Cycling UK Forum

Yeah, I think it’s neap tides that weekend from a look at the charts.

Assuming I do it I’ll report back.

Unless I drown!

MrsHJ wrote: ↑19 Aug 2023, 8:57pm Yeah, I think it’s neap tides that weekend from a look at the charts.

Assuming I do it I’ll report back.

Unless I drown!

Take a spare inner tube. You could use it as a rubber ring in an emergency.

As i'm currently based in Bristol, the Levels, Mendip and yes, the coast of Somerset often (at least once a week) feature in my rides. The widest tyres on any of my bikes are 28c but typically i ride on 23 or 25c. I have ridden on those sands - it can be worse on the promenade at Weston!

I've ridden some of the droves and some of the 'green' lanes - even on my carbon 'race' bike with 23c tyres - not saying they are ideal and not suggesting you size down either, just pointing out that you don't need huge balloons to do those surfaces if you have the right skills and orneryness! Indeed there are actual roads nearby with much worse surfaces than you'll find on that route.

And Cheddar Gorge - there is one short steep bit above the coach parking but the rest is a fairly evenly graded drag, there are much worse climbs on all the other roads up the edge between Cheddar and Wells!

Go for it but do let us know how you get on.

rjb wrote: ↑19 Aug 2023, 1:20pm Much better to stick to things like drove roads like this 5 mile section on west sedgemoor between Stathe on the river Parrett and Helland. North Curry could make a central base for exploring and has an excellent community cafe..

To be fair, if you gave somerset even half an hour of investigation you could come up with a much better route;
Starting at Taunton train station; Taunton to North Curry, to Burrowbridge, to Langport, across the levels to Pedwell over the ridge of the Polden Hils, down onto the levels; Glastonbury, to Wells; onto Horrington on the mendips; down the other side; around the Chew Valley Lakes; then south to Burrington Combe up over the mendips and then down into Cheddar via Cheddar gorge.
Day two, Cheddar, Draycott, Nyland Hill, Wedmore, Woolavington under the A road Chedzoy, follow the canal partway through Bridgwater, turn off at the new link Road to North Pertherton, then up over the Quanock Hills, and then down south to Taunton for the train station ....

If you liked your history, you could stop off at Muchelney Abbey (slight detour from Langport) Burrow Mump, Glastonbury Abbey, Glastonbury Tor, and Wells Cathedral and the Bishops gardens... this might turn it into a three day sight seeing tour
If that was the case then on day three from Bridgwater you could follow the coastal paths and roads to Kilve beech, and then head south along the back of the Quanock Hills to Taunton...
..with the right weather you'd get some lovely views.. there's also alot of very nice restaurants along the whole of tge route. If one took it steady you could have a cycle-history-gastro experience tour..