A large open space, perfect for meeting friends and having a picnic. Adjoining the ruins of St Peter’s church in the middle of the park is a sensory herb garden, and five silver birch trees as a memorial to the beaches of the D-Day landings. To the east is a grassy arena, and the partially excavated remains of Bristol Castle with a preserved vaulted chamber. There is also a bandstand and a children’s play area.
Owen Square Park
A small neighbourhood park providing a much needed recreation space for the local area and next to Easton Community Centre. The park has a multi-use games court and play area.
The play area includes a large net climbing ‘cone’, net climbing tube, seesaw, twister roundabout, toddler swings, toddlers climbing unit, nest swings, an inclusive springy, a climbing wall and an exciting long slide on the railway embankment. The play area is not fenced.
Hassell Drive Open Space
A peaceful playground and open green space that runs alongside the Bristol and Bath Railway Path.
Rawnsley Park
A much needed green space for adjacent flats and houses. The play area is fenced and dog free includes an accessible ‘nest’ swing, toddler swings, dish roundabout, climbing and balancing equipment, a trampoline as well as a natural play area with boulders, logs and mature trees.
There also seats, a picnic table and bins and plenty of grass space to run around on. All the play equipment is accessible from a footpath suitable for wheel chair use.
St Agnes Park
A characterful and popular local community park reflecting the vibrant and multi-cultural area it serves. The adventure playground includes an accessible aerial ramp leading to a dramatic tree house with nets, slides and fireman poles.
All the play areas are fenced so as to be dog free.
Cotham Gardens
Full of an impressive variety of mature trees and plants, Cotham Gardens are perfect for escape and play. Picnic benches are scattered through the park and there is a playground for children and young people. Visit the human sundial and tell the time with your own shadow, or discover the distance between Bristol and its twinned cities on the Topograph.
Playing Fields & Community Hall
A short walk from the station will bring you to this large, grassy area which contains a modern playground, a five-a-side pitch and plenty of room to spread out and have a picnic. The village hall, with its distinctive curved-roof, hosts a range of events and sports clubs for the area and is available for hire.
Local wildlife
Walking along the seafront reveals one of the best sites in the area for coastal wildlife. Bird watching on a windy day can be truly breathtaking, with many seabirds swooping low over the water before regaining their bearings and flying back down river. Those with a keen eye might spot a grey seal in late-summer, chasing fish into the waves.
The Blue Lagoon
Once named ‘Blackpool of the West’, this was a popular holiday resort in the 1920s and 30s. The popular open-air swimming pool was called ‘The Blue Lagoon’. Photographs from the time reveal that this was an important and fashionable retreat for families from Bristol and further afield. The swimming pool was demolished to make way for the flood- barrier and by the 1960s many of the cafés and amusements had closed.
Napier Square play park
Small park with play equipment.
Richmond Road play park
A small popular park, well used by the local community, with swings, a slide and some seating areas.
Cook Street Open Space
This open space given used to have a playground area, but this was removed due to some vandalism. The green space is a useful shortcut on the school run.
Avonmouth CE Primary School
During World War II, this building was a veterinary hospital. Today, horseshoes are still being found in the school’s garden soil.
Avonmouth Community Centre
Housing the library, this centre is an important community hub and resource for local residents. It offers a wide range of activities and events for all ages and needs. Built in 1886, the building was a school until 1971. Local residents took over the management of the building and Avonmouth Community Centre Association was created.
Avonmouth Park
Well over 100 years old, this triangular park has accessible pathways and shady trees around it. On the site of the old bandstand is a modern, fenced (dog-free) and well-equipped playground. Scattered throughout the park are large boulders and logs – great for running around and playing on. The Victorian toilet building is no longer in use.
Cotswold Community Centre (Dursely Road)
Regular activities include Keep Fit, Dancing clubs, Table Tennis, Salsa, Pilates, and Church services. The centre also hosts a number of events for the community. These include monthly Breakfast Club and Film Club, regular Quiz Nights, Games Nights, Food Theme Nights, children’s parties, table top sales, and ad hoc parties. They also have summer barbeques in the newly refurbished garden and provide a free Christmas lunch for local pensioners.
Shirehampton Public Hall & Library
A busy community building with many events, activities and classes. The library is in the same building (separate entrance).
Springfield Ave Small Playground
Boasting a small football area, swings, other small play equipment and some seating, this is a well used, but much loved, play space for the local community.
The Lamplighters
With plenty of outdoor seating this is a good jump-off point for walks along the River Avon. Built in 1760 as Lamplighters Hall, this is the only pub in the country to bear this name.
Lamplighters Marsh Nature Reserve
This narrow strip of marshland is plant-rich and a wonderfully wild place. A well-kept ‘yellow brick road’ path winds through the area, making it a perfect spot for dog walkers and cyclists. Look out for birds flying above the brambles, hawthorn and reed beds, including curlews and redshanks. Forage for herbs and see if you can spot rabbits nibbling on the grass.
The Daisy Field
Containing a small orchard and pretty meadow flowers, this is a great place to play games and let your dog run about. During World War I, this was the site of the Remount Depot. Have a seat on the hand-carved wooden bench and imagine the hundreds of horses and mules, many shipped from the US and Canada, that were stabled here.
Roman Settlement
Sea Mills was the site of a Roman settlement, known as Portus Abonae. The name and location suggest that this was a river or sea port. The Roman settlement seems to have been abandoned by the 4th century, and there is no evidence of Saxon settlement.
The Old Wet Dock
In 1712, Joshua Franklyn, a Bristol merchant, built a wet dock at Sea Mills, to eliminate the need for large sailing ships to navigate the dangerous River Avon any further upstream. This was located where the River Trym enters the River Avon. However, poor transport links doomed the enterprise and the harbour facilities fell into disrepair by the end of the 18th century. Some remains of the dock still exist, and are used as a harbour by pleasure craft.
Old Sneed Park Nature Reserve
Get lost in this wonderfully wild and beautiful nature reserve, which has been carefully maintained by local enthusiasts and nature-lovers. Wander among the trees and see if you can spy some of the 17 different species of butterflies or 40 species of birds that have been spotted here. Picnic in the ancient meadow grassland or sit by the lake, sometimes visited by herons and kingfishers.
Sea Mills River Park
Small pathways and bridges criss-cross this scenic park that extends all the way up to the Blaise Castle estate. The varied landscape and large areas of grassland make this a perfect break-out space for families, dog walkers and joggers. Exploring the whole of this important wildlife corridor is a full day out.
Clifton Downs
Since 1861, the Downs have been secured as a place of recreation for everyone. The area is rich in nature with wildflower meadows and other plant life attracting different wildlife species. The Downs has a fascinating history, which you can read about on information boards found around the area. The vast parkland is perfect for outdoor games, sport, picnics and for relaxing with friends and family.
Bristol Zoo Gardens
Explore this exciting animal kingdom, set within 12 acres of beautiful award-winning gardens. Come face-to-face with over 400 species of exotic, endangered and adorable animals from around the globe. Visit the amazing gorilla family in their unique 180-degree view Gorilla House, stroll through the tropical Butterfly Forest or become immersed in the impressive Seal and Penguin Coast.
Clifton Down Shopping Centre
Built on the site of the train goods yard in the early 1980s, the Centre is a social and commercial hub for the area. Drop in for a coffee and a catch-up with friends before exploring the rest of Clifton.
Redland Green
Much of Redland Green was ancient farmland. Four of the ash trees on the Green are between 300 and 400 years old – look out for the tree with two trunks. They provide an important habitat for a variety of wildlife and have been protected with the support of the local community.
Lovers Walk
Step back in time as you walk from the station bridge through a long avenue of lime trees and original Victorian black lamps. Created in the late 1800s this walkway is particularly impressive in autumn when the fallen leaves create a dazzling golden carpet.
Cotham Gardens
Full of an impressive variety of mature trees and plants, Cotham Gardens are perfect for escape and play. Picnic benches are scattered throughout the park and there is a playground for children and young people. Visit the human sundial and tell the time with your own shadow, or discover the distance between Bristol and its twinned cities on the Topograph.
The Arches
A striking landmark and useful meeting place, The Arches marks the separation of Gloucester Road from Montpelier, Cotham and Stokes Croft.
Ashley Vale Allotments
In existence since 1917, this is one of the oldest allotment sites in Bristol and commands stunning views.
Montpelier Park
This small community park, which offers views across the city centre, is a hidden gem. There is a fenced-off, accessible play area with plenty of seating and space for picnics. The annual Montpelier Bean Feast event is not to be missed and has sparked creative initiatives around the park, such as colourful wall paintings, large mosaics and knitted tree jumpers!
St. Andrew’s Park
A fine example of a Victorian neighbourhood park, this is a perfect spot to relax among shady trees and open grassy areas. The playground is dog-free and has a sandpit, swings for toddlers, climbing frames, a slide, balancing rails and more. Additionally there is a paddling pool for children, which is opened from May bank holiday till early September. During the hotter months there is a mobile café and picnic tables.
The Bristol Hindu Temple (Church Rd)
The Bristol Hindu Temple, the only one in Bristol, is housed in a converted old church building. It is a place for worship, social gathering and celebrating cultural activities of the Hindu Faith. It was founded in 1979 by members of the Bristol Hindu community who mainly constituted Hindus from East African countries including Uganda and Kenya who came to Bristol in 1972 as a result of unrest there.
Barton Hill flats
With the first of the high-rises opening in 1958 and the last tower block in 1966, these have come to physically define and landmark the area of Barton Hill. Built as a supposed solution to Victorian “slum” dwellings they have had a mixed reception over the decades following.
The Feeder Canal Sand Martin Colony
Visible from the River Avon trail pathway, running along the bottom of the park, is The Feeder Canal Sand Martin Colony. Contained in a disused shipping container, the camouflaged metal box provides a habitat for this protected migratory bird species. The fully functioning Sand martin roost was created by artist Tue Greenfort in collaboration with Bristol City Council in 2012.
Netham Park
This large open area of green grass is on a few different levels, with small areas of trees and grasslands on its southern slopes. There’s a children’s playground, football pitches for adult and junior teams, a cricket pitch, a multi-use games area and a bowls club facility.
Bristol and Bath Railway Path
A safe and popular route that connects the two cities. Constructed by cycling charity Sustrans between 1979 and 1986, the path allows you to access central Bristol with ease and, on a dry or sunny day, can be a pleasure in itself.
Viewed as Bristol’s longest wildlife corridor, you can spot badgers, sniff wildflowers, listen to birdsong and pick blackberries.
Barton Hill Urban Park
Nestled among the 1950s high-rises of Barton Hill, this park is packed with play equipment for a broad range of ages. You’re spoilt for choice between swings, a spinning dish, a cone climber, rockers, a climbing net, a free standing slide, a super nova carousel and a seesaw.
Gaunt’s Ham Park
Relax in the shade beneath one of the many mature trees in this quiet, green space. There is a tennis court and a playground for young children.
Dings Park
A small park with a good selection of rides for young children, and a brilliant enclosed basketball court, kept in fantastic condition.
Shot Tower
The Cheese Lane Shot Tower is a grade II listed shot tower, built in 1969, and was a replacement for an earlier shot tower, the very first such tower ever built. It now forms part of a private office development called Vertigo.
Birthplace of Thomas Chatterton (1752–1770)
Although fatherless and raised in poverty, he was an exceptionally studious child, publishing mature work by the age of eleven. He was able to pass-off his work as an imaginary 15th-century poet called Thomas Rowley, chiefly because few people at the time were familiar with medieval poetry, though he was denounced by Horace Walpole.
At seventeen, he sought outlets for his political writings in London, having impressed the Lord Mayor, William Beckford, and the radical leader John Wilkes, but his earnings were not enough to keep him, and he poisoned himself in despair.
The Urban Food Trail
Follow the Urban Food Trail and discover delicious vegetables, fruits and herbs that you can pick and take home for free. Created with the help of local volunteers, schools and businesses, these 15 garden beds can be found across the city. Pick up the trail map or visit ediblebristol.org.uk to find them all.
Bristol Ferry Boats
Sail into the city on one of the iconic blue and yellow ferryboats which run every day (except for Christmas Day) come rain or shine.
Temple Church
Once the site of an ancient temple, built by the Knights Templar, the church that stands here today was largely destroyed during World War II bombing. Take a walk around the evocative ruins and discover the remains of the original Templar building in the graveyard – now a public garden space.
St. Mary Redcliffe Church
A masterpiece of Gothic architecture, St Mary Redcliffe is over 800 years old. Go inside to discover a superb collection of carved bosses, elegant 18th century ironwork, beautiful stained glass and a world famous Harrison & Harrison organ. Built on the red cliffs, above the floating harbour, the church used to be at the very centre of shipping and industry with the shipping merchants beginning and ending their voyages at the shrine of Our Lady of Redcliffe.