[1] From the car park at Conham River Park pick up the path by the river and walk left with the River Avon on your right. In a short distance you will come to a "story box" where you may hear an audio history of the area. Continue along the bank passing the ferry landing stage opposite Beese’s Tea Rooms that you will visit on your return.
(A) Before the ferry landing stage look to the opposite bank and you will see the Bristol Aerial Rowing Club relocated here in 1900 and the arches supporting the mainline railway at the entrance to the 900 metre long Eastwood Tunnel which accounts for the sudden sound of trains rushing by. At 1 kilometre pass the foot of '100 Steps' (the route up to a panoramic view) and as you continue along the riverbank look out for herons, buzzards and other wildlife.
Your outward route is very straightforward; just follow the river path (which can reduce to just half a metre wide due to vegetation), eventually passing a group of cottages then walking beneath the massive A4174 road bridge. A short distance on and keeping right at the next path junction you have the first refreshment possibilities during normal licensing hours as you enter a 'Private Road' to come to the 'Lock and Weir' then ‘The Chequers’ pubs opposite Hanham Lock. The river floods regularly and can cause the edge of the riverbank to collapse. If you encounter such a landslip, pass with caution giving the section a wide berth. If you encounter the river at flood you should consider postponing or modifying your walk.
[2] Having quenched your thirst, continue along the towpath where in a few yards you go through a kissing gate into a meadow. Leave the river bank here, veering left to follow a route along the edge of woods up to your left, the wide path guiding you underneath power lines and back to the river (you may see cormorants on these power lines drying their wings). Continue for some distance with the river to your right, eventually reaching a path junction at a metal kissing gate with tracks left and ahead. Continue beside the river to a second kissing gate and beyond this, cross an old stone bridge.
(B) This is the site of Londonderry Wharf, one of two riverside termini of the horse-drawn tramway completed in the 1830’s that transported coal from the north of the region to the waiting barges, and hence to Bristol. Hidden in the trees by the bridge are the steps leading down to the water’s edge. The coal storage shed, crane and coal chute have long gone but the restored stone building nearby was the weighbridge house while the ramshackle structure beside it provided stabling for the horses.
Continue with the river on your right through a metal kissing gate, then walk along the river bank eventually passing the red brick building of the former Cadbury’s (originally Fry's) chocolate factory on the far bank.
(C) During the Monmouth Rebellion, James Scott, the Duke of Monmouth used the meadow to your left as the rallying point for his army in preparation for his attack on Bristol in June 1685. At that time, Bristol was second largest and most important city in the country.
Your arrival at Keynsham Lock heralds the halfway point in the walk and is a good picnic spot. Alternatively continue for a few more metres to the nearby ‘Lock Keeper’ pub which provides a selection of real ales and a varied lunchtime menu.
[3] From the lock climb up to the old bridge, turn left then left again; the walk continues along the adjacent Keynsham Road with the pub down to your left. The road takes you over the River Avon with an excellent view of the weir on the left, after which you need to cross to the opposite pavement when safe to do so. Now go up the hill passing Keynsham Station on the left - the ruins of Keynsham Abbey lie just behind the station - and after a short distance, the entrance to the old chocolate factory on the right. Bear left across the railway bridge then straight ahead to cross the bridge over the dual carriageway of Keynsham Bypass. As you approach the 'Pioneer' pub turn right into a narrow tarmac lane which will take you past the small housing development of 'Pool Barton' after which exit lane via the kissing gate at the end.
[4] Walk straight ahead down over the grass to the sports ground where the poorly maintained public footpath runs to the right of the low boundary fence. Walk with the dual carriageway up to your right, to the far corner of the sports ground where you cross a concrete bridge over a stream. Now follow the footpath as it bears right with further playing fields on your left. The path exits via a kissing gate onto a road, go right underneath the dual carriageway and then look for a footpath and steps in the woods on the left, just before the railway bridge.
[5] Climb the twenty steps and follow the path through the woods, eventually picking up a small stream on your left. Here the public footpath veers off to the right; ignore the footbridge over the railway and follow the path left alongside some old iron railings to reach the stream again. Continue, soon to climb a short flight of steps, beyond which you pass a venerable chestnut tree. After a few more metres a slight sloping path bending left brings you to a stile beyond which runs a major road. This is the southern end of the Avon Ring Road, and its junction with the A4 Bath Road is down to your left.
[6] Negotiate the stile and metal crash barrier to reach a tarmac path at the roadside, follow the path left to its end at the official crossing point where you may cross the dual carriageway with extreme care via the central reservation when traffic conditions allow. (Note: If traffic is too heavy a short detour left to the traffic lights on the roundabout can vastly improve your chances of crossing safely then make your way right to back to the line of the official crossing point). Turn left from the crossing point for about 10 metres to a footpath on the right. Go over the stile and climb the hill ahead walking on an indistinct path parallel with the power lines about 150 metres to your right. At the far side of the field go ahead through a farm gateway and continue directly across a second field with a partially broken hedge about 30 metres on your right. Keep on this line and leave the second field via a metal kissing gate right of the floodlights of a football ground. After a short distance pass through a second kissing gate at the bend of a green lane and go right along this to reach a gated tarmac lane. This is Ironmould Lane.
(D) Left of Ironmould Lane hidden in the trees stands Long Fox Manor which was built 1799 and opened 1806 as one of the earliest private asylums for people with 'mental' problems. It ran until 1953 after which it became Brislington Nurses Home until 1983 then a private nursing home for at least twenty years and now revamped into flats.
[7] Follow the tarmac lane as it bears left at housing up to a T-junction on the edge of Brislington Trading Estate. Turn right along Broomhill Road, pass three road turnings on the right and turn right into Whitmore Avenue. Pass the bus stop and follow the road as it bears left, then on the right just after the turning for Capgrave Crescent enter the tarmac driveway of Eastwood Farm, a 65 acre conservation area managed by Bristol City Council.
(E) At about 3/4 the way down the driveway on the brow of the hill you might care to divert from the route for about 30 metres to the left and right to view two of the ventilation shafts of the Eastwood Tunnel where you should hear the sudden noise of a train far below every couple of minutes.
[8] Follow the driveway to a point just past a rough track dropping away to your right and the farm buildings established 17th c may be seen on your left, then immediately go right, down a set of steps right to a lower path. Take this pleasant path down the hill. Keeping close to the right hand fence and going right at an indistinct fork leave the main track and follow a narrow wooded path to a small grassy lookout spot which once had bench seating and views over the river but sadly is now so unloved and overgrown as to not currently have either - hopefully it will be rejuvenated if and when additional funds become available.
[9] From here a flight of steps returns you to the main track that leads right down to the valley bottom. Turn left at the riverbank to walk with the river on your right on a wide path leading you through a well kept nature reserve. Cross a metal footbridge, pass a large pond on your left and continue with the river on your right until you reach an enclosed level grassed area commonly used for picnics. Bear left to climb a stepped path in the trees which meets a rough track then turn right, walking downhill to reach Beese's tea gardens but be aware that the entrance steps are fairly steep and somewhat uneven.
(F) In good weather and at the right time of the year the large pond can become a magnet for Herons, Kingfishers, Ducks, Swans and Dragonflies all of which may be seen on the same day. Beese's Tea Gardens have been on this site in a variety of guises since 1836 and in the early 1900's it was a popular start point for boating trips. It is believed to have originally been a catering establishment built here to feed the army of Navvies (Navigators) who were building Brunel's Bristol to Paddington Railway from 1836 to1841. The section of railway from Keynsham to Bristol falls at a rate of 1/400 and is the most heavily engineered section of the whole project.
[10] To complete the circuit, take the ferry, (which runs from midday until 7pm Friday-Sunday and Bank Hols., cost 25p) to once more reach the north bank of the Avon. Now back on terra firma, take the broad path ahead away from the river and ignoring paths left and right, continue until near the road where a path L will return you to the car park avoiding the risk of walking with traffic.
(G) This last stretch takes you through the grounds of Conham Hall, demolished in 1971. In the 17th century, the Hall had associations with the Non-Conformist movement when the Baptists met there following the closure of their Bristol chapels.