I’d definitely have a look around the villages of the Chew Valley directly south of the city. Chew Magna itself is pretty expensive (to buy, no idea about renting) because it has shops and a cafe etc, but the villages within a few miles are very pretty, have great road riding and are a short hop over the (admittedly large) hill into south Bristol.

We’re not all Tory voting Range Rover drivers, I promise!

Consider looking at Bitton or Wick/Pucklechurch depending on budget.

perfectly placed for riding on and off road, a decent commute (also for Bath) and close enough to the motorway.

I am a long time Chew Valley resident and if you are a hill loving roadie you will love it. I work from home and most lunchtimes head off up Dundry (the big hill tween the Chew Valley and Bristol) or up on to the Mendips (to the south) and can get 300-400 meters of ascent in easily in my lunch hour. I have Strava cat 3/4 climbs in every direction. Plenty of great country pubs for the weekend road rides over the Mendips like the Ring O Bells at Hinton Blewett or the Carps at Stanton Wick. You will frequently see road clubs out on a weekend and races based around the lake. Some of the roads leave a little to be desired in terms of potholes though, BANES please!

For mountain biking I tend to drive. Ashton Court and Leigh woods are a 20 minute Sunday morning drive away and a great winter/all weather MTB fix. There is plenty of MTB riding on the Mendips but I tend to avoid it over the winter unless frozen solid, otherwise you spend more time cleaning than riding the bike. Cwmcarn, Forest of Dean, Quantocks etc are all an easy drive for the weekend. Good bikeshop in Burrington Combe (Bad Ass Bike), Box the owner is a character, knows his stuff and always goes the extra mile. highly recommended.

In the Chew Valley just don’t expect fast internet if that’s important to you.

(Bad Ass Bike), Box the owner is a character, knows his stuff and always goes the extra mile. highly recommended

Yep – great bloke, ably assisted by Nath and Dan.

In the Chew Valley just don’t expect fast internet if that’s important to you.

+1 though it really depends where. I know people on 5-6Mbps which is fine of most streaming use IME (I’m only on 3 – 3.5)

Thanks Daffy/Enigmas. Sounds like you’re in agreement that North/East of the city is better than South for general access to jobs.

Not if you work in the centre – you’re into countryside much more quickly if you head south.

From my office window, I’m looking at the Ashton Court estate yet it’s a 10 minute bimble from here into the centre. There’s a nice route through the estate, through Long Ashton and on to Flax Bourton so that might fit the bill. I see lots of commuters heading that way in the mornings.

North is ‘better’ for many of the jobs in the North of Bristol (because getting across the city at rush hour is rubbish) but it’s also generally more expensive to live in.

For my money I’d be looking at Southville/Bedminster/Totterdown (basically BS3, maybe a bit of BS4) as nice places to live without being too expensive but also having quick access to Somerset, Ashton Court, Mendips and most of the other good riding. It’s also very convenient for any jobs that are in central locations and you can ride to North Bristol easily enough and avoid a good bit of the traffic if you pick your route carefully.

Where work is will obviously have a big effect but Bristol isn’t like London (I’m from SW London as it goes) and really it’s quite compact so everywhere is commutable particularly if you’re going by bike.

Anyway, Bristol is a great place to live (he says just having moved out but not for any reasons that would be relevant to you and I’m still close).

I don’t want to live in the city. Instead I’d like to be outside the city in a village/small town. I want peace and quiet.

I don’t think that Southville, totterdown etc would fulfill his expectation.

Go to Cheltenham !
I lived both there and in Bristol (5 years in each).
Nearer the countryside, better riding, fairly good nightlife. And if you want to pop to Bristol it is 45min drive.
Bristol is nice as a student and for the 2 following years. IMO

Thanks for all the info everyone. I’m heading down this morning, and will be staying South of the city for a couple of days. 1st port of call will be a ride in the mendips. I’ll report back….

Do pop in to Bad Ass Bikes in Burrington Combe, they will give you some tips on where to ride on the Mendips. Indeed park in one of the car parks just up the combe and ride from the shop.

Nearer the countryside, better riding, fairly good nightlife. And if you want to pop to Bristol it is 45min drive.

Aside from not being closer to the countryside, and not having better riding, I found it to be a pretty dull clone town. IMO.

Had a cracking ride out to cheddar gorge. It’s definitely not flat out here. Now drinking cider in the pub. Had to ask the barmaid to repeat herself 3 times as I couldn’t understand her. Told her I loved her accent. It’s infectious. Shame she’s half my age 😉

Not if you work in the centre – you’re into countryside much more quickly if you head south.

NE bristol, well technically some of south gloucs is in the countryside, and does Ashton court really count as “the countryside”? It’s bloody busy and has a lot of events. I’m not saying either is better or worse BTW. But they both should be investigated to get your best fit.
Be careful with chew magma, I think it floods quite easily. I love the mendips (work there) but my friend used to ride clevedon – bristol and got into so many conflicts with drivers he sacked it in the end. That road isn’t the safest at rush hour IMO. Not trying to put you off, just sharing some experience.

Have lived in north Bristol (Downend, Mangotsfield) & South (Portishead) – Portishead was great, smallish town a few bars / restaraunts. Cycle path along the river to central Bristol (8-miles) past Ashton Court & Leigh Woods. Easy access to M5. Mendips 20-min, Quantocks 50-min & easy access to South Wales. Plans for a new train station too.

Be careful with chew magma, I think it floods quite easily.

There are a couple of streets in Chew Magna that flood but 99% of the village is fine. Round the back of the church and down the road towards the fire station are the ones that spring to mind. They are easy to spot, as they have flood barrier fixing on the doors. Its certainly not the whole village and we are not talking Tewkesbury scale flooding.

Had a cracking ride out to cheddar gorge. It’s definitely not flat out here. Now drinking cider in the pub.

Pretty much how my today went, actually pretty much how most weekends end up. Ashton Still Traditional Cider at the Ring O Bells, Hinton Blewett, mmmm lovely or should I say gert lush 🙂

friend used to ride clevedon – bristol and got into so many conflicts with drivers

What kind of problems? – I often fancied out that way as you have the b road link to pill and on down to the cycle path into town (accepting a bit of mud in Winter).. Was he taking the main road?

There are a couple of streets in Chew Magna that flood but 99% of the village is fine.

Didn’t it get cut off by flooding in 2012?

Was he taking the main road?

I think so. Perhaps not the best way. Ex paratroopers eh?

Westbury on Trym was mentioned earlier, I’ve been living here for 3 months now and think it is just the right balance. You are not in a busy part of town here, its not cheap but the access is essential for me Some key stats from north westbury:
– 20 minutes cycle to all weather MTB trail ‘ashton court & leigh woods’
– 10 minutes road ride to Over lane (M5 jnc 17) which is entirely rural tarmac from then on
Other life conveniences
– 20 minute road ride down hill to town centre, faster if you pedal
– 5 minute drive to M5, 10 minutes to M4
– 3 minute jog to Blaise estate for me, lovely trail running venue.

Also mentioned earlier a38 north, once north of Filton (away from city entirely) its a good commuting road.