Severn Beach

Severn Beach is a village on the mouth of the river Severn in South Gloucestershire, England. A riverside footpath leads beneath the Second Severn Crossing bridge which is part of the Severn Way. The eastern portal of the Severn Tunnel lies on the outskirts of the village.

Severn Beach used to have a popular swimming pool which has been demolished in favour of an open space and some housing. The BBC1 TV drama Shoestring once filmed at the Blue Lagoon Swimming Pool.

Despite being next to the motorway, residents have to travel several miles before they can access either bridge. Since there is no motorway junction at the village, Severn Beach remains free of heavy traffic.

Severn Beach only existed as farm until Great Western Railway decided to link Pilning and Avonmouth in 1900. The railway saw the possibilities of development now that trains passed through the area and in 1922 the village was created as a seaside resort with a swimming pool called the "Blue Lagoon", a boating lake and the Beach Comber Strip Club mostly by local entrepreneur Robert Stride. Many people came from nearby Bristol because Severn Beach had less strict licensing laws.

Severn Beach offers excellent conger fishing from the shore in the winter and views of the River Severn and the two bridges that cross it. The coastline is an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) and has a diverse range of wildlife, varying from Seals to Peregrine Falcons.There have been more than 251 species of bird recorded in the Severn Beach area and it is of international importance for migrating and wintering birds.

Much has changed in Severn Beach in recent years. Many of the shops have closed, the amusement park is but a shadow of its former self. The village pub was demolished to make way for housing, and the village, like most villages around Bristol, is moving towards "commuter town" status, with many people using its rail and road links to work elsewhere.

Adge Cutler of The Wurzels wrote a song called "Aloha Severn Beach".

Transport

The village is at the end of the Severn Beach Line railway, with a small unstaffed station. The line used to loop northwards to join the main Cardiff-Bristol line in the direction of Bristol, but this section has been closed and the trackbed built over.

External links

* [http://www.severnbeach.com/severnbeach/index.htm Severn Beach Information - Web Site]
* [http://www.severnsidebirds.co.uk Severnside Birds, The birds of the Severn Beach area website]