Six of the best family cycling routes in Bristol in support of The Big Walk and Wheel 2022

As The Big Walk and Wheel 2022 gets underway, we have decided to join the initiative in celebrating all things two wheels this month.

Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel, running now until 1st April, is the UK’s largest inter-school walking, wheeling, scooting and cycling challenge. It aims to inspire hundreds of thousands of pupils and parents to get active on the school run.

In celebration of such a brilliant campaign, and considering the fact that Bristol is such a wonderful city when it comes to having an abundance of cycle paths and routes, we’ve decided to round up some of the best family-friendly options out there.

From short and flat options to the iconic Bristol to Bath cycleway, there are loads of places across the city for families to be able to practice their cycling and up their activity levels together.

Bristol to Bath Cycle Path

Perhaps an obvious one to start with, but the Bristol to Bath Cycle Path is a brilliant option for families due to the fact that it is well surfaced and you can go as far or as small of a distance as you wish.

Created by Sustrans, it was the first completely off-road cycle path in the country and has many cafes and pubs en route to stop off at.

For extra interest and to keep little ones entertained, the 13-mile route is also a Sustrans Art Trail featuring a variety of sculptures, so you can keep your eyes peeled or play a few games of I Spy!

Festival Way

This 8-mile route from Bristol Harbourside out to neighbouring Nailsea, via the wonderful 850-acres of Ashton Court Estate, is a very flat and easy cycle path.

With hardly any parts that cross main roads or meander off the dedicated no-traffic cycle route (Sustrans rates it as 67.8% traffic-free), it’s a great option for families of varying abilities and starts in beautiful Queens Square.

Following Route 33, it will take you west out of the city, and over the River Avon where you can enjoy the countryside, woodland views and green scenery on route or combine it with a short detour to Wraxhall and a visit to Tyntesfield House - the cycle route passes right by.

Bristol Docks Loop

Perhaps one of the most family-friendly loops in the city (just watch out for people and railway tracks!), the Bristol Docks Loop is a simple harbourside circuit that all the family can enjoy.

This ride can be started in various places but Sustrans suggest that a good set off is the Bristol cathedral, past the Bristol central library. After negotiating a busy roundabout using toucan crossings, the SS Great Britain comes into view as you can join the dockside path.

For families who are keen to get out cycling more and to teach their children cycling proficiency, this is a wonderful and calm way of practicing simple give way rules and pedestrian care. For extra information and resources to teach, the Canal and River Trust has a dedicated Towpath Code. 

The Strawberry Line

Another one that you could adapt to make the perfect length for little legs, the Strawberry Line is one of the most traffic-free, with Sustrans rating it 83.1% free of cars.

Taking its name from the delicious cargo, this former railway line carried from the strawberry fields of Cheddar has no steep gradients and takes in a variety of landscapes from the flat marshes and cider apple orchards around Yatton to deep gorges and wildlife-filled hills.

The whole route is over 10 miles long, so you might want to look at starting or finishing a little earlier, but it has recently been resurfaced making it perfect for beginners.

The Towpath 10k

Not a Sustrans official route, but a lovely amble out for all ages, the Towpath is a beautiful nature-filled ride.

Starting from the underside of Brunel Way, the Towpath 10k is a popular route with runners (another good one for practicing that family cycling proficiency!) and cyclists and the nice, flat woodland-covered path is a lovely option for families.

Head out along the tree-lined mud path under the Clifton Suspension Bridge, through the underside of Leigh Woods, and out towards Sea Mills on the other side of the river before turning back to Bristol.

Route 244

Just outside of Bristol, towards Bath, Route 244, which is ​​known locally as the Two Tunnels Greenway, is a new Sustrans Route and a short traffic-free path that connects Bath to Midford.

It’s worth mentioning as a family cycle day out due to the fact that it is 97.6% traffic-free and only 3.8 miles long - perfectly short for a family.

Starting from East Twerton, it follows the disused railway trackbed of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway through the Bath suburb of Oldfield Park to the Devonshire Tunnel. It emerges into Lyncombe Vale before entering the Combe Down Tunnel and then coming out to cross Tucking Mill Viaduct at Tucking Mill into Midford.

Take a look at the Sustrans website before setting off, that way you will be able to prepare for any path closures.