Gravel Routes in Bristol

Hopster - I’d be really keen to get your long cheddar gravel route if you wouldn’t mind sharing it??

I head down south on my gravel bike.

Take the Pill cycle track to Portbury, I normally go through Leigh Woods to avoid the huge puddles on the earlier part of the track. Follow the trail past the huge storage area for new cars then head back towards Portbury village. There is a cheeky trail that runs rhrough Priors wood into the Downs school. 

Onto the Clevedon road then down towards Cadbury camp, there is an awesome view at the top. You can see Wales and the mendips from there. You then have a number of choices, either cheeky over the motorway into Clevedon court (avoid during the day at weekends). Alternatively just before Clevedon court there is  Bridleway that takes you down to Norton Woods Lane. The other option is to head down to Tickenham road. 

If I am heading out on a longer ride I'll head down to the Strawberry line to Winscombe, over Crook Peak, road to Cheddar or head down into Compton Bishop. Loads of options when you get to Cheddar. Road climb, cheeky up the main path to the cliff edge up towards Tynings farm up then over to Burrington. I end up at the trig point at Beacon Batch and do the descent down to the road and into Burrrington.

Road ride to Wrington then a bridleway back to Brockley (long and very, very muddy in winter and best avoided). There is then a route with some wonderful singletrack back to Flax Bourton. Cycle track to Long Ashton Road then if I am feelin particlarly energetic back through Ashton Planatation and do the Beggar Bush lane in Ashton Court.

I can share the long route or a shorter one that comes back via Nailsea. I'd rather not post it publicly as there are a few footpaths, or I can show you some of the routes if you like? 

The long route is a good day out but the views are stunning and the climbs are seriously hard. The views from Crook Peak are particulary spectatular. I'm just building some 650b wheels  (been running 700x40) as its pretty rough in places and I've hit the rim more than once, touch wood never had a puncture due to them being tubeless.

Don't be!

It seemed a bargain when I was looking at £1150 but I let my head rule my heart. I have a Specialized Diverge as a winter/wet/commute but it was heavy and have a Cannondale carbon summer. Ended up going for the GT Grade with 105 as my wet bike, gave me enough cash to fully winterize the Specialized and get a smart trainer. 3 bikes with specific purposes now, the Slate would have meant I had 2 rougher bikes and a leap to my best.

As said though, I love the look of the Slate, the fork was meant to be around £700 of the build alone when they first released, the 650b is very fit for purpose. The only bad reviews seem to suggest it's not as good as a mountain bike up a mountain or a full spec racer as a racer, well duh! They all reckon it's fun though.

Apparently their newer versions are unlikely to hit the UK so you've picked the correct window!

I talked myself out of the Slate Apex and still lust after it...

I really want a Slate!

I was living in Fishponds for the last couple years - the Dramway was my local CX ride (it's a mixture of mud, gravel and cycle path).

It runs from Coalpit Heath (or Yate, depending which route you chose) down the East side of the A4174, joins the B2B cycle path at Mangotsfield, runs parallel the cycle path for a while, it then rejoins the B2B path at North Common before heading back offroad from Siston Brook to Willsbridge. It's clear as a Bridleway on the OS map.

Another good route follows the River Avon Trail from St Phillips Marsh, along the river to Netham, then takes Monarchs way to Conham River Park, at which point it head offroad and you can follow it all the way to The Chequers pub (Hanham Court). You can follow it further, but it's just fields onwards.

The Bristol to Pill cycle path is pretty awesome for cyclocross too.

There's a lot of bridleways between Dundry and Felton Common that are good (providing you don't mind cycling up Dundry!).