This bike ride is brilliant in its simplicity. We’ve found there’s always plenty of parking at Dundas, the terrain is mostly smooth and flat, perfect for our young children, and No. 10 Tea Rooms is just the perfect distance away to justify lunch and an ice cream before cycling back. We had a dip in the river when we got back to Dundas.
It’s just 15 minutes drive from Bath and makes a lovely walk with an option to make it circular and a dip or SUP in the river from the pontoon under the arches is a must. Take a look here for all the details.
Cycle Map & Directions – Below is a fully interactive map with directions, elevation & distances. Download the plotaroute app to follow the route on your phone with a few simple steps.
THE CYCLE ROUTE & HIGHLIGHTS
The path starts at the rather grand Dundas Aqueduct. It is an incredible and imposing feat of engineering, designed to carry the canal over the River Avon and railway to avoid the steep sides of the river valley. Completed in 1805, it’s 150 yards long and the three arches are built of Bath stone with Doric pilasters and balustrades at each end. Stop and have a good look, it’s really worth it.
We parked at the Brassknocker Basin Car Park, a paid for car park, which had plenty of space for a weekend and links to the towpath. A free alternative is to park in the lay by here if you can find a space and take the path at the end of the lay by down to the basin.
Both parking options have short paths that lead straight to the Brassknocker Basin, the start of the route. This large basin sits next to the incredible Dundas Aqueduct and often has moored canal boats. If you fancy a coffee or a toilet stop here, the Angelfish Cafe is just a short walk down the old Somerset Coal Canal to the Canal Visitor Centre at Brassknocker Wharf. You can also hire bikes here.
From the Brassknocker Basin we made our way west along the canal towpath, over the aqueduct and continued past decorated canal boats, some are moored house, some holiday rentals. The path follows the canal the whole way, flanked with lush vegetation, beautiful trees and brimming with wildlife. We saw swans, ducks with ducklings, dragonflies, canal boat life, and pretty houses.
There’s a few well placed benches along the way for a pit stop and to admire the views. The path was fairly busy but mostly has plenty of space to pass without the need to stop.
NO.10 TEA GARDEN
The half way marker of this route is the wonderful No. 10 Tea Garden, an independent cafe opposite the Avoncliff aqueduct. They serve refreshments, sandwiches, sausage rolls, cakes, scones, ice cream and other treats, homemade on the premises or sourced locally.
At the end of our cycle we lugged the bikes down the steps at Dundas Aqueduct and had a refreshing dip in the river. Despite the low water levels, there was still a pretty powerful current to more you move into the middle of the river. Be safe.
This route is situated on route 4 of Sustrans National cycle network.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
- TERRAIN: The terrain is very flat with a few awkward spots to go under tunnels or across a bridge. It’s smooth with some pot holes, puddles, mud and gravel
- PARKING: We parked at the Brassknocker Basin Car Park, a paid for car park, which had plenty of space for a weekend and links to the towpath. A free alternative is to park in the layby here if you can find a space and take the path at the end of the lay by down to the basin.
- BIKE HIRE: You can hire bikes from Bathbikehire at Brassknocker Wharf for £20 a day adult, £15 child
- LENGTH: 9.7km
- DURATION: It took us about three hours with a lunch stop
- ELEVATION: 67m
- ACCESSIBILITY: This route is suitable for bikes, wheelchairs & buggies.
- DOG FRIENDLY: Yes
- PUB & CAFE OPTIONS: Angelfish Cafe and No10 Tea Gardens both have toilets