Work has begun to improve the walking and cycling route linking a Somerset village to a well-loved heritage railway line.
Since 1996, the Somerset and Dorset Railway Heritage Trust has operated services on a small stretch of track south of Midsomer Norton, extending towards the nearby village of Chilcompton. At present, residents of Chilcompton who wish to walk to Midsomer Norton must navigate steep steps ascending from Fry’s Well onto the disused railway trackbed, followed by a narrow public path to Tunnel Lane before continuing into the town.
This journey is set to become considerably easier by Christmas, as Greenways and Cycle Routes have started work on a new, wider ‘greenway’ intended to eventually run all the way from Chilcompton to the heritage railway line.
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The first phase, known as the ‘Chilcompton and Norton Radstock Greenway’, will extend over 800 metres between Fry’s Well and Tunnel Lane, primarily following the existing public right of way.
Work commenced in early September, with information shared through laminated flyers placed near the Chilcompton end of the route.
A spokesperson for Greenways and Cycle Routes explained: “The path will be constructed at a higher level, running along the old railway boundary wherever possible. At Fry’s Well, the current very steep steps will be replaced by a much gentler staircase featuring a wheeling ramp to assist cyclists.”
They added that the popular walk along the old railway trackbed will remain accessible throughout construction, except for brief closures lasting one or two days during the replacement of steps at Fry’s Well.
Following completion of this section, focus will shift to a second phase-from Tunnel Lane to the existing path adjacent to the Somerset and Dorset Railway leading into Midsomer Norton.
Meanwhile, cyclists can still access Tunnel Lane and Silver Street to connect with the existing railway path towards Radstock.
Additional information about the project is available at www.greenwaysandcycleroutes.org.
Greenways and Cycle Routes have played a key role in delivering numerous active travel initiatives throughout Somerset, including new stretches of the Strawberry Line, which was recently voted the UK’s favourite path.
The Chilcompton and Norton Radstock Greenway, like the Strawberry Line, will eventually form part of the wider Somerset Circle-a planned 76-mile traffic-free loop connecting the north Somerset coast (including Weston-super-Mare and Clevedon), Bristol, Bath, the Mendip Hills, and Shepton Mallet.
Eventually, the Chilcompton section will link with the Windsor Hill Greenway (which runs along the former railway line north of Shepton Mallet) and the Colliers Way, which continues through Radstock towards Bath, with a branch leading to Frome.