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A journey through time
Discover a small piece of Britain ’ s historic waterways via this scenic cycle route from Bath to Bradford on Avon .
Bath is recognised as one of the most scenic cities in the world and with a wealth of attractions close by , a bike is the perfect way to get the most out of this great city . Bath & North East Somerset Council has collected some of the area ’ s best rides together on their web site , including this relaxing route to Bradford on Avon . Full details for all the ride including route descriptions , GPS mapping info and preview videos can be found online at www . bathnes . gov . uk / bathbybike
The Kennet & Avon Canal passes through some spectacular landscapes , linking London with the Bristol Channel . Opened in the early 1800s , unfortunately this feat of engineering was soon superseded by the Great Western Railway as a means to move goods around . However , as a flat , easily navigable route the canal these days makes for a perfect cycle journey .
From the centre of Bath , pick up the route onto the Canal at Beckford Road , just after passing over the railway . Quickly leaving the busy road behind , you can admire the numerous canal boats moored beside you as you cycle out towards Bathampton . After only a few minutes of this pretty , tree lined stretch you forget that you ’ ve just come from the city centre .
Ten minutes of easy pedalling and you reach The George Inn , but it ’ s too early to find an excuse to stop just yet so on we go , following the canal as it meanders parallel to the River Avon until we reach Dundas Aqueduct . The path cuts right , up and over the canal via a small bridge . If spending so much time alongside the canal has made you wonder what it ’ s like to take to the water , the Bath and Dundas Aqueduct Canal Company offers canoe and boat hire from Brassknocker Basin , which is just off our route here .
Bearing left , cross over via the aqueduct and with the canal now on the left it ’ s another two miles of scenic riding before reaching the next landmark , Avoncliff Aqueduct . At 100 meters long , the aqueduct is considered to be one of the most impressive structures on Britain ’ s waterways as it takes the canal over the River Avon . There are plenty of opportunities for a picnic on the river bank here , or alternatively you can enjoy the view from the garden at the Cross Guns , which has been an Inn since the early 1600s . From here , it ’ s less than two miles
into Bradford on Avon itself .
Coming into Bradford on Avon we pass a 14th century Tithe Barn , originally owned by Shaftesbury Abbey , before reaching the Wharf . At one point the busiest Wharf on the canal , it is still possible to see remnants of the past , such as the lock keeper ’ s house which is now a busy café . The main road will take you into the centre of the town , with its multitude of architectural gems . Getting home is simply a case of re-tracing the route back to the start or alternatively taking a train back to Bath .
Pay as you go cycling
Nextbike is the easy to use cycle hire network which is revolutionising local travel within Bath .
Like many cities across the UK , Bath has adopted a Europeanstyle cycle hire network as a means to help people get around more easily . The concept is simple , once registered you can pick up a bike from any of the docking stations located across the city and drop it off at any other . Bath ’ s scheme , run by Nextbike , has over 100 bikes available for hire from a dozen locations across the city including key destinations such as Bath Spa station and Orange Grove , close to the Abbey . Nextbikes can be hired 24 hours a day , 365 days a year making them ideal for day visits or holidays when you cannot bring your own bike .
A single registration is required before you start using the bikes . To rent a bike , call the hotline number you will find on the bike or use the official smartphone app for Android and iphone . The bike will unlock from the docking station and away you go ! When you ’ re done , simply slot the bike back into any docking station and it will automatically log you off .
Watch our short ‘ how to ’ videos at www . bit . do / nextbike or for more information about registration and rental charges visit www . nextbike . co . uk