We went on a stunning riverside railway walk linking two Bristol suburbs
It follows the river and railway... and there’s a pub at the end of the walk
I had only ever seen the route from the window of the train to Severn Beach - I didn’t know you could walk it until I saw the details on the Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways (FOSBR) website. It takes only four minutes by train from Sea Mills to Shirehampton but I decided to take the hour-long scenic route on foot instead.
This riverside walk is part of the Severn Way and it follows the River Avon as well as the railway line.
The FOSBR website is run by the enthusiastic local group who campaign for railways to be at the core of an integrated transport network for Bristol, Bath and the West of England.
They have come up with a series of excellent walks, with detailed routes and maps, and it was the hour-long Sea Mills to Shirehampton walk that caught my eye.
I’m not sure how popular the walk is but I only encountered two people with a dog in the course of the hour.
It’s a reasonably straightforward walk although one section involves quite a few steep steps so anybody with mobility issues will find it tricky towards the end.
Here are 9 photos from this stunning walk along the River Avon - and there’s a pub at the end of it, too.
The FOSBR website is run by the enthusiastic local group who campaign for railways to be at the core of an integrated transport network for Bristol, Bath and the West of England.
5. Driftwood
The first part of the walk cuts through the overgrown mud banks of the River Avon with its driftwood and old tree trunks.
6. Mooring
Large bollards, some dated 1930, can be seen close to the path. These were installed in response to a number of shipping accidents on the river.
7. Railway bridge
At one point of the Severn Way, you have to walk under this railway bridge and through a metal fence before walking up steps to a beautiful meadow.
8. Historic house
Once you climb up the wooden stairway on this mid-point section of the walk, you can look down to the Old Powder House. Built in 1776, it was used to store gunpowder, which ships picked up on their outward journey towards the sea.