Back in the summer when we had the occasional heat wave in UK ie when it get's above 25 degree centigrade (yes, pathetic I know 😅) I rushed out to do a couple of short walks along a trail called the Strawberry Line. The Strawberry Line dates back to 1869 and is so called because it's a railway line that used to transport the local strawberries to London and across the country. The line eventually closed in the 1960s and in recent years it has been transformed into a walking trail. The current Strawberry Line trail is about 16km, and parts of the old railway track are still being transformed. When that's finished the trail should double in length.
My walk was between the starting point of the Strawberry Line, at a little village called Yatton via Congresbury (pronounced Cons-bry) to Sandford, a total of 8Km. I actually did this in two separate days, the first from Sandford to Congresbury and the second from Yatton to Congresbury.
Yatton to Congresbury
This is the second session I did, but it's logical to write about it first because it's the beginning of the Strawberry Line walk. There's a sign at the beginning of the walk in the shape of a train with a track on it. You'll know you're at the beginning of the Strawberry Line walk when you see this. There's also lots of wildlife on the sign, as well as walkers and cyclists. The great thing about this trail is that it's very accessible to everyone. Plus you can start and end anywhere you like and don't have to walk the sections in sequence.
It's quite hard to imagine that over 100 years ago there used to be a railway track here, delivering locally grown delicious strawberries across the country. When the charity started to transform this into a trail, there was a lot of emphasis to preserve the wildlife and biodiversity here.
The walk goes past ancient marshes and rhynes (pronounced reens). Rhynes are common in this part of England, they are man made trenches dug through lowlands for water to overflow and prevent flooding. Overtime they become like a stream and a haven for wildlife.
Some of the rhynes are quite wide, like this section, I often drive by here, the road is where the house is, Today it's very interesting to see this from another viewpoint.
A bit further on some sheep were resting in the shade under the trees. I told you it was a hot day, even the sheep's thought so.
Towards the end of the walk I passed by a farm. Some parts of the old Strawberry Line is linked up by farmland. I walked past these bales of hay stacked up like a massive wall. Each one was about my height which isn't that difficult, but still, it was tall! I always wonder how the bales are rolled up so neatly, and what happens when it rains ..
Sandford to Congresbury
For the second leg, which I actually did a couple of months before the first leg, I started at a village called Sandford. This is the home of Thatchers Cider, a popular cider brand in the UK. Their headquarters and factory is next to where I started my walk.
From Sandford I would walk towards Yatton, the starting point of the first leg of my walk above. Except I will only be walking half way to Congresbury, the end of my first leg of the walk above.
There are some interesting structures en route, looks like they may be the bridges from the old railway network. Unfortunately I couldn't find any information about them.
Personally I like this section of the Strawberry Line better than the previous. Other than the many pylons, the view is more open and varied. I walked pass some orchards, owned by Thatchers, they grow their own apples to make the cider.
Tunnels built by mother nature is so relaxing
I walk pass another rhyne, part of the vast network here
And I'm back at Congresbury. This section of the rhyne links back to the early section where I said I drive by all the time.
I finished my walk outside a field, the same one that the sheeps were in earlier on. I didn't go inside this time, just passing by outside. Again, it was nice to see a place from a different angle, especially with such a pretty gate.
Next time I'd like to do the other sections of the Strawberry Line, but I need to wait for another heatwave ... next year 😀