The LDWA Chart are very useful for planning routes like these, and also the Handbook. In case you don't have them details are in the Shop under Publications. Some of these routes are ok for bikes. OS maps show many other bike routes of course.

Thanks Ian & Paul.
I will be putting your routes on my data base in the next few days. I rode my bike up through the West Country last year and crossing the Avon and Severn via the paths alongside the M Ways, with truckys doing 70+ towards you and just a few bits of metal between you and them and the drop to the river on the other was akin to a Lake district edge covered in ice in thick mist.
David H

From Bath the River Avon Trail takes you to and through Bristol (free download at http://www.riveravontrail.org.uk/booklet.pdf ), but you could leave it at its link to the Community Forest Path (on its map 5) and follow this, an orbital route, round the north of Bristol to near to the Severn and cut across to the Severn Way at Severn Beach, and follow this to the bridge. Alternatively continue on the Avon through the city and pick up the CFP on the west side and go north. These routes are now at http://www.forestofavon.org.uk/cfp.html and http://www.forestofavon.org.uk/sw.html. If you don’t want to cross the bridge, continue to Gloucester and then use the Gloucestershire Way (http://www.countryside-matters.co.uk/glosway.html) back to Chepstow. All are waymarked and named on OS maps.

The Kennet and Avon Canal from Bath to Bristol has no towpath but you can walk along the Avon – the route was formerly called the Avon Walkway. There is a shorter disused railway trail as well, on OS maps.

A couple of other city options from points on the Avon:

April 2005 Strider said that Trail magazine (Dec 2004 issue) contained a 21¾ml walk written by Ronald Turnbull, a regular contributor to Strider. The walk starts from the centre of Bristol, crosses Clifton Bridge before heading north to Sea Mills and Henbury, arriving at the River Severn at Severn Beach and following the river to Aust before crossing the old Severn Bridge to its finish at Chepstow. There are rail links at either end, at Bristol Temple Meads and Chepstow. Maps required for this walk are EXP 154 (Bristol West) and OL 14. If you want to see this and can’t get it, please email to LDP@ldwa.org.uk.

December 2002 Strider covered the 18miles/28 km Bristol Triangular City Walk for those who enjoy long distance town or city walks. Devised in 2001 by the Bristol Group of the Ramblers’ Association it provides an opportunity for the walker to explore the waterfront, Avon Gorge, Durdham Downs as well as the heart and history of the city. The circular walk starts from Bristol Temple Meads Station. The route description is now on http://www.bristolramblers.org.uk/ under Bristol Triangle Walk. A leaflet, showing the route, was available from Bristol City Council, Transport Planning DETL, Wilder House, Wilder Street, Bristol BS2 8PH (Tel: 0117 9036449) – Free (+ SAE). There is a colour leaflet at £1.50 from Bristol Ramblers, 57 Somerset Road, Bristol BS4 2HT - cheques to Bristol Group Ramblers' Association.

There is some information on camping barns (‘stone tents’) at http://www.yha.org.uk/Types_of_Accommodation/Camping_Barns/Camping_Barns.html

Leigh to Preston is pretty straight forward.

Use Leeds & Liverpool canal from near Leigh town centre as far north as Appley Bridge.

From there head for Bispham Green, Mawdesley, Croston, Bretherton, Much Hodle and finally follow the Ribble Way along the river bank into the centre of Preston.

At present in the process of planing next years walks I need a relative safe route through the Urban Jungles from Bath to Chepstow and then from Leigh to Preston and has any one any advice on useing camping barns how much do you need to carry etc.
David H

Welcome to this new Forum Topic – an umbrella for your postings on long distance paths (LDPs). We will increasingly use the News facility on the site to cover new LDPs and you will probably know from recent Striders that we are well advanced with developing a new LDPs Information area for the website, likely to go live later this year. Thanks to those who have posted ideas about this through the other Forum Topics.

Around half a dozen members are now actively updating our LDPs data, essentially what we have published in past LDW Handbooks and on the LDP Chart with Harvey Maps both of which are featured in the Shop pages. As we now have around 1,000 LDP routes logged, this is a major task, so we are prioritising the 150 or so new routes since the last Handbook in 2002, the Anytime Challenges, many of which are LDWA members’ own routes, and the most walked routes like the UK national trails. We need more helpers for this if you can spare some time to join them; the LDWA has a very long tradition in pioneering LDPs information on a self-help basis through volunteers. We know there is wide interest in walking LDPs, both from members and prospective members whom we may then attract to the site – our experience at the Outdoors Show has demonstrated that. We have also advertised in Strider for a member to edit the regular Strider LDPs News feature, that we hope can continue. This brings together recent LDPs updates in one place and is widely used by Strider readers.

You can use this LDPs Forum Topic to let other members know of routes you recommend, or that were perhaps not up to your expectations. If you are planning to walk an LDP you can seek advice and tips from others who have recently walked it, or if you are developing an LDP yourself, others may be able to help you. News of major re-routings and diversions may also assist fellow members.

If you want to find the latest updates of route details, or you want a special search run on our database, you can always email to LDP@ldwa.org.uk – we deal with quite a few enquiries and can usually reply within a few days. You can also send us useful route information you come across, such as new websites and publications.