Introduction
We aim to build a fairer, greener and more vibrant Mendip that values our distinctive towns and rural communities.
On June 6 Mendip’s Cabinet Board adopted a paper that supported these aims and proposed the Council commence work on an integrated network of multi-user paths around the District. This is in partnership with our City, Town and Parish Councils, as well as the existing voluntary groups and organisations active in the District. These paths aspire to provide motor-free connections along Mendip’s busiest commuter routes, enabling safe, healthy, sustainable active travel alternatives to driving for our residents.
Want to help?
If you would like to be involved in the project, by auditing the current paths or sharing knowledge, please contact paths@mendip.gov.uk
The existing connections
The Mendip area offers a variety of contrasting landscapes, offering many attractions to people keen on exploring its heritage and visiting the beautiful towns, villages, city and vast countryside.
There has been extensive voluntary work on 2 major connections within the District – The Strawberry Line and Frome’s Missing Links.
The Strawberry Line
The Strawberry Line was a railway line originally known as The Cheddar Valley Line. It ran from Yatton railway station through to Cheddar and Wells and became known as the “Strawberry Line” because of the volume of locally grown strawberries that it carried to London markets.
There are groups working together to deliver a motor-free, multi-user path along the line, several sections are in place, but it is incomplete. The longer-term aim is to open up the 5-mile stretch of the former railway line as a traffic-free path between Wells and Shepton Mallet, with a view to it becoming part of the Sustrans National Cycle Network.
Strawberry Line East is the group working on the Wells – Shepton route and has a planning application for a further connection from the Wells path to Dulcote Quarry (planning application (2020/1014/FUL)
The Strawberry Line could play a vital role in forming a grand circular route largely using various segments of disused railway lines across Somerset. The aptly named Somerset Circle would be an 85-mile traffic-free circuit linking Bristol, Bath, the Mendip Hills, the Somerset Levels and the coast. A completed Strawberry Line would provide over a third of this route.
For more information please visit The Strawberry Line
Frome’s Missing Links
Frome’s Missing Links campaign for better and safer walking and cycling routes in Frome and better connections to neighbouring towns and villages, with the goal of developing traffic-free routes with gentle gradients suitable for all ages and abilities.
Frome’s Missing Link’s first project was extending the path from the centre of Frome out towards Great Elm. The group aims to link the Colliers Way cycle path to Radstock, completing the traffic-free route into the centre of Frome.
For more information please visit Frome Missing Links
Mendip is working closely with Strawberry Line East and Frome Missing Links to support the delivery of the missing sections of these routes.
Walk and Cycle Maps in Mendip
Useful information and places to visit in Wells and including Wookey Hole, Burcott, Coxley and Dulcote.
Useful information and places to visit in Shepton Mallet and including Croscombe, Doulting, Charlton, Bowlish and Darshill
Useful information and places to visit in Glastonbury and including Butleigh, Baltonsborough, Polsham, Meare and Ashcott
Useful information and places to visit in Frome and including Marston Gate, Egford, Adderwell, Fromefield, Packsaddle and Stonebridge
Useful information on cycling around the Avalon Marshes of Somerset
The proposed connections
We are looking at options to make the below 14 connections across the district and will be working with the local councils to assess the current state of any existing paths and discuss potential routes and connections.
These connections reflect Mendip’s busiest commuter corridors, and the provision of safe, active travel infrastructure between these points would offer sustainable alternatives in the areas that could have the highest impact in reducing the number of commuter related cars on our roads.
Multi-user path in Shepton Mallet
We will be meeting with local Parish Councils to find the most direct routes where they want to accommodate these routes.
Connections
- Shepton – Emborough
- Shepton – Wanstrow
- Wells – Westbury-sub-Mendip
- Glastonbury – Street
- Street – Sharpham
- Sharpham
- Connecting Frome
Stage or Route
- Frome – Wanstrow
- Shepton – Evercreech
- Wells – Glastonbury
- Glastonbury – Shepton
- Shepton – Wells
- Street – Walton
- Frome – Bath
Want to help?
If you would like to be involved in the project – by auditing the current paths or sharing knowledge, please contact paths@mendip.gov.uk
Multi-user path in Shepton Mallet
Mendip’s multi-user paths project to transform travel in the district, gains momentum. The Council has identified 14 potential routes to link up our villages, towns and city.
Attempts to gain land access, planning permissions and the construction of the paths, are progressing at pace. Landowners are to be contacted, and outline business cases developed for each path.
One of the proposed paths joins the Millennium Way path in Shepton Mallet (between Collett Park and Tadley Acres) through the Council’s staff car park to follow the former railway track bed under the Cannards Grave Road bridge and join Station Road.
View the documents associated with this planning application