National Grid Hinkley Connection Project volunteers support Strawberry Line community pathway in Somerset

During scheduled works near Kings Academy in Cheddar, seven team members helped prepare and resurface a key section of the route, making it safer and easier to use for pedestrians, cyclists, and wheelchair users. Their contribution supports the Trust’s long-term commitment to keeping the pathway open, inclusive, and well-maintained for the local community.

The Strawberry Line is a footpath that promotes outdoor access, walking, and cycling, while creating a connected local nature corridor. It follows a 10-mile stretch of the former Cheddar Valley railway line, once famous for transporting locally grown strawberries to London and Birmingham. Since the early 1980s, the route has been gradually transformed into a traffic-free path linking towns and villages across the Mendip area.

National Grid has supported the Strawberry Line Trust since the early stages of the Hinkley Connection Project, recognising the route’s value to local communities and its alignment with the project’s environmental goals. A key milestone in this partnership was the opening of the Sandford Link in November 2023. Delivered by National Grid as part of the new Sandford substation construction and in collaboration with North Somerset Council, the link provides a safe alternative to the busy Nye Road. 

The new section also runs close to the project’s distinctive T-pylons, offering a scenic and accessible route through Somerset’s countryside.

Alex Kraitman, Project Manager at National Grid said:

We’re proud to continue supporting the Strawberry Line Trust and its vision for a connected, sustainable pathway across Somerset. Volunteering days like this show how infrastructure projects can contribute to local wellbeing and environmental goals. It’s fantastic to see the team helping to maintain and improve this valuable community asset.