Five Arches Greenway Opening Day - The video

Just came across this video, from the Sustrans Youtube Library, covering the opening event of the Five Arches Greenway between Radstock and Midsomer Norton, Somerset.

To the apparent disappointment of a few people, this new route, built upon the formation of the late lamented Somerset & Dorset Railway, was constructed with a smooth sealed surface suitable for all users in all weathers. In accordance with current standards a softer equestrian surface was also constructed to one side.




The Five Arches Greenway project grew from a community initiative supporting the Sustrans Connect2 project.

Build It And They WILL Come

AND DON'T, EVER, EVER, SAY IT CAN'T BE DONE.



Read David Hembrow's blog post. I don't need to say any more. Thank you David.

Except:

WAKE UP BRITAIN.

IT'S NOTHING TO DO WITH "CULTURAL DIFFERENCES", HILLS OR THE WEATHER.

STOP MAKING EXCUSES AND FFS GET ON WITH IT.

(No apologies for "shouting". It's my blog and I'll shout if I want to. So there.) ;-)

If They Could Do It...

...then why can't we? (Sigh...)



And please don't trot out the usual excuses about "hills", "weather" and all the rest of them. They've been thoroughly debunked before.

Wake up Britain.

Please.

(Hat tip to Munchenierung for the heads-up; and to Marc van Woudenberg, aka "Amsterdamize" for making an excellent little film.)

Five Arches Greenway - "Official" Opening Day

24th September 2011. 1pm. At the point where the route crosses the old Pit Path between Westfield and Midsomer Norton >> here:

View Larger Map

The deed will be done by Councillor Rob Appleyard, Chair of Westfield Parish Council. Then Michael Eavis, he of the Glastonbury Festival, will unveil a fancy picnic bench, a bit like this one, nearby.

It will be great to see a group from the nearby Two Tunnels project (another link in the chain for an almost continuous traffic-free or traffic-light route between Midsomer Norton, Radstock and Bath) will be coming down from Bath to join us. Awesome.

So, if you're in the area, grab that bike, skateboard, roller-blades, mobility scooter, horse, dog, outdoor shoes, whatever, and get down there and show 'em how popular this great new amenity already is.

Somer Valley Wheels September Ride Schedule

After the failure to come to a mutually amicable arrangement with the council over use of the loan cycles belonging to the former council run scheme, the new Somer Valley Wheels club continues to operate fully independently.

Pending our taking over the "www.somervalleywheels.org.uk" domain name and building a new website I shall post ride details on this blog.

We are also working on acquiring a small collection of bikes for loan and on locating local storage space. In the meantime members are making some of their own suitable spare bikes available for loan so that we can continue with the philosophy of the original scheme in making easy cycling accessible to people who would otherwise not be able or willing to ride.

Here's the September schedule, kindly collated by Chris Cox:

September Cycle Rides

Saturday 3^rd September self-led ride 10.30 meet in the car park behind library in Radstock

Tuesday 6th September (Easy / Rolling ride with leader)*

Saturday 10^th September (Explorer ride with leader)  Strawberry line 10.00 in the car park behind library in Radstock

The “Strawberry Line” ride is “car assisted”! People can either drive direct to Yatton or meet at Church St. car park in Radstock to car share as much as possible to Yatton Railway Station to start the cycle ride from there. We are aiming to leave Radstock by 10:00.  Weekend parking at Yatton is £1.50 for all day. The Strawberry Line is mostly on ex-railway so mostly easy gradients; surface variable but mostly similar to canal towpath. Driving time to Yatton from Radstock is approx. 45 minutes each way. The cycle ride Yatton-Axbridge is 8 miles each way with a refreshment/toilet break at Axbridge. Community Café at Yatton Station.  Meet at 9.45 ready to leave at 10.00 am.

http://www.thestrawberryline.co.uk/

Tuesday 13th September – suggested date (self-led ride)*

Saturday 17^th September (self led ride) 10.30 meet in the car park behind library in Radstock

Wednesday 21st September (Explorer ride with leader, "Mass Dial Ride" visiting some local churches to look at mass dials).*

Saturday, 24^th September (Easy ride with leader) cake run to Mells

-Wednesday 28th – suggested date (self-led ride).*

Please note the different meeting places for the weekday rides and the weekend rides:

*For the rides that are asterisked, we will meet at the Church Tea Rooms at 9.45 ready for a 10.00 start.. 

Saturday rides please meet in Radstock car park behind the library 10.20 for 10.30 start except 10^th September when we need to meet at 9.45 am ready to leave at 10.00am

There will be a charge for the led rides of £2.  £3.50 if you loan a bike.

For the foreseeable future, we will not be able to provide loan bikes during the week, so you will only be able to come if you have your own bike.

On Saturday 10^th and 24^th September there will be two loan bikes available.  These need to be booked in advance by contacting me via this blog or the new contact number:

0775 989 8500