BORDER COUNTRY

All right, there are some nice bits, and you can leave the city on the last few spectacular miles of the A4, clinging to the Avon Gorge and passing under Brunel’s best known bridge. But just a few miles away across the Severn is far more open country, lots and lots of twisty tarmac, and – a bit further north – mountains.

This ride starts at the old Severn Bridge (free for bikes). The views are always a treat as you ride across, but watch out on a blowy day – it’s