Frome Valley Walkway
Encyclopedia
The Frome Valley Walkway is an 18 mile (29 km) footpath which follows the River Frome
from the River Avon
in the centre of Bristol
to the Cotswold Hills
in South Gloucestershire
. The path also links the Cotswold Way
National Trail at one end with the Avon Walkway at the other.
Starting in Bristol
's Castle Park, the path skirts public parks in the City, where the river is culvert
ed, and only becomes rural as it passes through Eastville Park. The walk then continues past Snuff Mills
and on to the Oldbury Court Estate, passing beneath Frenchay
Common, then to Cleeve Bridge before passing under the M4 motorway
at Hambrook
. Next, the path passes through Winterbourne Down, and under the spectacular Winterbourne Viaduct
.
The path continues through parkland to Frampton Cotterell
, then south of Iron Acton
before it reaches Yate
and the Goose Green Fields Nature Area. A large section of the walkway is along suburban pavement here, before the final stretch of fields leading to Old Sodbury
where the Walkway officially stops.
It is, however, possible to continue along the Cotswold Way
to Tormarton
, past the source of the Frome
, where there are spectacular views from the top of the escarpment
.
The Frome Valley is an important place for wildlife because it provides a green corridor of freshwater habitats, woodlands, parks and open spaces cutting through the densely built up areas in Bristol
and the towns and farmlands of South Gloucestershire
. The valley allows people to experience a wide range of animals, birds and plants on their doorsteps, some of which are rarely seen so close to the City.
The Frome
is host to the nationally rare British native White-Clawed Crayfish
, which thrives in clear, well oxygenated water.
Birds that can be seen along the walkway include the Kingfisher, Dipper
, Treecreeper
, House Martin
, Grey Wagtail
, Nuthatch
and many more common species.
A number of species of Bat
are also found at dusk on the Frome, including Common Pipistrelle
, Daubenton's Bat
and Common Noctule
.
The plant life that can be seen, particularly at Huckford Quarry beneath the Winterbourne Viaduct
, includes Polypod Ferns
, Hart's-tongue fern
, , Yellow Archangel
, and Wood Anemone
.
River Frome, Bristol
The River Frome is a river, approximately long, which rises in Dodington Park, South Gloucestershire, and flows in a south westerly direction through Bristol, joining the former course of the river Avon in Bristol's Floating Harbour. The mean flow at Frenchay is The name Frome is shared with...
from the River Avon
River Avon, Bristol
The River Avon is an English river in the south west of the country. To distinguish it from a number of other River Avons in Britain, this river is often also known as the Lower Avon or Bristol Avon...
in the centre of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
to the Cotswold Hills
Cotswolds
The Cotswolds are a range of hills in west-central England, sometimes called the Heart of England, an area across and long. The area has been designated as the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
in South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire is a unitary district in the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire, in South West England.-History:The district was created in 1996, when the county of Avon was abolished, by the merger of former area of the districts of Kingswood and Northavon...
. The path also links the Cotswold Way
Cotswold Way
The Cotswold Way is a long-distance footpath, running along the Cotswold Edge escarpment of the Cotswold Hills in England. It was officially inaugurated as a National Trail on 24 May 2007 and several new rights of way have been created.-History:...
National Trail at one end with the Avon Walkway at the other.
Starting in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
's Castle Park, the path skirts public parks in the City, where the river is culvert
Culvert
A culvert is a device used to channel water. It may be used to allow water to pass underneath a road, railway, or embankment. Culverts can be made of many different materials; steel, polyvinyl chloride and concrete are the most common...
ed, and only becomes rural as it passes through Eastville Park. The walk then continues past Snuff Mills
Snuff Mills
Snuff Mills is a park in the Stapleton area of north Bristol, also known as Whitwood Mill.There are pleasant walks along the steep wooded banks of the River Frome, for example to Oldbury Court...
and on to the Oldbury Court Estate, passing beneath Frenchay
Frenchay
Frenchay is a suburb of Bristol, England, to the north east of the city, but located mainly in South Gloucestershire and the Civil Parish of Winterbourne....
Common, then to Cleeve Bridge before passing under the M4 motorway
M4 motorway
The M4 motorway links London with South Wales. It is part of the unsigned European route E30. Other major places directly accessible from M4 junctions are Reading, Swindon, Bristol, Newport, Cardiff and Swansea...
at Hambrook
Hambrook
Hambrook is a village in South Gloucestershire, England, just outside the outskirts of the city of Bristol. It lies between the two larger communities of Winterbourne and Frenchay and is part of the Civil Parish of Winterbourne...
. Next, the path passes through Winterbourne Down, and under the spectacular Winterbourne Viaduct
Winterbourne Viaduct
The Huckford Viaduct spans the River Frome just north of Winterbourne Down in South Gloucestershire, England. It was built in 1902 as part of the Wootton Bassett to Patchway railway line. It now forms part of the line from Bristol to Paddington station....
.
The path continues through parkland to Frampton Cotterell
Frampton Cotterell
Frampton Cotterell is a village and parish, in South Gloucestershire, south west England on the River Frome. The village is continuous with Winterbourne to the south-west and Coalpit Heath to the east. The parish borders Iron Acton to the north and Westerleigh to the south-east, the large town of...
, then south of Iron Acton
Iron Acton
Iron Acton is a village and civil parish in South Gloucestershire, England. The village is about west of Yate and about northeast of the centre of Bristol. The B4058 road used to pass through the village but now by-passes it just to the north....
before it reaches Yate
Yate
Yate is a town in South Gloucestershire, England, at the southwest extremity of the Cotswold Hills, 12 miles northeast of the city of Bristol. At the 2001 census the population was 21,789. The town of Chipping Sodbury is continuous with Yate to the east...
and the Goose Green Fields Nature Area. A large section of the walkway is along suburban pavement here, before the final stretch of fields leading to Old Sodbury
Old Sodbury
Old Sodbury is a small village in the valley of the River Frome just below and to the west of the Cotswold escarpment and to the east of Chipping Sodbury and Yate in South Gloucestershire, England. The village extends from Chipping Sodbury in the West to the Cotswold Edge in the East and is on the...
where the Walkway officially stops.
It is, however, possible to continue along the Cotswold Way
Cotswold Way
The Cotswold Way is a long-distance footpath, running along the Cotswold Edge escarpment of the Cotswold Hills in England. It was officially inaugurated as a National Trail on 24 May 2007 and several new rights of way have been created.-History:...
to Tormarton
Tormarton
Tormarton is a village in South Gloucestershire, England. Its name comes from Thor Maer Tun meaning The settlement with the thorn on the boundary. It is one mile North-East of junction 18 of the M4 motorway, with the A46 road and close to the border between Wiltshire and South Gloucestershire. As...
, past the source of the Frome
River Frome, Bristol
The River Frome is a river, approximately long, which rises in Dodington Park, South Gloucestershire, and flows in a south westerly direction through Bristol, joining the former course of the river Avon in Bristol's Floating Harbour. The mean flow at Frenchay is The name Frome is shared with...
, where there are spectacular views from the top of the escarpment
Escarpment
An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that occurs from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.-Description and variants:...
.
Wildlife on the Frome Valley Walkway
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
and the towns and farmlands of South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire is a unitary district in the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire, in South West England.-History:The district was created in 1996, when the county of Avon was abolished, by the merger of former area of the districts of Kingswood and Northavon...
. The valley allows people to experience a wide range of animals, birds and plants on their doorsteps, some of which are rarely seen so close to the City.
The Frome
River Frome, Bristol
The River Frome is a river, approximately long, which rises in Dodington Park, South Gloucestershire, and flows in a south westerly direction through Bristol, joining the former course of the river Avon in Bristol's Floating Harbour. The mean flow at Frenchay is The name Frome is shared with...
is host to the nationally rare British native White-Clawed Crayfish
Austropotamobius pallipes
Austropotamobius pallipes is an endangered European freshwater crayfish, and the only species of crayfish native to the British Isles. Its common names include white-clawed crayfish and Atlantic stream crayfish.-Distribution and ecology:...
, which thrives in clear, well oxygenated water.
Birds that can be seen along the walkway include the Kingfisher, Dipper
White-throated Dipper
The White-throated Dipper , also known as the European Dipper or just Dipper is an aquatic passerine bird found in Europe, Middle East, Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. The species is divided into several subspecies, based primarily on colour differences, particularly of the pectoral band...
, Treecreeper
Common Treecreeper
The Eurasian Treecreeper or Common Treecreeper is a small passerine bird also known in the British Isles, where it is the only living member of its genus, simply as Treecreeper. It is similar to other treecreepers, and has a curved bill, patterned brown upperparts, whitish underparts, and long...
, House Martin
House Martin
The Common House Martin , sometimes called the Northern House Martin or, particularly in Europe, just House Martin, is a migratory passerine bird of the swallow family which breeds in Europe, north Africa and temperate Asia; and winters in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical Asia...
, Grey Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
The Grey Wagtail is a small member of the wagtail family, Motacillidae. The species looks similar to the Yellow Wagtail but has the yellow on its underside restricted to the throat and vent. Breeding males have a black throat...
, Nuthatch
Eurasian Nuthatch
The Eurasian Nuthatch, Sitta europaea, is a small passerine found throughout temperate Europe and Asia, although not in Ireland. It belongs to the nuthatch family Sittidae....
and many more common species.
A number of species of Bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
are also found at dusk on the Frome, including Common Pipistrelle
Common Pipistrelle
The Common Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus is a small pipistrelle bat whose very large range extends across most of Europe, North Africa, southwestern Asia, and possibly into Korea. It is one of the most common bat species in the British Isles....
, Daubenton's Bat
Daubenton's bat
Daubenton's Bat, Myotis daubentonii, is a Eurasian bat with quite short ears. It ranges from Britain to Japan and is considered to be increasing its numbers in many areas.The name commemorates the French naturalist Louis-Jean-Marie Daubenton....
and Common Noctule
Nyctalus
The bat genus Nyctalus are members of the family Vespertilionidae or sometimes Evening bats. They are distributed in the temperate and subtropical areas of Europe, Asia and North Africa.There are eight species within this genus:...
.
The plant life that can be seen, particularly at Huckford Quarry beneath the Winterbourne Viaduct
Winterbourne Viaduct
The Huckford Viaduct spans the River Frome just north of Winterbourne Down in South Gloucestershire, England. It was built in 1902 as part of the Wootton Bassett to Patchway railway line. It now forms part of the line from Bristol to Paddington station....
, includes Polypod Ferns
Polypodiaceae
Polypodiaceae is a family of polypod ferns, which includes more than 60 genera divided into several tribes and containing around 1,000 species. Nearly all are epiphytes, but some are terrestrial.-Description:...
, Hart's-tongue fern
Hart's-tongue fern
Asplenium scolopendrium, Hart's-tongue Fern is a fern in the genus Asplenium, of the Northern Hemisphere.-Distribution:...
, , Yellow Archangel
Yellow Archangel
Lamium galeobdolon, commonly known as yellow archangel, is a widespread wildflower in Europe, and has been introduced elsewhere as a garden plant. It displays the zygomorphic flower morphology, opposite leaves, and square stem typical of the mint family, Lamiaceae...
, and Wood Anemone
Anemone nemorosa
Anemone nemorosa is an early-spring flowering plant in the genus Anemone in the family Ranunculaceae, native to Europe. Common names include wood anemone, windflower, thimbleweed and smell fox, an allusion to the musky smell of the leaves...
.
Pubs along the Frome Valley Walkway
A number of circular walks are possible using pubs as a start point. Some of the pubs a short walk from the walkway are- The Masons Arms at Stapleton
- The Merchants Arms at Stapleton
- The White Lion at Frenchay
- The White Horse at Hambrook
- The Hambrook Inn at Hambrook
- The Golden Heart at Winterbourne Down
- The Cross Hands at Winterbourne Down
- The Globe Inn at Frampton Cotterell The Globe Inn Official Site
- The Swan at Nibley
- The Squire Inn at Chipping Sodbury
- The Dog Inn at Old Sodbury