from Lewell Street car park, Newent (£4 day).

20 miles on country lanes, well sign posted.

Coffee at Trioscape garden centre.

lunch at Rose and Crown, Redmarley.

Climb 400 mts.

If numbers are high, we will need orders for lunch, menu on their website.

Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal

Park in the Pontymoile Canal Basin at 10:15 ready to start at 10:30.

Pantymoile Basin – Fountain road, Pontypool. NP4 8ER. Free car park holds several vehicles but  parking spaces on Fountain road available if full. Must vacate car park by 4 pm. (AA 40 mins)

This 22-mile traffic free linear ride takes us along the well-maintained tarmac towpath beside the Monmouthshire &
Brecon Canal, part of Route 49, going South all the way to Newport,

The first half is a navigable canal through scenic countryside between Cwmbran and Newport, we are
beside the non-navigable section of canal through woods, fields and parkland. Going under
the M4, we then follow the Route 47 cycle way to the Newport riverside to stop for lunch at
the Octopus Lounge (a good selection of hot and cold food, drinks and snacks),
before returning on the same route back North to tea, cakes and maybe ice-cream at
Pontymoile.

The towpath is easy terrain, predominantly flat with some short medium inclines next to the
canal locks. These are mostly downhill going South, and uphill coming back. We will take a
slower pace along these sections in the afternoon to accommodate everyone. There are
several road crossings, mostly with traffic control lights, but no cycling along busy roads. We
share the towpath with pedestrians & other riders, so an occasional bell ring may be
needed.

Forest of Dean

All on forest tracks, mainly on the Family Cycle Trail. The ascents and descents are gradual but there is a short steep ascent to the Beechenhurst picnic stie and then a steep descent towards the end of the ride which cyclists can take at their own pace.

We will stop at Beechenhurst picnic site for coffee and then at Mallards Pike for lunch. Bring your own refreshments or purchase from the cafes.

Please arrive by 10.00 am ready to start at 10.15 am.

Meet in Parkend, SO 614 079, GL15 4JD. Park in the gravel car park at the side of the cricket pitch. The entrance is on right hand side of the road from the Coleford direction .

When the ride is announced on WhatsApp please let me know that you would like to come. o