Down by the riverside
Back in the day, keynsham was propelled on to the world stage by Horace Batchelor, a local gambling expert, who advertised his ‘Famous Infra-draw Method’ on Radio Luxembourg that was guaranteed to win the Football Pools. His contact details? “Department One, keynsham, spelt K-E-Y-N-S-H-A-M, keynsham, Bristol.” This was in the 1960s and so it came as no surprise to find this in-slogan being picked up on by a hippy band known as the Bonzo Dog Doo-dah Band – with an album actually entitled keynsham.
From the Lock keeper Inn at keynsham, the walk heads out past the local marina to the site of Londonderry Wharf on the navigable River avon. This was where the Dramway, a 19th-century tramway that carried coal from the pits around coalpit Heath, in South Gloucestershire, offloaded its black gold on to boats on the river for subsequent transportation to towns across southern England. Those brick buildings in front of avondale House were all associated with this horse-drawn railway, one of which is the former weighbridge house.
Fieldpaths bring the walk to the Bristol and Bath Railway Path and a section of the avon Valley Railway running from Bitton to avon Riverside Station. This is the newest station on the line, it opened in 2004, which in season connects up with boat trips on the River avon. The railway was originally the Midland Line from Bristol Temple Meads to Bath Green Park running via Mangotsfield, a victim of the Beeching cuts in the 1960s. Trains also ran from Birmingham to Bath via Mangotsfield, including the
Pines Express that continued on to Bournemouth with its carriages full of Midlands tourists.
From avon Riverside, the walk returns to the Lock keeper by way of a navigable stretch of the River avon. This stretch of the river was made navigable in the 18th century, following the construction of a series of locks and weirs. This ‘advancement’ was not made welcome by the local miners, however, due to the threat of imported coal from Shropshire and Wales that would damage employment in the local mining industry. Occasional acts of sabotage would render the river impassable to coalcarrying vessels, despite the threat of the death penalty for the perpetrators.
at journey’s end, the Lock keeper in keynsham enjoys a fine riverside location with a huge garden fronting on to the avon. This is a Young’s pub with excellent real ales, as well as food offerings that include traditional British favourites such as fish and chips, cumberland sausages and braised beef in Guinness.
and why keynsham, spelt K-EY-N-S-H-A-M? Simply because so many people listening to Radio Luxembourg assumed it would have been canesham! as for Horace Batchelor, he died in 1977 leaving £150,000 in his will, a sum equivalent to maybe £2 million in today’s terms, and testimony to the success of his Famous Infra-draw Method.
Getting there
■ Leave the A4 east of Keynsham to follow the B3116 into Keynsham’s town centre. Turn right by the church on to the A4175 which leads to Willsbridge and Bitton. In 600 yards, having crossed the River Avon, turn right into a road leading to Portavon Marina. Bear right on this road and park on the roadside leading up to the Lock Keeper Inn.
■ 1. Walk towards the Lock Keeper before following a footpath on the left signposted to Swineford. Follow this path, it initially borders a marina, until it joins a metalled access road in 250 yards. Follow this access road across to a whitewashed property called Avondale House. Where the road bears left into this property, keep ahead across a field to a gateway opposite.
■ 2. Follow the left edges of the next two fields to a gate, walk along an enclosed section of footpath that passes the entrance to Meadow Wood on the left, and enter the following field. Head across to a gate in the far left corner of this field, passing a stone outbuilding along the way. Follow the left edge of the next field to a gate, before climbing the steps ahead up to the railway path. Follow this path to the right for ¾ mile to a point just before a bridge over the River Avon and Avon Riverside Station.
■ 3. At this point, follow a path on the right that winds its way downhill to a picnic area and the River Avon. Turn right and follow the riverbank for 1¼ miles back to the access road leading to Avondale House. Retrace your steps to the left along this road, bearing left on to a footpath in 200 yards that brings the walk back past the marina to the Lock Keeper Inn.