Chepstow To Gloucester

[Redvee]

A friend has suggest we do this as part of a ride from Bristol - Chepstow - Gloucester - Bristol. The distance isn't the issue but I've heard the road, A40, up the other side of the Severn isn't the best with fast traffic. Is that still the case, should we head inland slightly on less popular roads?

[the snail]

I'd look at riding up the wye valley through Tintern, or B4228 through St Briavels, or follow the Severn on the English side. I wouldn't fancy the A40 at all.

[pwa]

Deffo through St Briavels. A bit of an endless climb at first, but a much nicer road.

[whoof]

Something like the route below.
Chepstow, St Briavels, Parkend, Littledean, Tibberton. There's a bike path from Over (A40) into Gloucester avoiding the main road. The English side of the river is easy but if you follow the route along the canal out of Gloucester some sections are not tarmacked such as Frampton Upon Severn to Slimbridge.

[Norman H]

A friend has suggest we do this as part of a ride from Bristol - Chepstow - Gloucester - Bristol. The distance isn't the issue but I've heard the road, A40, up the other side of the Severn isn't the best with fast traffic. Is that still the case, should we head inland slightly on less popular roads?

Do you mean the A48? I'd certainly avoid that road.

I also have to ask, why Gloucester? A nicer destination might be Ross-on-Wye. From Chepstow there are various routes to Ross-on-Wye which could form the basis of an out and back route. Here are a couple of suggestions.

One follows the Wye valley on the A446 past Tintern and as far as Monmouth. At Monmouth there's the old rail bed track that follows the river all the way to Symonds Yat and then onwards to R-o-W.

The other uses the the B4228 through St Brevials and the Forrest of Dean to join the other route after passing over Symonds Yat Rock.

[Bmblbzzz]

The main road from Chepstow to Gloucester is the A48. I wouldn't recommend it at all. The A40 runs from Monmouth to Ross-on-Wye, which is busy dual carriageway and probably even less fun than the A48, then single carriageway from Ross to Gloucester, which is pretty ridable at most times of day. These are pretty much the only flat roads you'll find without crossing the Severn!

So you could go through St Briavel's and the Forest of Dean, as posted above. Or through Trellech to Monmouth, then cross the Wye and turn immediately left along the old railway line to near Symond's Yat -- this is easily rideable on a road bike -- to Goodrich and across, maybe through Lea, Clifford's Mesne, Tibberton, Highnam and Alney Island. Or across the Severn Bridge and up the lanes through Berkeley, or up the A38, which is much nicer than than the A48 or A40 (and also dead flat!).

St Briavel's is probably the prettiest route. Once in Gloucester, if you're hungry I can recommend Pepper's cafe, Bull Lane; tasty food and run by a cyclist!

[pwa]

The main road from Chepstow to Gloucester is the A48. I wouldn't recommend it at all. The A40 runs from Monmouth to Ross-on-Wye, which is busy dual carriageway and probably even less fun than the A48, then single carriageway from Ross to Gloucester, which is pretty ridable at most times of day. These are pretty much the only flat roads you'll find without crossing the Severn!

So you could go through St Briavel's and the Forest of Dean, as posted above. Or through Trellech to Monmouth, then cross the Wye and turn immediately left along the old railway line to near Symond's Yat -- this is easily rideable on a road bike -- to Goodrich and across, maybe through Lea, Clifford's Mesne, Tibberton, Highnam and Alney Island. Or across the Severn Bridge and up the lanes through Berkeley, or up the A38, which is much nicer than than the A48 or A40 (and also dead flat!).

St Briavel's is probably the prettiest route. Once in Gloucester, if you're hungry I can recommend Pepper's cafe, Bull Lane; tasty food and run by a cyclist!

Would that be the cafe with old sprockets as coasters?

[Bmblbzzz]

The main road from Chepstow to Gloucester is the A48. I wouldn't recommend it at all. The A40 runs from Monmouth to Ross-on-Wye, which is busy dual carriageway and probably even less fun than the A48, then single carriageway from Ross to Gloucester, which is pretty ridable at most times of day. These are pretty much the only flat roads you'll find without crossing the Severn!

So you could go through St Briavel's and the Forest of Dean, as posted above. Or through Trellech to Monmouth, then cross the Wye and turn immediately left along the old railway line to near Symond's Yat -- this is easily rideable on a road bike -- to Goodrich and across, maybe through Lea, Clifford's Mesne, Tibberton, Highnam and Alney Island. Or across the Severn Bridge and up the lanes through Berkeley, or up the A38, which is much nicer than than the A48 or A40 (and also dead flat!).

St Briavel's is probably the prettiest route. Once in Gloucester, if you're hungry I can recommend Pepper's cafe, Bull Lane; tasty food and run by a cyclist!

Would that be the cafe with old sprockets as coasters?

That's the place. Though I think she might have got rid of the sprocket-coasters now.

[martinn]

Having done a similar route earlier in the year.
Out of chepstow head towards st breviels, on to Coleford, then turn right b4426, a4151, a48 and the A40 to cross the Severn.
The a48 at this point wasn't that busy, the A40 was alright a bit like the portway in Bristol, you have a whole lane which is a dedicated bus/ cycle lane.
The problem is crossing the Severn. The next crossing point is a lot further north at Turley.

( Mine was a DIY 200 so limited as to route.)

Enjoy
Martin

[whoof]

The problem is crossing the Severn. The next crossing point is a lot further north at Turley.

( Mine was a DIY 200 so limited as to route.)

Enjoy
Martin

As previously mentioned you can cross the Severn at Over on the old Telford bridge and again (as the Severn splits into two) just outside Gloucester on a foot/cycle bridge.