An engineering marvel, elegant architecture, a riverside walk and a deciduous wooded valley, each appealing enough on their own. But taken together, they form a richly varied and unforgettable walk. We start at the Clifton Suspension Bridge Visitor Centre, traverse the famous bridge above the gorge and descend Clifton’s streets to Hotwells, by way of hilly streets and narrow lanes. En route, commemorative green plaques embellish Georgian facades – they celebrate notable past residents of Bristol, and we will too, as we’ll pause briefly at each one. Crossing Cumberland Basin’s locks at the entrance to Bristol’s historic harbour, we see traces of the former Clifton railway station and head down the towpath beneath the bridge with Clifton’s terraces looming over us. Then a climb up through Nightingale Valley, the path flanked by ancient woodland. At North Road we head back to the Visitor Centre through the leafy suburb of Leigh Woods.
Clifton Suspension Bridge Visitor Centre, Bridge Rd, Leigh Woods, Bristol BS8 3PA
Clifton Suspension Bridge Visitor Centre, Bridge Rd, Leigh Woods, Bristol BS8 3PA
Accessible by public transport, Booking essential, Buggy friendly, Dogs on leads welcome, Family friendly, Mobility scooter friendly, Wheelchair friendly