Blaise Castle Estate takes its name from a Gothic folly, built in 1796 on the site of an Iron Age hillfort. Blaise Castle House, now a branch of Bristol City museum, was constructed between 1795-6 for a wealthy banker, John Scandrett Hartford.
[1] From the car park, head towards Castle House with the children's playground on your left. Pass by the front of the house and out onto the driveway which you follow for a short distance before turning right into Church Lane, then right again to reach the church.
(A) Construction of Henbury church began in the late 11th century, with additions continuing for almost 200 years. One interesting gravestone to be found on the right of the path leading to the church door is that of a slave, Scipio africanus, who was a servant to the Earl of Suffolk, Charles William.
Follow the path round to the back of the church where beyond iron railings you will find steps leading to a subterranean path. Walk with care to cross a stream, then climb the steps ahead and take the grassy path into parkland. In a few yards, as you reach apartments on the left, the path forks.
[2] Head diagonally right, across the park towards the trees to reach the remains of a wooden bench, then go ahead into the woods, crossing a path in a few yards and then climbing steps to a higher track. Turn right onto a surfaced path and pass a cottage on your left.
(B) You are on the old carriage drive that runs from the gatehouse on Henbury Hill to Castle House. Designed by the landscape architect Humphrey Repton, it cut a swathe through undisturbed woodland in the days before planning permission was required. This woodland lodge was built around 1840 and replacing an earlier timber-root cottage.
Beyond the cottage the driveway forks, take the lower route along the surfaced path, and follow it snaking around the edge of the valley and losing height to reach Stratford Mill. Cross the brook and follow the drive with the mill on your right, for about 120 metres to reach a stepped path joining from the left.
[3] Take this, doubling back and gaining height with views of the mill far below on your left. Pass a grotto on the right then.
100 yards further, your efforts will be rewarded with superb views from a railed vantage point known as Lovers Leap.
Now continue forward (ignoring a path to the right) and climb the remaining short distance to reach Blaise Castle passing iron railings and a wooden bench on left.
[4] With your back to the castle doors go half right passing a wooden bench on your right to a path descending through the trees and taking care on the slippery stones. Ignore paths left and right and continue ahead to reach an open grassy area which you cross keeping to the left then climb once more towards the trees, passing a redundant iron gate/fence post. Cross further paths and then go ahead taking the steepest path towards the steps.
At the foot of the steps notice the boundary marker; here the Blaise Estate ends and the Kingsweston Estate begins. Climb ahead passing a redundant kissing gate to reach the open hill-top (Kingsweston Hill).
You now have easy level walking for some distance and to your left you will see the earthworks of an early hill fort.
[5] Continue over cross-paths, eventually reaching a radio mast where you pick up a rough track leading you in the same direction to a footbridge crossing a road. Once over the bridge turn right to climb steps and then go ahead towards the stone building. From here walk ahead to Kingsweston House now visible in the distance.
(C) Kingsweston House is a historic grade I listed building. It was built between 1710 and 1725 was designed by Sir John Vanbrugh for Edward Southwell on the site of an earlier Tudor house, and remodelled 1763 by Robert Mylne. A significant architectural feature is the grouping of all the chimneys into a massive arcade. The house passed through several generations of the Southwell family until the estate was sold in 1833 to Mr Philip John Miles for £210,000, and became the family seat until 1935 when, on the death of Philip Napier Miles, it was auctioned and bought by Bristol Municipal Charities and leased to the education authority for use as a school and later to become Bath University School of Architecture. It had various owners before standing empty for five years. It was then abandoned for five years until being renovated in 2000 as a Business and Conference Centre. In early 2013 the house was purchased by a business man who intends to restore the house and live in it with friends.
Pass around the front of the house to the far side where the tea shop is located, then follow the tarmac drive to the road.
[6] Cross the road with care to Napier Miles Road and walk along this road passing the old stable buildings on the left and the fine pond opposite.
To avoid walking along the road, take the footpath to the left just past the stable buildings, and walk parallel to the road along the edge of the recreation field, exiting just before a cottage near the road junction).
When you reach a road junction cross the road with care to a gated track in the woodland opposite and follow it climbing gently. Expect this stretch to be very muddy but frequent detours into the trees will enable you to avoid the worst of it.
At a junction of tracks turn right and climb back on to the hill-top where you walked earlier. Follow the track crossing your earlier route then head down the far side of the hill for a short distance turning left by a wall and a waymark post. Walk without deviation until the path swings round sharply to the left where a minor path goes right.
[7] Ignore the right hand turning, and continue left to a fork in the track. Here take the lower right path to emerge once more onto parkland. You now retrace your earlier steps, this time keeping to the right, then on entering the woodland ignore the first turning on the left but continue a few paces to a path junction and here go left. Almost immediately the track forks again and this time take the higher right option.
Walk now bearing right round the hillside, soon passing the castle up to your right. Just past here look for a low entrance to a cave and then continue on.
[8] Before the track swings up to the right take a flight of stone steps down to the left. At cross paths continue down further steps ahead to reach the edge of the trees and the parkland. Ahead you will see the children’s playground and to the left the car park where you started you walk.