5 registered for our Strollers Walk, but 14 rendezvoused in Keynsham to share cars for the longest drive (25 miles) to a walk for quite some time. For some, anxious to avoid the Ring Road, our Leader Dave had devised a special route. Unfortunately, they encountered a Road Closed and had to find another way. It was, therefore, 11.00 by the time we were all enjoying coffee or tea in Shirley’s Café alongside Severn Beach Station. This great café is a local institution and a hub for walkers and cyclists.
We all introduced ourselves to David, who joined us for his first walk.
At 11.30 we began our walk following the Severn Beach Heritage Trail using a guide handed out to everyone by our leader. Dave pointed out the site of the cinema, hotel, funfair with rollercoasters, dodgems, steam driven roundabouts, paddling pool, blue lagoon swimming pool, boating lake, putting green and holidaymakers’ accommodation in sheds and converted bus bodies. Not a trace of any of these exists today, but perhaps we sensed the ghosts of the thousands of visitors who thronged this holiday resort for several decades after the arrival of the railway in 1922. Not even the beach survives, as a massive flood defence barrier has replaced it. We gently strolled on this wall for 2 miles following the Severn estuary up beyond the second crossing bridge and back in pleasant weather, warm, dry and with the sun peeping through the cloud. At 13.00 we were back at our cars and drove the short distance to the Plough at Pilning where we all enjoyed an excellent lunch and chatted away until 15.00.
Thank you, Dave, for organising this interesting detour from our usual walking venues. It was a very enjoyable day out for our very sociable group.
Sounds great fun – we’ll done!