Strawberry Line closed 29/30 June.

[whoof]

A section of the Strawberry Line is being 'improved'. This appears to be pot hole filling and some new dust. Sections closed on 29-30 th June with detours.

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/loca ... gn=organic

[hemo]

A similar regime being carried out on parts of the Downs link (Copsale to W.Grinstead), course base being laid with a compacted fine top being added.
With only two guys working I reckon they could be at it for a very long time, the pace of work appears to be painfully slow.

[Bmblbzzz]

Why are they using new dust? I'm sure there's more than enough old mud they can use!

[foxyrider]

i find the Strawberry Line to be a somewhat fractious child at the best of times, i've not yet mastered the Cheddar-Wells segment! i'm sure a 2 day closure won't be too much inconvenience.

[Redvee]

I read about this in the local rag but didn't pay too much attention as it's unlikely I'll be out that way during the scheduled closure.

i find the Strawberry Line to be a somewhat fractious child at the best of times, i've not yet mastered the Cheddar-Wells segment! i'm sure a 2 day closure won't be too much inconvenience.

I did that route when the Tour Of Britain started and finished in Wells. I was on the TV in one of the helicam shots of the starts in Wells, quite clearly visible as a few pixels on the scsreen for a second I rode down from Bristol but bypassed the section from Yatton to Congresbury as my previous venture down there had me thinking it would be muddy. When I got to Axbridge I continued to Cheddar then up the gorge to the main road then down into Wells.

[Bmblbzzz]

It's not too bad most of the time, does depend on the weather though. Hopefully these works will improve it.

[mjr]

I repeat here my idea that anyone who considers the strawberry line's blend of stone dust porridge and decaying leaf mulch to be acceptable should have to have their council offices floored with it!

[Bmblbzzz]

Tarmac in the office, carpet on the road.

[whoof]

Personally for every time I've ridden it, I've ridden the road alternative 50 times. I go (from Bristol) Claverham, left after Double Tree Hotel, cross A370, Iwood Land, Brinsea Lane, Sandford, Winscombe, around the West of Wavering Down, Cross, Axbridges, Cheddar all on road.

If I ride it and it's been raining my bike if covered in white muck, despite full length mudguards. I rode it Winscombe to Yatton a couple of weeks ago after weeks of no rain. By the time I got to Yatton my chain was as dry as the Deadsea Scrolls and the bike was covered in white dust and needed as much of a clean as if I'd been riding through mud.

As for riding the Strawberry Line, Cheddar to Wells I thought it only went as far as Cheddar.

[rjb]

Looks like it is being redusted. I would stick to the road melting tar is marginally the lesser of 2 evils than lime dust, even if thatchers are providing refreshments enroute
https://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/news/more ... erry-line/

[Paulatic]

Looks like it is being redusted. I would stick to the road melting tar is marginally the lesser of 2 evils than lime dust, even if thatchers are providing refreshments enroute
https://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/news/more ... erry-line/

A few years since I rode the Strawberry Line and I do recall the surface being a little coarse in places. I can’t remember the actual colour but that’s interesting your limestone down there has a red colour to it?

[foxyrider]

As for riding the Strawberry Line, Cheddar to Wells I thought it only went as far as Cheddar.

There are signs in a few places that suggest there is some sort of route in the Easton/Westbury sub Mendip area but tbh i've not investigated them. There is another stretch that runs parallel to the Shepton Road for about a mile before apparently depositing you onto the lanes.

[Bmblbzzz]

I think an extension to Wells has been talked about. Can't remember if just by Sustrans/campaign groups or in council too.

[martinn]

http://www.thestrawberryline.org.uk/

proposed extensions to the strawberry line

The idea behind it is great, the execution, less so.
I ridden this a number of times, but only as a leisure route, with my family. If i'm going to the mendips on my own, i wouldn't bother using it.

[arnsider]

I’ve ridden the Strawberry line from Sandford around to Cheddar on a number of occasions down the years.
It’s a pity that the Cheddar Wells stretch of the old line cannot be followed as there is no easy alternative to the A371 via Draycott, Rodney Stoke and Westbury.
The nearest is further south and involves detouring to Wedmore and taking the Wells road across the Axe moor.
You don’t get another shot at the old line until the very short stretch out of Wells just as far as Dulcote.
If you look at the 25,000 OS, it appears for all the world that a cycle way could be made further East from Cheddar, but it’s just no to be.
The surface as is, has always been unbound throughout, but it never bothered me.
Small aggregates, however well compacted, will fall apart eventually, even the much vaunted Breedon gravel eventually just breaks through to the sub grade.
With the downturn of the economy, I think money for any cycleway improvements or commissioning will be in short supply and will remain so for a long time.
Now that CRT own our canals, Towpaths will inevitably be neglected too.