My final hike of 2021. The plan is to push hard for the next five days, through urban and industrial areas around the Severn Estuary, before ending the year at scenic Nash Point. There are long distances to cover, and only eight hours of sunlight, so I’ll be walking in the dark.
Travelling down to Clevedon is surprisingly quick, despite various train and bus cancellations, due to the weather, still wild after Storm Barra hit yesterday. I’m soon enjoyably wet from the spectacular waves breaking over the sea wall.
It’s a pleasant, undulating, green walk to Portishead, the path hugging the sea. There is a diversion inland at Walton Bay due to an unsafe footbridge. Probably not the right day to test this.
I find more Banksy style art at Battery Point. Shame about the additional graffiti.
Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve marks the end of my coastal walking for the day. It’s been a lovely morning, but now I’m forced inland to cross the River Avon.
I stop to take some photos in a tunnel under the M5, when a guy on a moped drives past, turns round, and pulls up next to me. He directs me to some new graffiti art on the pillars of the M5 bridge over the River Avon. It means another diversion, but I can’t resist.
After crossing the River Avon, I am faced with possibly the worst stretch of walking since I left Gravesend, over a year ago. Six miles of tarmac, through the vast Avonmouth industrial estate, next to the busy A403, with huge lorries roaring past, spewing up dust. I amuse myself by taking some industrial shots. I don’t walk with headphones on, preferring to immerse myself in the sounds of nature, but I might download some music, in case I meet another section like this.
It’s getting dark, so I put my head torch on. I miss a turn-off for the coastal path, and find myself on the rough verge of the A403, with no footpath, and heavy vehicles for company. This is not good, but I plough on, tromping through brambles, watching the circle of light round my feet, to avoid falling down a rabbit hole.
I have never been so happy to see a tarmac footpath, and head down a deserted industrial road to the Avonmouth Travelodge. As bleak a location as I have found, but it was the only accommodation on route, and it’s cheap. Nicola, on the desk, is running the place single-handed, and is very friendly, serving me a free beer. There is no food available, so no hot meal today. I do have a backup plan, in the form of a nearby bakery, and fall asleep dreaming of warm pastries for breakfast.
Walk distance: 19 miles.
Total distance: 1,115 miles.
I like the industrial areas actually Tony, those two pictures of the industrial bits are cool!
Yes, so do I. I think it was more walking along next to a busy A road for six miles.
Yes that bit of the coast is really rubbish. I think I did briefly find a possibly unofficial off-road route but most of it was along that busy road through all the industry.
I like you first shots in Clevedon. I felt it was a bit too far up the estuary to get rough seas like that. I guess you’ve proven me wrong! Think the grafitti might be Liam Gallagher. Maybe.
I was thinking Noel Gallagher. There was one of Patrick Stewart on the other side, but I did not think it was as good.
Love the photos of Clevedon. In all the years I’ve been there I’ve never seen the waves like that.
Hi Davina. It was a fun start to the day. Quite a few people trying to dodge the waves, and failing. 🙂
I found the “coastal path” on this stretch to be entirely nominal even if you did spot the turn-off, as it was overgrown to head height and impassable without a machete. So, unless it had changed, all you realy missed there was frustration.
Sounds like there is no good option. Maybe plough through early morning when the traffic is lighter.