Bristol & Bath Railway Path Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Bristol and Bath Railway Path (BBRP for short) was Sustrans’ very first shared path in the UK. It runs – unsurprisingly – between Bristol and Bath and is 16 miles long. Though most of it is entirely traffic-free, the route shown on the map below starts at Bristol Temple Meads station, and ends very close to Bath Spa station. This makes it very easy to get there by train, but do read my Bikes On Trains guide first.
This forms part of National Cycle Network Route 4 (NCN4).
Surface on the BBRP
The BBRP has a good surface and is tarred throughout.
Bikes
The route can by cycled with any kind of bike.
Toilets
There are toilets at Bristol Temple Meads station, at Bitton Station (heritage railway) and in Bath.
Ratings
Safety: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Hilliness: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Refreshment stops: ⭐⭐
Barriers: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Surface: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Points of Interest
Bristol itself has a rich heritage, and many tourist attractions. Bath has the Roman Baths, and there is the heritage railway alongside part of the trail. Directly on the trail there is an outdoor art exhibition, plus various outdoor art installations dotted along the way.
Routes in Somerset
- Taunton & Bridgwater Canal traffic-free cycle route
- Bristol and Bath Railway Path
- Two Tunnels Greenway
- Colliers Way traffic-free cycle route
- The Strawberry Line cycle route
Barriers
There are no barriers along the route, and it is useable by trikes and cargo bikes. Just be aware that the section of towpath in Bath can be on the narrow side.
Forecast for the Bristol & Bath Railway Path
What the Bristol & Bath Railway Path looks like
DayCycle
DayCycle routes are routes can can easily be cycled by most people in a day, or part of a day. Do have a look at all the other DayCycle routes available on WillCycle. Many contain detailed route guides, as well as embedded maps (like the one below) from which you can download the GPX file for the route.