Frome Valley Walkway

Following the River Frome from the centre of Bristol to the Cotswold Hills Please click on the map boxes to access the route R eproduced from the Ordnance Sur vey mapping with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Office Cr own Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil pr oceedings. © Crown Copyright. All rights r eser ved. South Gloucestershire Council L A100023410/2004 ‘The Ordnance Sur vey mapping within this publication is pr ovided by South Gloucestershire Council under licence fr om the Ordnance Sur vey in or der to fulfil its public function to publicise local public ser vices . Persons viewing this mapping should contact Ordnance Sur vey Copyright for advice where they wish to licence Ordnance Sur vey mapping for their own use.’ Introduction he Frome Valley Walkway is a 30km long path that follows the River Frome Tupstream from its junction with the River Avon in the centre of Bristol, to the Cotswold Hills in South Gloucestershire. It is a lovely walk along the river valley, passing through a variety of attractive landscapes. There are historic city parks, a secluded, romantic gorge as well as open countryside with riverside meadows, wooded valleys and the Cotswold Hills. Along the way there are appealing villages and towns such as Frenchay, Frampton Cotterell and Chipping Sodbury as well as medieval churches, nature reserves and a spectacular viaduct. At the Bristol end the route follows surfaced paths and pavements, and sections of the River Frome are culvert- ed and enclosed. The Frome Valley Walkway links with the River Avon Trail in Bristol, the Cotswold Way National Trail further north, and other recreation- al routes including the Jubilee Way, the Monarch’s Way and the Community Forest Path. Five short loop walks offering the opportunity to explore interesting areas around the Frome valley are included in this booklet. The Frome Valley Walkway 1 History of the River Frome Serious floods The River Frome probably The River Frome has a long gets its name from the history of flooding. Its large Anglo Saxon word ‘frum’, catchment area and the which means rapid and journey through the 5km vigorous, and that narrow gorge between describes it well, because Frenchay and Eastville mean Old Mill, Stapleton, Bristol the Frome is a fast- that water levels can rise flowing river, rushing down from the Cotswold dramatically and rapidly Weir at Snuff Mills Hills, dropping 160m in around 30 kilometres. after heavy rain. Down the The river has played an important role in the centuries many of the towns and villages along the development of Bristol, both as part of the river have been periodically flooded by the Frome, original harbour and as a major source of water and the centre of Bristol has been wrecked several power for mills along the valley. Quarrying and times, with over 3m of floodwater. In the 1930s mining were also important industries in the there was widespread flood damage across Bristol Frome valley, with local Pennant Sandstone and and in 1968 five million gallons of floodwater had coal being extracted and transported along the to be pumped out of the old Bristol Rovers valley to Bristol. football ground! Bristol grew People have tried to control the flooding for prosperous centuries, by reinforcing the river banks and over the straightening the course of the river. In the 1960s centuries, the Frome’s flood defences were dramatically thriving as a improved when the Northern Storm Water trading centre Interceptor was built near Eastville. It takes flood for imports water from the Frome at a weir in and exports. Eastville and diverts it along an Frome flowing into historic Bristol harbour Ships became underground pipe to larger, needing deeper mooring, and gradually the drain into the River wharves along the Frome declined as the Avon Avon just under became the more important transport route. The Seawalls in the low-lying marshes along the River Frome were Avon Gorge. drained for housing and industry as the city expanded. In the city centre, the lower reaches of the Frome have gradually been enclosed during the last 200 years to control flooding and make space for buildings and roads. 2 The Frome Valley Walkway 3 Wildlife of the River Frome The River Frome is home to There are several nature lots of wildlife, both in the reserves and key wildlife sites river and along its banks. Its to visit along the route fast flow means that water including Ridge Wood, quality is good, as any pollution Bury Hill, Huckford Dipper is rapidly diluted and flushed Quarry and Royate Hill, most of which out of the system. The river is can be explored on short detours from the home to fish such as roach, gudgeon and eels as Frome Valley Walkway. Bury Hill has splendid well as the native white-clawed crayfish. ancient oak trees on the ramparts of the Iron Age Kingfishers and dippers are often seen along the hill fort (see page 14 for details). Huckford river, hunting in the river for food. If you’re very Quarry is an abandoned quarry with a wonderful lucky you might see water voles or otters - these range of habitats such as damp, rocky outcrops elusive animals have been seen on the Frome and and birch and oak woodland. It is a Local Nature its tributary streams. Reserve, owned by South Gloucestershire Council and managed in partnership with the Winterborne Moorhens and coots are found along most of the Countryside Group. Royate Hill Local Nature river, feeding on plants and insects. They build Reserve runs along an old railway embankment their nests among dense vegetation but prefer to and provides feed in the more open water. Plantlife in the river superb views of is limited, due to the rapid water flow and the Bristol. frequency of flooding, which make it difficult for plants to flourish. However some plants thrive in more sheltered sections, including water lilies and white-flowered water crowfoot. River Frome at Jubilee Gardens, Chipping Sodbury White-clawed Crayfish Female Mallard duck 4 The Frome Valley Walkway 5 Frome Walkway Loop Walks Repton, the influential eighteenth century landscape architect. The route follows winding paths and drives which rise gently up the east side Five short walks will take you to interesting ‘loop’ of the valley. It goes past magnificent trees and sites near the Frome Valley Walkway. These have ornamental gardens to a childrens’ play area, been created in partnership with the Walking the picnic tables, public toilets and refreshment way to Health Initiatives organised by South kiosks. The paths are surfaced and have some Gloucestershire Council and Bristol City Council, good viewpoints over the valley, offering intriguing and the Friends of the River Frome. glimpses of the river and the surrounding woodlands and nearby houses, old and new. Loop Eastville Park - page 9 Walk 1 A green lung for the city Loop Frenchay - page 13 Georgian An easy, short walk Walk 3 architecture, quarries and cottages around Eastville Park, a There are two short loop spacious, open Victorian walks around the park. The walk rises charming village of gently up from the River Frenchay, following Frome, following surfaced surfaced lanes and tracks. paths along avenues of mature trees to the The shorter route climbs splendid iron entrance gates before returning up from the river to wander between the pretty down to the Frome. The walls on either side of stone cottages that were originally the homes of the gates are made of local Pennant Sandstone the men who worked in the nearby Pennant from the nearby quarries. The park has tennis Sandstone quarries. The longer route takes in courts, a bowling green, a play area and toilets as Frenchay Common where W.G.Grace, the famous well as a wildflower meadow. An open air nineteenth century cricketer, used to captain the swimming pool was built in the early 1900s, now village team. The common is bordered by graceful transformed into a community garden with a Georgian houses to the north and has a ‘Ha-ha’ or wildlife area and a delightful sunken community ditch and bank on its south garden. side, to keep cattle out. Both loop walks include Loop Oldbury Court - page 12-13 some steep sections, Walk 2 A Repton landscape climbing up or This 1km circular walk down to the river. around Oldbury Court explores attractive parkland originally designed by Humphrey 30 The Frome Valley Walkway 31 Loop Bury Hill - page 14 The route passes through part of Chipping Sodbury Walk 4 Ancient oaks and folks Golf Course, an attractive, landscaped course with lakes. Please make sure you keep to the route You can take an interesting short through the golf course, and watch out for stray loop walk up to Bury Hill, the golf balls. Sections of the walk are steep and can site of an Iron Age Hill Fort, be slippery after wet weather. with a commanding position high above the River Frome. It’s a steep climb up the hill but Walking the way to Health is your efforts are rewarded with an initiative of the British Heart lovely views over the city of Foundation and the Countryside Bristol and the Avon Valley. Parts of the hill top Agency to encourage more people have been quarried in the past and the stone was walking in their communities. It used for local buildings including Moor End Farm aims to improve the health and which you’ll pass on the route. Bury Hill is also a fitness of people that have done special place for wildlife, known for its little or no exercise recently.

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