End of the Lines 130

End of the Lines visits four defunct local terminus towns; Calne, Malmesbury, Tetbury and Thornbury. Use some old railways, pass an old engine shed, eat cake at a goods shed, roll across the Cotswolds and into the Severn Valley.

Fishponds, City of Bristol | Sat 8th May 2021 @ 08:00

BRIEF:

End of the Lines visits four defunct local terminus towns; Calne, Malmesbury, Tetbury and Thornbury. Use some old railways, pass an old engine shed, eat cake at a goods shed, roll across the Cotswolds and into the Severn Valley.
WHEN: +iCal
08/05/2021
08:00 - 18:48
WHERE:
Fishponds Fish
Bristol & Bath Railway Path, nr Hockeys Ln
Fishponds, BS16
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Type:
BP		 Points Distance:
100		 Total Distance:
135km
Speeds:
12.5-25kph		 AAA: 0.00
Rainbow Flat		 Climb:
1379m
Duration:
10h48		 Entry closes:
05/05/2021		 Entry:
£6.50
Route:

Extensive route notes and a variety of files will be distributed to entrants via email a week or two before the event. In the mean time use the interactive map for an overview of what lies ahead (subject to change); toggle the elevation & grade on/off by clicking the key. *Please note plugin's 'grade' is experimental so take it with a pinch of salt, especially where rocky outcrops may be present.

Event Information

description:

End of the Lines was inspired mainly by two things.

Firstly was the appearance of a funky bridge over the A4 at Black Dog Halt near Calne that I remember happening when I was a kid. This resurrected the Chippenham to Calne GWR branch line as a traffic free shared path which you will get to enjoy.

Secondly The Whistlestop Cafe at the old goods shed in Tetbury as who doesn’t like cake!

There had to be something I could create in that.

Throw in the short GWR branch to Malmesbury with its solitary engine shed and road name as the reminder.

Then Thornbury, at the end of the Midlands Railway Co branch, where very little remains other than a few references to Midland in place names and a short bit of embankment; which you get to enjoy as a metalled cycle path.

Link them all up over the Cotswolds and across the Avon & Severn valleys and you have a nice amble through the countryside; of course there are a few #wills_hills in there for good measure!

details:

On street parking near the start.

The 8km along the Chippenham – Calne branch in unmetalled; mainly like the surface in the header photo. It can be stickier in a few places after prolonged rain. There are a couple of looser sections where holes have been filled. In general it is in better condition than some of the roads you may find. Red the Rocket did it on 23c tyres whilst route checking for you.