To Bristol or bust. 61

Out with 6 Old Gits (and an Old Git's wife) for a bit of a ride to Bristol.  Most roads into Bristol are trunk roads and quite busy but a couple of the riders today know the highways and bye ways to circumvent the busy roads.  With a bit of local knowledge of the cycle paths there is an easy way in and out of the city.  A 45 miler was expected today although making the way to the meeting point, it was not very nice at all with a NE wind blowing steady rain.  10 minutes later the roads were dry and the rain kept off.

20 mile break

Went out to Yatton and cut across the moors to Backwell and picked up the cycle track to Bristol.  20 miles into the ride we were ready for a break and called in the Gatcombe Farm Shop on the Weston Road near Flax Bourton.  £2 for a cuppa which was a bit much.  I suppose tableclothes and place settings should have been a clue to the prices.  Al fresco would have been good as the outside tables had a really pleasant view but it was still a bit dull out there.  Thanks to the waitress for taking our photo.

Signpost

Just before we crossed the River Avon by the docks, saw this very ornate signpost.  Worth a picture.

Cumberland Basin

Splitting up from Jim, who was going into the city to meet a mate in a pub, (mind how you get back Jim), we planned the way home standing by the Cumberland Basin, the main entrance from the Avon into Bristol Docks.  We agreed a sensible way would be to use the Portway, over the M5 Avonmouth bridge through Clapton Gordano where a Police road closure meant we had to divert some way out of our preferred route.  Through Clevedon then and got back onto the Strawberry Line at Yatton.

Avon Gorge

The Portway runs through the Avon Gorge and is crossed by the Clifton Suspension Bridge, one of Brunel's masterpieces.  Had to stop and get a picture of this iconic structure, the first suspension bridge in the world.  Pity that Brunel died before it was completed, he never saw it.  Tim is waiting for a back marker to come through, another photo op.  Stopped later at Yatton railway station for another cuppa.  Managed to negotiate 7 cups for the price of 6 this week.  The lady serving, when asked if they do a discount for bulk purchase of drinks, replied, "I hope not. I'm no good at sums"!  Classic.  Continued down the Strawberry Line to Sandford and back to Weston through Banwell.  That was particularly busy at this notorious bottleneck due to an accident on the nearby M5

Arrived back in Weston, in hazy sunshine feeling very satisfied with the 61.5 mile ride that my legs were happy to tell me all about.