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Hullavington Ramblers
The walk of 4-5 miles will start and
end at Bitton Station at the end of the Avon Valley Steam Railway (www.avonvalleyrailway.org)
and will be a circular trip using the picturesque Avon Valley Trail and the
Bristol & Bath Railway Path from Bitton, just north of Keynsham, down to
Saltford and back. I walked it on Wednesday and the route is dry and level
with great views, lots of wildife interest, industrial archaeology and the
odd chocolate factory thrown in along the way. No cows either! There is a
wide variety of post-walk entertainment on offer to make it a full day out.
By a strange quirk of fate, the walk coincides with the Avon Valley Railway
Beer Festival at the station (free entry, running from 2pm to 5pm). Bitton
Station itself midway between Bristol and Bath, is a former
Midland Railway station painstakingly restored from a derelict state to
provide visitors with refreshment and toilet facilities, a railway shop, a
pleasant garden, and outdoor seating. The railway will be running steam
trains on the day, along the former Mangotsfield to Bath Green Park branch
of the old Midland Railway, a chance to see the River Avon valley from an
aspect that cars cannot reach and there is also the chance to take a boat
down the river from nearby.
The meeting point will be the Avon Valley Railway carpark |shown on the
attached map, just off the A431. Quickest way to get there from Hullavington is
M4 to junction 18, take A46 south, then onto A420 towards Bristol. Go
through Wick and take the left turn onto the A4175 towards Keynsham. About 1
mile down here take the A431 towards Bristol and the entrance to the
station ) is on the right. There are good signs from the A420 onwards for
the Avon Valley Railway (brown tourist attarction signs with a steam train
on them). Takes about 35 mins to get there on a Sunday.
If you need more information contact Mark Collard on 837795