So this was the final day with @21 miles to Avonmouth to get the train home. But it had rained overnight and was raining when I left @8am after breakfast in my room (the only option for an early departure). It was also cooler with a blustery wind as shown by the fake ‘palms ‘outside my window.

Surprisingly I felt better than yesterday and the rain had made it softer underfoot. However, following rivers is different to canals as the paths are less distinct and direction arrows less frequent, particularly at river crossings which I will blame for needing backtrack a couple of times.

This first section provided evidence of the height of the river when in spate, with debris caught in kissing gates and litter high up in trees, probably 5m+ above the current water level. The path would be submerged and impassable. I had been lucky with the conditions and the weather.

With the ‘deviations’, I eventually made it round to Hanham lock, being the tidal limit for the Avon, for 9:30 after 6.5 miles. It was still chilly. The route continued to follow grassy meadows.

As I got closer to Bristol graffiti seemed to become more prevalent adorning all adjacent structures probably due to Banksy’s influence – it must be the graffiti capital of Europe. I also needed to pay attention as there was a junction with the Feeder canal which flowed to the north of the Avon through the centre of town and past the docks. Wouldn’t it be embarrassing if I followed the wrong waterway, although they did join up later. There was a section of the Avon where no path existed which meant following the adjacent road, before re-joining Sustrans Route 3 into Bristol.

As I reached Bedminster Bridge Roundabout I noticed a sign to shop local in East Street, so stopped in the Olive and Fig for a coffee for the first and only break of the day at 12.5 miles. It was here that I was allowed to eat my last cookie, just leaving me with a handful of bite-sized bounties that always get left to the end in a tub of Celebrations. Not normally keen on them myself, they’re actually quite nice when there’s nothing else.

I then followed the south side of Spike Island round to the Avon Gorge viewpoint of the Clifton Suspension Bridge. The last time I was in the area I was cycling over the Gorge and had to dash into the women’s toilets due to a dodgy stomach from too much Bass the night before. I want to say that it was ok in the early 90s but it probably wasn’t, but it was totally necessary, much to the amusement of others.

It was very busy and noisy on the Portway dual carriageway out of Bristol towards Avonmouth. Just after some extreme graffiti, I eventually found an escape via a footpath sign to the Severn Way. It was great to be away from the traffic running along the flood plain of the Avon, amongst driftwood, fridges and strange signs.

I followed the path past Sea Mills station and continued around Horseshoe bend on a reasonably well defined path that I was hoping wouldn’t peter out as the floodplain became increasingly vertical in the distance.

Anyway after a climbing along a rock gabion, over a tree trunk, for which a handy rope was available and then through a fallen tree, still on a reasonably well defined path, my worst fears were realised as the path came to nothing and I had to backtrack.

To avoid causing any alarm to people reading this and any damage to my reputation, the next thing I recall was leaving an allotment and re-joining the Severn Way (Bristol Link). I had obviously missed a turn.

I then followed the Lamplighters trail to the M5 road bridge and turned into an industrial estate hoping it would take me to the Severn Estuary. It didn’t so I ended up retracing my steps and then turning into Avonmouth Village to find the station for the 2:12pm train home. It wasn’t the spectacular end that the 7 day run perhaps warranted, but that didn’t matter, given all the spectacular sights and enjoyable experiences I had encountered already. It also amused me that Avonmouth is classified as a ‘village’, but its last census population recorded only 2,645 people, so that makes sense. However, it must have the widest babbling brook and highest bridge for any village.

While the official distance for the day was @21 miles, I had done @44,000 steps, indicating that I had probably run further. So with my self-imposed mission accomplished the 4 hour train journey back to Epsom was very relaxing. Passing familiar sights on route, given the close proximity of the railway to the canal, memories came flooding back making the last four days feel like a week. There is so much to remember which is one of the reasons why I have started documenting my trips, as my personal ‘hard drive’ is full.

So that brings this great trip of 191 miles in 7 days to a close. The next stop is Suffolk for the recce and the 100 in May when the terrain and navigation will be more testing.