Strawberry Line in Somerset voted Britain's favourite path
The Strawberry Line, a former railway path in Somerset, has been voted Britain's favourite path in a Ramblers competition.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A former railway line in Somerset has been named Britain's favourite path. The Strawberry Line, which runs from Clevedon through Cheddar to Shepton Mallet, won the public vote in the annual competition organised by the Ramblers and the Postcode Lottery. It was one of eight routes nominated.
The path follows the route of the old Cheddar Valley line, which closed in the 1960s as part of the Beeching cuts. Forward-thinking local councillors bought sections of the land, securing it for future generations. Today, the route is maintained by up to 100 regular volunteers, who keep it clear of brambles and other overgrowth.
The Strawberry Line sees around three quarters of a million trips every year. Volunteers say its appeal lies in its versatility. It is used by young children on bicycles, older people looking for a level walk, and runners training for a marathon, with the distance from Yatton to Cheddar and back covering 26 miles.
A photograph submitted by a local walker named Amanda helped secure the path a place on the competition shortlist. The path has also become a favourite spot for photographers, offering changing scenes with wildlife and weather.
Around 20 miles of the old railway line are currently open. Volunteers are working to complete the entire 29 mile route, and they say their efforts will continue to bear fruit.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One |
|---|---|
| The Strawberry Line runs between Clevedon and Shepton Mallet. | |
| The Strawberry Line was formerly the Cheddar Valley line, closed in the 1960s under Beeching cuts. | |
| The Strawberry Line was voted Britain's favourite path in a Ramblers and Postcode Lottery competition. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The coverage focused on the local significance of the award, highlighting the path's history, the role of volunteers, and its popularity with different types of users. It included interviews and a sense of community pride.
- “Where once boxes packed with strawberries were taken by rail from Cheddar in Somerset to the rest of the UK, you're now more likely to find blackberries.”
- “The great thing about this path is it's a path for everybody.”
- “It sees three quarters of a million trips every year.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.