Chocolate Path Bristol

[brooksby]

I know that the Chocolate Path alongside the New Cut in Bristol was closed earlier this year - subsidence (again), I think? Does anyone know if its open again, yet?

[Bmblbzzz]

I think it's open but with a "slalom" section. Not certain though.

[brooksby]

OK, thanks

[fausto copy]

We stayed at Baltic Wharf Caravan Park a couple of months ago and noticed it was closed.
They were putting new bus lay-bys in which we thought must be for the new metro system?
Hopefully the chocolate path won't have disappeared altogether in this warm weather.

[recumbentpanda]

Choc Path remains closed as of end of March, when I was last that way. The new roads for the bus link making use of the big girder bridge over the river were still closed but accessible, so had the pleasure of riding brand new empty roads. Cycle lanes are included but the layout is confusing and there seem to be a few ‘cyclists dismount’ signs!

I don’t hold out much hope for the Chocolate Path re-opening, as it is cantilevered out over the riverbank on ancient iron stilts and the banks are not terribly solid.

Will be investigating the whole area with caution next time I am there.

[Redvee]

It was still closed at noon today when I rode that way on my way to work to give a definitive answer for the OP. I rode from Louisianna public house and was preparing to drop down the slope from the road to riverbank and spotted the large metal fence across the path at the bottom so assume there is something similar at the other end.

[whoof]

In order to get across the bridge that they have been tarting up for the Metrobus I ride down Cumberland Road then past the turn for Avon Crescent (Cycle Travel wouldn't allow this in the map below) and left. It currently looks different to the picture (it's either there twice or not at all)as the junction has been changed and there's a barrier across it , which you can easily go around.

As for the Chocolate path itself little bricks as a surface for a path used by bike was just a really stupid idea. It did however nod towards Bristol chocolate making heritage, thanks for that.

[brooksby]

@whoof - I think the Chocolate Path predates being part of the cycle network, hence the rubbish surface.

@everyone else - thanks for looking into this; I think I'll give that area a miss, and I'm not holding my breath on it *ever* reopening...

[Bmblbzzz]

Yes, the tiles were there decades ago, back when the main interest there was the steam train players.

[willpom]

I don’t hold out much hope for the Chocolate Path re-opening, as it is cantilevered out over the riverbank on ancient iron stilts and the banks are not terribly solid.

It's a large masonry retaining wall, which has to be fixed otherwise the road is at risk of subsiding along with the new MetroBus shenanigans.
https://democracy.bristol.gov.uk/documents/s24513/Appendix%20-%20Jacobs%20Managment%20Report.pdf

[recumbentpanda]

Thanks for the link wilpom! My memory of the construction was wrong, and it’s actually the main river wall that supports it -and from the report you linked it seems the river wall is very unwell!

Something will have to be done as you point out, but whatever it is is going to take a long time -several years I imagine.

Oh well, it was fun while it lasted, hearing the whirr of your tyres over the patterned bricks and feeling the steering skitter nervously in and out of the joints. Especially on a Brompton, my commuter ride back in the days when the Chocolate Path was a regular route for me.

Still interested next time I’m in the area to see how the new road layouts work.

[fausto copy]

Wow, I didn't realise it was as bad as that very impressive report indicates.
(Great link willpom, thanks).

One alarming excerpt:
The paint coatings have failed and there is surface corrosion throughout. The railings are 1.4m high with spiked top. This is a potential impalement risk especially to cyclists.

Major works anticipated.
I hope it won't mean closure of the Caravan & Motorhome Club site, as we're booked in for April.

[Redvee]

I hope it won't mean closure of the Caravan & Motorhome Club site, as we're booked in for April.

I did hear plans to sell it off as the site is owned by the local council but nothing has come of it, yet.

[RickH]

Major works anticipated.
I hope it won't mean closure of the Caravan & Motorhome Club site, as we're booked in for April.

Might be best to opt for a Caraboat though!

I came across one chugging along the Leeds Liverpool canal near Chorley once.

[fausto copy]

I'm not sure I'd get that up near the site either, as the old river has silted up too much.

Regarding the site, the council wanted to sell it off to build a new school (great place to site one, right between the floating harbour and a main road ) but have postponed it for now.
The Caravan & Motorhome Club were given a new 3 year lease (halfway through now) so not sure what will happen.

We did use the Chocolate Path the first few times we visited but it's now easier to exit the rear of the site on to the harbourside path.
The cycle paths are rather confusing though near to Cumberland Basin, unless they've finished the roadworks there yet?

fausto.