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Hengrove Park

Hengrove · 12 miles

Spanning roughly 76 hectares of open land in the Hengrove area of Bristol, the park offers a mixture of recreational and natural spaces. Visitors can explore a large adventure play area, a dedicated skate park and the Hengrove Mounds Local Nature Reserve, which provides a modest habitat for wildlife. Adjacent developments include the South Bristol Community Hospital, Hengrove Park Leisure Centre and the South Bristol Skills Academy, all forming part of the broader South Bristol regeneration programme. The site is managed by Bristol City Council and lies close to the residential district of Hengrove. The ground that now hosts the park was originally farmland before being acquired in 1929 for the municipal Whitchurch Airport, which opened on 31 May 1930. After wartime use by the Air Ministry and BOAC, the airport ceased operations in 1957 and the terminal was demolished, leaving sections of the former tarmac visible within the parkland. The area was officially renamed Hengrove Park in November 1962 to avoid confusion with an active airfield. Subsequent decades saw proposals for housing, a helipad and a motorsport circuit, before the council earmarked the majority of the land for public open space. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s the park became a venue for local sports and larger events, reinforcing its role as a community asset within the city’s green network.

Leigh Woods

Sneyd Park · 12 miles

Leigh Woods occupies a two-square-kilometre ridge on the south-west side of the Avon Gorge, directly opposite the city of Bristol and close to the Clifton Suspension Bridge. The reserve lies within North Somerset, with the suburb of Sneyd Park the nearest settlement, and forms part of the Avon Gorge Site of Special Scientific Interest. Within its boundaries the Iron Age hill-fort known as Stokeleigh Camp sits on a promontory overlooking Nightingale Valley, while the banks of the Avon contain derelict limestone and celestine quarries that were worked in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The landscape is characterised by limestone, occasional sandstone, and a series of dry valleys, the most notable being Nightingale Valley at the southern end. The Monarch’s Way long-distance footpath traverses the woods, offering walkers routes that link Clifton to Clevedon along the ridge. The woodland is managed jointly by the National Trust and Forestry England; a portion was donated to the Trust in 1909 by George Alfred Wills to prevent urban development, and the remainder was acquired by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in 1974 before passing to Forestry England. Botanical interest includes a variety of native and imported Sorbus species, Bristol rockcress flowering in April, and orchids together with western spiked speedwell during June and July. Historical features such as the hill-fort, the quarries and the restored arboretre at Paradise Bottom add depth to the natural setting. Public access is provided via the footpaths, and the proximity to the Clifton Suspension Bridge and the suburb of Leigh Woods makes the reserve readily reachable for visitors exploring the Avon Gorge area.

Old City Gaol

Wapping Wharf · 12 miles

The New Gaol was a prison located in Spike Island, Bristol, England, operational between 1820 and 1883.

Mayflower

Wapping Wharf · 12 miles

Mayflower is an 1861 steam tug. It is in working condition and operates trips some weekend in the summer

Pyronaut

Wapping Wharf · 12 miles

Pyronaut is the Ex Bristol Fire Boat.

M Shed

Wapping Wharf · 12 miles

Industrial museum – Museum about Bristol with a collection of historic ships