A traffic-free path from the Mendips to the sea.
The “Strawberry Line” was the nickname of the Cheddar Valley Line, a Great Western Railway branch line that ran from Witham Junction to Yatton via Shepton Mallet, Wells and Cheddar until the late 1960s.
Since the 1980s, the route has been in the process of being transformed, step by step, into a beautiful greenway through North and Mid-Somerset. The path will be suitable for walkers, cyclists, wheelchair users, mobility scooters, and on some sections, equestrians. Once completed, the Strawberry Line path will run from Shepton Mallet to Clevedon, incorporating the Cheddar Valley Line trackbed wherever possible, as well as much of the disused Clevedon branch line. More than half of the route is already open and yours to explore. Over two miles of brand-new path have been built in the last two years alone, and there is every chance that most of the route will be finished in the near future. Volunteers of the Strawberry Line Society continue to work in partnership with landowners and local councils to maintain the existing path as well as deliver new sections. If you’d like to support us, do consider joining us, or donate.
Completed sections have become an indispensable part of local life for residents of all ages and abilities.
New sections have been constructed since 2021, and 2024 will see miles of new path open to the public.
Most path maintenance is carried out by volunteers.
Up and down the length of the Strawberry Line, local volunteer groups work hard at every time of year to keep the path wide and clear, and the surrounding area beneficial to wildlife as a green corridor. From vegetation clearance, verge mowing, tree planting, wildflower sowing to sweeping leaf litter off the path, it’s all done by us! If you’re interested in joining one of our friendly teams, we’d love to hear from you.
The Somerset Circle – a world-class attraction for the region.
The Strawberry Line will play a vital role in forming a grand circular route largely using various segments of disused railway lines across Somerset.
The aptly named Somerset Circle would be a 76-mile, mostly traffic-free circuit linking Bristol, Bath, the Mendip Hills, the Somerset Levels and the coast. Over two thirds (about 50 miles) of this potential route has already been completed, and includes the Colliers Way, the Two Tunnels Greenway, the Bristol & Bath Railway Path, and the River Avon Trail.
The indefatigable Friends of Windsor Hill Tunnels group are working hard on completing the spectacular Shepton Viaducts trail north of Shepton Mallet, and our good friends at Frome’s Missings Links are hoping to complete the Colliers Way all the way into the heart of Frome, thus forming a picturesque spur to the town. Work on the Pier to Pier Way between Clevedon and Weston-super-Mare has already begun, which forms another enticing spur together with the Brean Down Way.