Leisure rides and commuter routes
Below you'll find a number of routes suitable for different types of rides. Most routes are suitable for beginners and family riders but some are better suited to competent riders familiar with riding in traffic. Check the descriptions before choosing a route.
City-wide maps showing the entire cycling network are available from our Cycle Maps page. For mountain biking routes please visit our Off Road Cycling page.
All of these routes, plus the ever-popular Bristol to Bath Railway Path, have been mapped in the Cycling Bristol booklet. Download individual routes below or order your printed copy online.
Other Bristol routes
In Bristol there are nine short commuter routes, designed to point you to popular work or leisure destinations. Way-marking signs and on-road symbols will help you find your way and build your mental map of the city's bike routes.
- Concorde Way (St Werburghs to Lockleaze)
- Concorde Way (Lockleaze to Cribbs Causeway)
- Festival Way (Harbourside to Ashton Court)
- Frome Valley (St Agnes to Snuff Mills)
- Bristol Bath Railway Path (St Phillips to Staple Hill)
- Malago Greenway (Hartcliffe to Bedminster)
- Whitchuch Railway Path (Whitchurch to Arnos Vale)
- Downs Way (Clifton to Henbury)
- Welsley Way (Kingswood to St Phillips)
- The Portway (Shirehampton to Hotwells)
More about this signage project can be found on our blog page.
North Somerset
South Gloucestershire
- Three Brooks Nature Reserve loop
- Thornbury Loop
- Emersons Green to Mangotsfield
- Wickwar Loop
- Chipping Sodbury and Yate Loop
- Marshfield to Bathampton
- Severn Beach Loop
- Aust to Chepstow
- Bristol to Bath Railway Path
- Frampton Cotterell to Henfield Loop
These routes have been mapped in the South Gloucestershire Council leisure rides booklet. Routes can downloaded individually below or a free printed copy can be ordered.
Longer South Gloucestershire routes
These are mid to long circular leisure rides on quiet roads. Distances range from 25 to 85 miles and are best suited to confident cyclists.
The last four of these have been mapped in the South Gloucestershire Council's picturesque bike rides booklet.
The Avon Cycleway
The Avon Cycleway is an 85 mile circular route around Bristol and Bath, following quiet country lanes and taking in the best of the countryside and villages including Thornbury, Yate, Saltford, Chew Magna and Clevedon. It’s also signed as Sustrans Regional Route 10.
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Leisure rides - detailed information
These routes are traffic-free, apart from where they cross a road.
Bristol to Bath Railway Path
Route: Bristol to Bath
Length: 13 miles
Type: Disused railway line (traffic-free)
Access: Numerous along route (see map)
Refreshments: Pubs along the way, cafés at Staple Hill and Bitton
Links: Avon Cycleway, River Avon Trail,
The Railway Path begins in central Bristol and travels through Mangotsfield, Warmley and Bitton before passing through Saltford to the outskirts of Bath.
You can join and leave the path at a number of places and tailor the distance to suit you.
Brunel Mile
Route: Temple Meads to the SS Great Britain
Length: 2 miles
Type: Shared use paths in the city centre (traffic-free)
Access: Anywhere along the route
As part of the Brunel 200 celebrations, the Brunel Mile links Bristol's historic Temple Meads station and Brunel's pioneering ship the SS Great Britain. The route provides a high quality, imaginative, memorable and direct pedestrian link across the city. It joins up both the superb heritage of Brunel and the new public spaces and squares in the city centre. It also spans Bristol Harbour and waterfront.
Colliers Way
Route: Dundas Aqueduct, Radstock and Frome
Length: 17 miles
Type: Disused railway (traffic-free) and minor roads
Access: Numerous places to join (see map)
Refreshments: Visitor centre with refreshments at Dundas Aqueduct and pubs along route
Links: NCN route 26
There are a number of places to join if depending on how far you would like to cycle.
Kennet and Avon Canal Path
Route: Bath to Reading
Length: 84 miles ( Bath to Devizes 22 miles)
Type: Canal towpath and quiet rural roads
Links: Bristol to Bath railway path and Severn & Thames Cycle Route between Gloucester and Reading.
The historic canal links the Thames and the Bristol Channel, weaving through spectacular scenery between Reading and Bath. Cycling is permitted along the length of the canal, except for a short section near Froudes Bridge and Woolhampton.
Norton Radstock Greenway
Route: Radstock to Midsomer Norton
Length: 2 miles
Type: Disused railway (traffic-free)
Access: There are a number of places to join (see map)
Refreshments: Radco supermarket and Tea and Trade cafe
Links: Colliers Way
Ride to the North Somerset Coast (National Cycle Network route 41)
Route: Bristol to Portishead
Length: 11.5 miles (5.5 miles to Ham Green)
Type: A mix of traffic-free routes, purpose-built cycleways and quiet roads; some hills
Access: Various access points between Pill and Portishead
Refreshments: Available in both Portishead and Bristol at each end of the path
Links: Avon Cycleway (Regional Route 10)
River Avon Trail
Route: Pill to Hanham
Length: 12 miles (or 7 or 5 miles)
Type: Canal towpath and quiet rural roads
Access: There are numerous places to get onto the Trail including Pill Harbour, Princes Wharf, Castle Park, Conham and Hanham Weir.
Refreshments: Pubs at Hanham Weir
Links: Bristol and Bath Railway path
There is a choice of a 7 mile trip between Bristol and Pill Harbour or a 5 miles trip from Bristol to Hanham Weir.
Strawberry Line (National Cycle Network route 26)
Route: Yatton to Cheddar
Length: 8 miles
Type: Disused railway line (traffic-free)
Access:Various access points along route
Refreshments: Pubs, cafes and Thatchers Cider Shop
Links: Avon Cycleway (Regional Route 10)
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On and off-road routes
These routes use a combination of quiet roads and traffic-free routes
Bristol
St Phillips Greenway / Whitchurch Railway Path (part of NCN 3)
Route: Queen Square to Horseworld via Temple Meads, St Phillips, Kensington Park and Stockwood
Length: 5.3 miles
Type: A mix of traffic-free routes, purpose-built cycleways and quiet roads; some hills
Ashton Court loop (Festival Way)
Route: Queen Square and return via Bower Ashton, Ashton Court, Clifton and Harbourside
Length: 6.6 miles
Type: A mix of traffic-free routes, city centre shared space, purpose-built cycleways and quiet roads; some steep hills
Frome Greenway loop
Route: Queen Square and return via Cabot Circus, Eastville, Stapleton, Lockleaze and St Werburghs
Length: 9.7 miles
Type: A mix of traffic-free routes, purpose-built cycleways, city parks and quiet roads; some hills
Malago Greenway
Route: Queen Square to Hengrove Way via Southville, Bedminster and Lower Knowle
Length: 3.5 miles
Type: A mix of traffic-free routes, purpose-built cycleways and quiet roads; some hills
Harbour loop
Route: Queen Square and return via Harbourside, Cumberland Basin and Baltic Wharf
Length: 2.7 miles
Type: A mix of traffic-free routes, city centre shared space and two short road sections; mostly flat
Ashton Pill loop
Route: Queen Square and return via Harbourside, Hotwells, Sea Mills, Shirehampton, Pill and Ashton
Length: 15.2 miles
Type: Mostly traffic-free with an off-road section not suitable for road bikes; some hills
Sections of this route have been filmed along the Harbourside and Pill path and the Pill path
River Avon Trail
Route: Temple Quay, Barton Hill, Broom Hill, Hanham
Length: 5.8 miles
Type: Mostly traffic-free and flat; a section alongside the river gets very muddy during wet weather
Blaise Castle Estate loop
Route: Sea Mills station and return via Coombe Dingle, Blaise Castle Estate, Lawrence Weston and Shirehampton
Length: 7.9 miles
Type: A mix of traffic-free routes, purpose-built cycleways and quiet roads; some hills
Ring Road loop
Route: Mangotsfield and return via Emersons Green, Bromley Heath, Frenchay, Fishponds and Staple Hill
Length: 8.2 miles
Type: Mostly traffic-free with some crossings of dual carriageways; gentle gradients
South Gloucestershire
Three Brooks Nature Reserve Loop
Route: Around the Three Brooks Nature Reserve in Bradley Stoke
Length: 3 miles
Type: All off road and mostly traffic-free with one crossing at a controlled signal crossing
Thornbury Loop
Route: Starting and ending in Thornbury, this is a cycle ride through the surrounding countryside, through villages including Oldbury-on-Severn and Rockhampton
Length: 10.8 miles
Type: On quiet, rural, mostly wide roads with some gentle gradients
Emersons Green to Warmley Loop
Route: Emersons Green to Warmley and back to Emersons Green along the Ring Road cycle path
Length: 6.7 miles
Type: Mostly off road with some quiet rural roads, some crossings: mostly flat
Wickwar Loop
Route: Starting at Wickwar, around the Wetmoor Nature Reserve brushing past yate and Rangeworthy
Length: 12 miles
Type: On road, some busy with some steep gradients
Chipping Sodbury and Yate Loop
Route: Through Chipping Sodbury and Yate
Length: 9.3 miles
Type: Rural, mostly quiet roads and some off-road paths
Marshfield to Bathampton Loop
Route: Marshfield to Bathampton and back
Length: 12.4 miles
Type: Along narrow, rural roads; steep gradient
Severn Beach Loop
Route: Starting and ending in Severn Beach, alongside the river and through the countryside
Length: 12.5 miles
Type: Mostly quiet roads and off-road with a small portion along a busy road
Aust to Chepstow
Route: Cycle from Aust along the Severn Bridge with spectacular views to the historic town of Chepstow
Length: 5 miles
Type: Mostly quiet roads and off-road
Bristol to Bath Railway Path
Route: From Bitton into Bath down the Bristol to Bath Railway Path
Length: 6 miles
Type: All off-road, purpose built cycle path
Frampton Cotterell to Henfield Loop
Route: Through Frampton Cotterell, out towards Henfield into the countryside and back again
Length: 4.4 miles
Type: On quiet roads, crossing one busy road; mostly flat
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Other Bristol routes
These short routes have been designed to point you to popular work or leisure destinations. Signage on the majority of these routes will be complete by July 2011. Where they exist, movies of these routes are listed below. Maps showing these routes will be produced during 2011.
Concorde Way
Route: St Werburghs to Lockleaze via Ashley Down and Brook Bridge
Length: approx 1.9 miles
Type: A mix of traffic-free with some crossings of dual carriageways; gradual uphill gradient
Route colour: Black
Route movies: part 1, part 2
Links with: South Gloucestershire cycle routes, Festival Way
Festival Way
Route: Harbourside to Ashton Court via the Create Centre
Length: 2 miles
Type: Traffic-free routes, city centre shared space and a short road crossing; one steep climb up to Ashton Court Estate
Route colour: Pink
Route movie: Arnolfini to Kennel Lodge Road
Frome Valley
Route: St Agnes to Snuff Mills via Stapleton Road and Eastville Park
Length: 3.5 miles
Type: Mostly traffic-free with several road crossings, following the course of the River Frome
Route colour: Kingfisher Blue
Route movies: part 1, part 2
Links with: Festival Way
Bristol Bath Railway Path
Route: St Phillips to Staple Hill
Length: 3.6 miles
Type: Traffic free route on the site of a disused railway line
Route colour: Midland Red
Route movie: Temple Meads to Lawrence Hill
Links with: Regional routes 10 and 16
Malago Greenway
Route: Hartcliffe to Bedminster
Length: approx 2.4 miles
Type: A mix of parks, quiet roads and cycle paths, mostly downhill
Route colour: Brown
Whitchuch Way
Route: Whitchurch to Arnos Vale
Length: 2.6 miles
Type: A mix of cycle paths and quiet roads, following a disused railway line; mostly downhill
Route colour: Green
Route movie: Whitchurch Way (south bound)
Links with: NCN3
Downs Way
Route: Clifton to Henbury
Length: approx 5.5 miles
Type: Mostly on-road with traffic; several uphills
Route colour: Gold
Links with: NCN4
Welsley Way
Route: Kingswood to St Phillips
Length: 3.2 miles
Type: Mostly on-road with traffic, relatively flat
Route colour: Navy blue
Links with: NCN3 (Whitchurch Way), NCN4 (Bristol-Bath Railway Path)
The Portway
Route: Shirehampton to Hotwells
Length: 5 miles
Type: Shared use path, relatively flat
Route colour: TBC
Links with: Festival Way, Blaise Castle Estate, NCN4, NCN41
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Longer South Gloucestershire routes
These are mid to long circular leisure rides on quiet roads suitable to confident cyclists.
Avon Cycleway (Regional route 10)
A full description of this route is also available
Route: Around Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset & South Gloucestershire
Length: 85 mile circuit made of 13 shorter linking routes.
Type: It largely follows narrow and quiet country lanes
Links: With National Cycle Routes 3 & 4, and Bristol to Bath railway path.
A signposted route which takes in many picturesque villages, numerous historic landmarks and a variety of landscapes. The 13 linking routes allow loop routes of 30-50 miles to be selected using Bristol or Bath as a base.
Find out more at: Order a leaflet from your local council
Castle Coombe
Route: Circular route starting near Westerleigh, via Dodington, Acton Turville, Castle Combe and Pucklechurch
Length: 30 miles
Type: Some on main roads but mostly on quiet country lanes
Links: Bristol to Bath Railway path
Kennet and Avon Canal Path
Route: Bath to Reading
Length: 84 miles
Type: Canal towpath and quiet rural roads
Links: Bristol to Bath railway path and Severn & Thames Cycle Route between Gloucester and Reading.
This historic canal links the Thames and the Bristol Channel, weaving through spectacular scenery on its way between Reading and Bath. Cycling is permitted throughout the length of the canal, except for a short section near Froudes Bridge and Woolhampton
Pilning and Severn Beach
Route: Circular route starting from Olveston via Severn Beach and Pilning
Length: 12 miles
Type: Some on main roads but mostly on quiet country lanes
Links: Avon Cycleway, Severn Vale route at Olveston
Severnvale
Route: Circular route starting from Winterbourne via Tytherington, Oldbury on Severn and Almondsbury
Length: 27 miles
Type: Some on main road but mostly on quiet country lanes
Links: Pilning & Severn Beach route at Olveston, Avon Cycleway
Wotton-under-Edge
Route: Circular route starting from Iron Acton via Hillesley, Wotton-under-Edge and Rangeworthy
Length: 25 miles
Type: Some on main road but mostly on quiet country lanes
Links: Avon Cycleway
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More information
Find out more about the Picturesque bike rides at www.southglos.gov.uk/cycling
The West of England is an ideal location to cycle around or start your journey from. For longer trips, you can easily access Gloucester to the north, Wiltshire, Reading to the east, Somerset to the south, and South Wales to the west.
