2 Tunnels Greenway Bike ride, Bath. Full 12.5 miles in real time. Sunday 6th August 2017
I found out about this from someone at work that has done the 12.5 mile ride. Thought must have a go, so today was the day. Warm and dry as BBC Weather web site said.
Park at nearby Park and Ride. 5 minutes if quick to start of route.
I did this 3 times. First time was the longer time as did the photos, went from the park and ride side of river. Not over the footbridge at Lidl. 2nd and 3rd time round went over bridge to start at Lidl car park enterance. Used the 2nd time round for the video here.
Total of 56.5 minutes and tunnels at 5.5 minutes and 8 minutes.
I did 44.66 miles in total. Was going to go into Lidl for the toilet after 1st time round but could see through the window that was out of order. So pub nearby on main road corner, Bit of a cheak!.
So back to car park and another 20p to have a wee. Back down Brassmill Lane to the Lidl and off we went for a 2nd and 3rd time.
27.9MPH Max
13.5MPH Average
3 Hours 18 minutes moving.
And still had 9 miles range left on battery. If dropped it down from Sport power to a mix of Tour and a bit of Eco would have done 1 more lap but had enough by then.
Get on path here and not 90 Seconds to Lidl bridge if quick.
Lidl car park. Footbridge over river
I have a Scott e Aspect 910 with a bosch performance line electric drive system.
The gpx file made by the garmin unit on the handlebars can be downloaded here on the dropbox link. Download and open up in google earth. open google earth and then file, open, make sure gpx type file is selected opposite open bar and open 2 tunnels, where ever you saved that.
Right click on blue line (route) and elevation profile is good.
You don't need to sign in or have an account.
Some photos as well.
Noticed me on an Evans bike web site story. Noticed a little thumbnail photo of me down web site page right hand side.
This was at Basingskoke on 3rd December last year.
Cycle Routes In & Around Bath - Two Tunnels Greenway
Cycling The Two Tunnels Greenway Radstock To Bath Part 1
My cycle ride in Somerset on the Two Tunnels Greenway from Radstock to the Georgian City of Bath. This is Part 1 as in Part 2, I will be riding through Bath and along the Kennet & Avon Canal and, eventually back to Midford.
View Part 2 here -
Music By - Gary Harper, 'Womp Master'
Other tracks from the YouTube music library Artists - 'Run' by Ethan Meixsel, 'Dreaming in 432Hz by Unicorn Heads, 'Atmospheria' by Francis Preve, 'Please' by Wayne Jones, 'Ferris_Wheel' by Geographer.
Cycling and photography, plus a perfect summers day and I'm having a fab time of exploration. I'm fascinated by our railway heritage and its history and having a book for Christmas on 'Britains Hidden Railways' stoked my enthusiasm and curiosity.
So I set off without the aid of 'Satnag' for the 2.5hr journey to Radstock in Somerset. I was surprised to discover steep hills enroute, (not surprising in Somerset) but this was on cycle route24 not the old railway track. However it joins up with the 'greenway' a couple of miles out of Radstock. As explained in my video, I had to return, get my car and drive to Midford for a restart!
Eventually, I'm on the right track and head off towards Bath!
Equipment used - My daughter-in-laws MTB
GoPro Hero 7 mounted on the bike mostly.
iPhone 7 plus with Filmic Pro App
FujiXT20 + 10-24mm Fujinon lens
Audio via GoPro mic adapter
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Visit England -
My Favourite Cycle routes - The Two Tunnels Greenway - Bath
This shared-use path re-uses what was the most characterful part of one of the UK's most famous railways - The Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway - as it burrowed beneath Combe Down - the high ground south of the city of Bath.
This is a dramatic and accessible route leading south from the city - and available to cyclists, wheelchair users and walkers.
The route follows the disused railway trackbed of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway from the Bath suburb of East Twerton, through the linear park of Oldfield Park to the Devonshire Tunnel.
Travelling in a Southerly direction the Two Tunnels Greenway passes through the 447 yard Devonshire tunnel before emerging into Lyncombe Vale before entering the 1 mile and 69 yard long Combe Down Tunnel. On exiting the Combe Down tunnel the Greenway continues over the Tucking Mill Viaduct and onwards to Midford and the Midford Viaduct.
Shortly after crossing the Tucking Mill Viaduct NCN Route 244 ends to become NCN Route 24. At this point, (just before the path goes under the Tucking Mill Lane Railway bridge), the exit to NCN Route 24 (North-East towards Monkton Combe and the Dundas Wharf & Aquaduct) is on the left. Continue South to remain on NCN Route 24 towards Midford, Midford Viaduct and on to Wellow and Radstock.
I'm told that the Hope and Anchor Pub is worth a visit - adjacent to, and signposted from NCN Route 24 at the Midford Viaduct.
The Devonshire tunnel is 447 yards long and the Combe Down tunnel over 1 mile long. Both tunnels are lit along their full lengths and the surface of the Greenway is very good (smooth tarmac) until the Midford Viaduct. Surface quality easily seen on the video.
We parked at the Newbridge park and ride and semi-deliberately didn't pick the easiest way to get ourselves onto NCN Route 4 (The Bristol & Bath Railway Path) because we're intending to ride to Bristol and the Avon Gorge from this starting point and wanted to see what all the access points are like. In my opinion the entry and exit points *we used* for NCN Route 4 are neither easy or safe.
My advice is: If you start a ride/walk/run at Newbridge, (regardless of which direction along NCN Route 4 you're going), TURN LEFT out of Newbridge park and ride and make your way to Brassmill Lane and access NCN Route 4 there. The start of the Bristol & Bath Railway Path is clearly marked and signposted in Brassmill Lane, as are directions towards the Two Tunnels Greenway Route (NCN Route 244).
At all points from Brassmill Lane to the Midford Viaduct the surface is good quality tarmac suitable for riding, walking, wheelchairs, pushchairs and mobility scooters. I'd recommend a full charge on anything battery powered.
We had a fantastic afternoon, turning around a couple of miles South of the Midford Viaduct and then leaving NCN Route 244 just South of Midford, turning East to join NCN Route 24 to the Dundas Aquaduct where we enjoyed our lunch. We'd ridden through the Dundas Aquaduct on our Trowbridge to Bath ride ( and wanted to visit it again and approach it via teh Somerset Coal Canal (On NCN Route 24).
On leaving the Dundas Aquaduct we joined NCN Route 4 to ride back into Bath alongside the Kennet & Avon Canal.
The last 3 or 4 miles on the video shows us leaving NCN Route 4 to ride through Georgian Bath, (very little traffic on a Sunday), across Pulteney Bridge and alongside the Grand Parade before rejoining the River Avon (and NCN Route 4) for the final blat along the Bristol & Bath Railway path to the steps I'd high lighted near the start of the video.
Video is about 51 minutes long with many parts of it accelerated.
Comments & suggestions welcome :)
Two Tunnels Greenway, Midford - Bath, June 2018
After pausing at Midford Station for lunch, I return down the hill to Bath, once again gliding through the eerie depths of Coombe Down and Devonshire tunnels, this ride is short enough to be covered by families in an afternoon, and is a definite to do!
With so much new content coming in 2018, don't forget to subscribe, and why not check out one of my other videos!
Cycle Ride Through Two Tunnels Cycle Route in Bath, UK
Leisurely ride through the tunnels to test the GoPro.
Two Tunnels Greenway To Bath & Canal Ride Part 2
My cycle ride in Somerset from the Georgian City of Bath. Riding along the Kennet & Avon Canal and, eventually back to Midford via Combe Down Tunnel.
View Part 1 here -
Music from the YouTube music library Artists - 'After All' - Geographer, 'Run' - Ethan Meixsell, 'Gentle Breeze' - Geographer and 'Sky Scraper' by Geographer.
Cycling and photography, plus a perfect summers day and I'm having a fab time of exploration. I'm fascinated by our railway heritage and its history and having a book for Christmas on 'Britains Hidden Railways' stoked my enthusiasm and curiosity.
After a coffee and a bite to eat in Bath green Park Station, I cycle through Bath, heading for the Kennet & Avon canal. Following the canal around Bath and onto the Dundas Aqueduct, it was then back to Combe Down Tunnel and Tucking mill viaduct.
A FAB day out!!!
Equipment used - My daughter-in-laws MTB
GoPro Hero 7 mounted on the bike mostly.
iPhone 7 plus with Filmic Pro App
FujiXT20 + 10-24mm Fujinon lens
Audio via GoPro mic adapter
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Review of Bath Two Tunnels
A review of the Bath Two Tunnels 10k race organised by Relish Running.
A collection of videos from Vikki's Runner Friends - a Facebook centric group.
Two Tunnels Greenway (Bath) opening day
Originally part of the Somerset & Dorset Railway, the Greenway enables easy traffic-free access to open countryside south of Bath and links with existing paths enabling a 13-mile circular tour including the Kennet & Avon Canal.
The 'two tunnels' are Devonshire (407 metres long) and Combe Down (1670m long), the latter now having become the longest cycling tunnel in Britain. The gradient in Combe Down when walking towards Bath (uphill!) is quite noticeable and in the days of the S&D Railway, the single-track bore with no ventilation shafts was a potential death trap for steam footplate crews when locomotives were working flat out up the grade.
Note that the LED lighting in the tunnels is quite sufficient for the purpose, though not as bright as it appears in the video.
Here are some photos taken on the same day:
This opening was quickly followed by the Stourpaine to Blandford section of the North Dorset Trailway, further down the S&D line; see
See also: and
Two Tunnels Path - Bath
Bellotts road rail bridge...laying the concrete base...4/2/2014
Twotunnels footpath/cyclepath
twotunnels.org.uk
Inside Combe Down Railway Tunnel - part of the Two Tunnels Greenway
Inside COMBE DOWN RAILWAY TUNNEL – part of the Two Tunnels Greenway
A journey through the Combe Down Tunnel (1,2) near Tucking Mill (3) in the parish of Monkton Combe, Somerset, England. Combe Down Tunnel is part of the Two Tunnels Greenway (4) encompassing the Combe Down and the Devonshire Tunnel along the disused railway track of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway (5) once connecting Bath and Bournemouth. After emerging from Combe Down Tunnel which passes through Combe Down hill, the track continues along the Tucking Mill Viaduct into Midford. Combe Down Tunnel is one mile long and has no intermediate ventilation shafts. In the day of Steam trains this caused great problems with fumes and inevitable consequences.
Walking through the tunnel is a wonderful experience and well recommended. It is a comfortable walk on a well maintained and softly-lit road in an atmospheric environment. There are some interesting surprise features along the way to add to the atmosphere which are captured in this video (6).
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6.
July 2015 Two Tunnels Cycle Path near Bath UK
A bike ride my wife and I took during the summer of 2015. This bicycle path can be found on NCR 244. As the name suggests it is two old rail way tunnels now use as part of a bicycle and walking path around the city of Bath in the UK.
The Two Tunnels Greenway 18/02/13
A ride down the line of the Somerset & Dorset Railway route into Bath. These pictures were taken to commemorate the recent opening of the New Millmead Road Bridge linking Devonshire tunnel to Bellotts Road.
Bath Two Tunnels Bike route
Me riding down my new bike motorway!
Sustrans Bath Two Tunnels Greenway Festival and Opening 2013
Thousands flocked to Bath this Saturday for the grand opening of the Two Tunnels Greenway and what an event it was!
The route, which has been seven years in the planning and has taken three years to build, offers a traffic-free route from central Bath out of the city to the south, through the 400m Devonshire tunnel and the mile long Combe Down tunnel, the longest cycling tunnel in the UK.
This virtually flat route will bring together local communities, and enable them to make more of their everyday journeys on foot and by bike.
Giving people safe and easy access to everyday destinations is crucial if we want people to leave their cars at home.
Find out more about our UK-wide project
Bath Greenway | Two Tunnels | Don't adjust your settings
Really, don't adjust your settings - some of this ride is pitch black! After the previous full day of downhill smashing at Bike Park Wales (without GoPros - sad faces) we took a stretch out on the iconic Bath Two Tunnels Circuit 13-mile loop.
After negotiating a bit of urban riding in the centre of Bath we were free and ready for the two tunnels, followed by a ride over Tucking Mill Viaduct and a glide past the Dundas Aqueduct - what a lovely bit of British/Roman culture for a couple MTBers ;-) The bigger of the two tunnels, Combe Down Tunnel, is just over one mile long (the UK's longest cycling and walking tunnel) and dimly lit which is all part of the audio-visual installation, ‘Passage’ by United Visual Artists - a real treat for the senses, go on be brave and don't switch on your lights!!
Customised clothing supplied by Dirty Rides MTB Apparel
Favoured GoPro Hero7 settings:
2.7k at 60fps
superview
ev comp -1.0
white balance auto
ISO min 100 max 800
sharpness medium
GoPro colour
mic stereo
Favoured kit:
Lazer full-face helmet
Bluegrass half-shell helmet
Camelbak Repack LR 4 hydration packs
Five Ten shoes
Desire by Markvard
Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0
Free Download / Stream:
Music promoted by Audio Library
Bath Two Tunnels Greenway Circuit
For more details please visit:
For cycling related stuff:
Cycling the Bath Two Tunnels Greenway Circuit.
Most of the video at 5x the normal speed.
---- Stats ----
Distance: 22.04 Km or 13.69 miles
Duration: 2 h 10 min ( 1 h 23 min of moving time)
Average Speed: 10.2 kph (15.9 Kph avg. moving speed)
Max. Speed: 35 Kph
Elevation Gain / loss: 154 m / 153 m
Max. elevation: 66 m
Average Heart Rate: 131 bpm (170 bpm max)
Calories: 848 C
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Music credits:
YouTube Free Music Archive
bensound.com
Cycling the Bristol and Bath Railway Path (with two crashes)
Cycling the finest railway path between Bristol and Bath, United Kingdom.
This is my first time using the GoPro on a chest mount, so the path isn't seen well till about 03:33. Fixed it by not leaning, although all I had to do is just mount the GoPro upside down...
More information about the path at
Somerset and Dorset Two Tunnels Greenway
A walk through the Combe Down Tunnel, lenghth just under 1700 Mtrs and the Devonshire Tunnel, at just over 400 Mtrs ,recently re-opened by Sustrans
The Two Tunnels at Midford (Bath)
This is me cycling through the two tunnels at Midford, there and back. What an amazing experience, this is definitely one place you want to try riding if you are ever in the South West of England. Please like or comment on this video.