The Strawberry Line’s Cheddar Valley Branch is a local group seeking to link Cheddar and neighbouring communities with the existing Strawberry Line Multiuser shared path to allow safe, off-road travel between the villages and the towns to the East and West. The group is a part of the Strawberry Line Society which represents several such local groups, across mid and North Somerset with similar objectives. You can follow the Society on their website, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
The Cheddar Valley group, responsible for Axbridge (A38) to Wells, has been active for many years and while local progress in the past was slow, that has now changed with five new sections opened since 2020, the most visible being a Permissive shared path within a neighbouring parish from Station Road, Westbury sub Mendip to Ebbor Lane, Easton completed in 2023.
A report on wildlife on the Strawberry line highlights some of the benefits of our endeavour to biodiversity as well as to people. The commitment by central and local government to promoting sustainable transport demonstrated that the time was right for a further push. Somerset Council, following on from Mendip District Council’s lead, has developed its active travel plan to enable more people to walk or cycle to work, having engaged with parish councils regarding plans for reducing motor vehicle use.
Currently there are endeavours underway to extend the path that leads from Wells to Dulcote Quarry beyond the Recycling Centre to Churchill Batch Lane in 2024, further sections towards Wells from Shepton Mallet up to Summer Hill Lane, as well as a section from Shepton Mallet up to Windsor Hill as part of the wider 76-mile Somerset Circle project, which is approaching 70% complete. Further sections that bridge the remaining gaps are in the development stages, in partnership with Greenways & Cycle routes; such as Easton to Haybridge, Draycott to central Cheddar as well as improvement to the A38 crossing for traffic-free access to Yatton. This will not only enable people to get to work & school without using a car but will be important steps towards linking Cheddar, Wells, Shepton Mallet and beyond.
Did you know, users can currently continue eastwards out to Draycott, returning on quiet lanes to Latches Lane which then mirrors a Cheddar Walking recognised route through to Draycott Park, on the edge of Cheddar. Where you can link once more to the old track bed onto Yatton.
If you want to use this portion of the Strawberry Line for wider exploring of the Cheddar Valley then can we suggest trying out Cheddar Walking circular routes 14 – Cheddar Moor Circular, 15 – Wedmore via Nyland Hill and 16- Strawberry Special Bradley Cross and Draycott.
The guides are easy, practical and readily downloaded as a PDF, showing various routes around Cheddar that the Cheddar Walking Group published in 2016. The walking guides do make some great practical points which we would encourage you to pay attention to, in particular when enjoying Cheddar Moor and Labourham Droves:
‘These droves are in regular use by pedestrians, cyclists, and horse riders. However these are working droves so please ensure that farming activity is not obstructed. Very large farm machinery may appear at any time, and cattle may be driven along, so please stay alert and be prepared to step aside or be helpful is asked. Help us to work with landowners to ensure “walkers are welcome”!’
All in all they are a great way of exploring further outside the parish to the east.
Further directional signs will be rolled out in due course as the Strawberry Line, Cheddar Valley Branch work to help make the line easier to find and follow, across our growing network.
To find out more about Strawberry Line Cheddar Valley Branch or how you can help us achieve our goals please get in touch using the contact form on our website, as we are always happy to welcome new volunteers.
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