Pill and Portbury

Earlier today (now yesterday), I went out for a ride - I needed it. I wanted to take a long way round towards home, and I decided I'd want to see some of the River Avon. So I decided to head on the southern side into North Somerset and check out Pill and some roads I'd long forgotten about.

Pill is a village on the other side of the Avon and faces Shirehampton. It's a fair bit further downstream from the Suspension Bridge.

I've only got the river pictures here, there's a bit more to Pill than shown - about a railway bridge's worth - and not much else (by my standards anyway). However, it was a beautiful place, and offered an awesome view of the river and M5 bridge. There were many cyclists, both local kids riding around and also a group who had come from Bristol or somewhere more central. You can see the railway bridge in the distance of the first pic - it's the disused line that runs to Portishead.

Looking towards Pill

Portishead Crossing Club
a lovely maritime themed building.

Portishead Crossing Club

Looking at the M5 bridge from Pill
(it carries the M5 from Portbury/Easton-in-Gordano to Avonmouth)

Looking upstream

Looking downstream
...where I read Chapter 8 of Town and Country Planning!

I then rode over to Portbury Dock (just because it was signposted and decided to out of curiosity.) This was where I saw the car park full of Chevrolet Matiz's.. don't think I've seen so many of the same car all in one place.

Chevrolet Matiz car park

Toyota Vehicle Refurbishment Centre
Another interesting stop.

When I went back home I decided to check this place out on Google Earth, after driving over the M5 bridge and seeing a massive car park full of white vans. See here. Pretty amazing. I was told several years ago at Bristol Parkway station, as a train full of vehicles went by that they were on their way to Avonmouth, for export to North America. This must be pretty similar.

That's it for now. Let's see where else I go sometime soon!