...if the Hampton Loade ferry carries bicycles?

[ricardito]

Hi,

Hopefully the title says it all... I'm trying to put together a route around Bridgnorth and wondering if the pedestrian ferry at Hampton Loade will carry me over the Severn with my bike. There's a shortage of bridges in that immediate area...

Edit: Come to that, is it even operating at all these days? The Severn Valley Railway web site says it has ceased operating, which would be a shame.

Thanks!

R.

[robc02]

I was there last summer and the only sign of the ferry was the post the cable used to attach to!

[philvantwo]

Not been down there for a while, there's a pub called The River and Rail, I think they're on Facebook so you could message them.

[Vorpal]

Wiki says not currently running https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampton_Loade_Ferry

[bikepacker]

It wasn't running late last year as someone already stated just the posts and cable were there. There is a footbridge over the river at Arley which you can cycle.

[RickH]

No on the ground experience but...

... it looks (from Google & OS maps) that on the west side of the river there is a path* parallel to the railway line that then crosses a bridge about 1.5 miles south of the ferry to Servern Valley Country Park, near Alveley on the east side.

Another possible option is about 3 miles further south where there is a footbridge linking the access roads to Arley Station on the west & Upper Arley on the east. The bridge is visible on Google StreetView from the Upper Arley side of the river so was still there relatively recently.

(* green circles on the OS 1:50,000 indicating an off road cycle path & the colour on the aerial view suggests it is (was) probably rolled stone so likely to be OK unless anyone know different)

[Si]

No on the ground experience but...

... it looks (from Google & OS maps) that on the west side of the river there is a path* parallel to the railway line that then crosses a bridge about 1.5 miles south of the ferry to Servern Valley Country Park, near Alveley on the east side.

)

yep, this is the mercian way sustrans cycle path....this stretch is very nice, although the climb up through the park is a bit stiff.

The surface is good gravelly type stuff and board walk.

[ricardito]

Thanks everyone. It looks like those two bridges (SVCP and Arley) are my best options.

[gxaustin]

I don't think the Hampton Loade ferry has operated for years. Arley foot bridge is good and Alverly is OK but involves tracks.
The Hampton Loade ferry was a large punt, as I recall. The Arley footbridge replaced a slightly larger ferry which employed the current to drive it across the river. It had a deck which looked large enough for a car and my brother and I often wondered if they'd take the family Morris Minor
The last remaining fragment of the Arley Ferry is the prow which is residing in a front garden on the approach to Severnside (nth) in Bewdley.
Despite the demise of the Hampton Loade ferry there is a sign at the end of the road informing truckers that the ferry is not for vehicular transport

[Cyril Haearn]

Used it once I think
It was a very clever ferry with no motor, the nose of the punt was angled into the stream and the flow moved it across, +1