[1] Start outside the Bristol Tourist information Centre at The Watershed. With the water on your left, head south along the quayside to Pero's 'Horned' Bridge so-called because of its highly visible, upright, counter-balancing weights. Pero was an African taken into slavery in 1762 after which he served the local Pinney family for 30 years. The bridge was designed by Ellis O'Connel and erected in 1999. Another famous slave from the Bristol area is Scipio Africanus who's grave can be found in Henbury Churchyard.
Cross the bridge, turning right onto the quayside and continue along the quay and around the Arnolfini building to reach Prince Street. On this quay you will pass the central Youth Hostel, the Museum of Architecture, the rear of the 'Shakespeare' (a late 18th c pub) and the Arnolfini Art Centre which is located in the old 'Bush' sugar warehouse. At the corner of the quay sits a larger-than-life statue of John Cabot in memory of his 1497 voyage of discovery.
Turn right onto Prince Street Bridge and cross along its right hand, pedestrian side. On leaving the bridge cross the road with care and then follow the quayside along Merchants Quay. Prince Street swing bridge was built in 1879 to replace an old footbridge. Like most of Bristol's Victorian, harbour bridges it was originally swung open using hydraulic water pressure from a ring-main system powered by gravity acting on a heavy weight suspended in a nearby 'accumulator tower'.
Right of the bridge can be seen the last four electric cranes remaining from a very busy dock as well as the harbour railway and the 'M Shed' Museum. On the water in this area you may also see the vessels 'Mayflower', Pyronaut' and 'John King'. Details of these may be found in 'M Shed' behind which stood the City Jail used from 1820 to 1883. It was set afire during the infamous Bristol Riots of 1831.
[2] Follow the quayside around the corner until you reach a footbridge over the entrance to Bathurst Basin, cross this and turn left and then right through the Ostrich Inn seating area to the cobbled path. Follow the cobbled path that hugs the waterside. The path will then take you through a working dock area. Exit this area via the gates and turn left onto Redcliffe Bridge.
(A) Bathurst Basin is the site of the old Trin Mill which stood at the confluence of the rivers Malago and Avon. The flow of the Malago was severed by the 1809 opening of the 'New Cut' just 200 metres to the south and it never again flowed directly into the Avon. The large grey building on the left of the basin is the old Bristol General Hospital built 1852-1857 with warehousing built into the ground floor to "defray the cost of the hospital". The ornate Italienate or Moorish building on the right of the basin is designated as 'Bristol Byzantine' and was designed by Gingell c. 1865 to be Warriner's Warehouse.
(B) The Ostrich Inn can be traced back to 1775. The area right of the inn and alongside the road is the route of the old Harbour Railway which ran through a tunnel under Redcliffe Hill while up at number 28 on the hill William Watts had developed his patented method for making lead shot way back in 1728. His shot tower was demolished in 1969 for road widening.
(C) Up and to your right from the dockyard area you can see the Georgian houses of Redcliffe Parade some dating back to 1771. Down at dock level notice the feature which gave this area its name - the RED cliff - this has been quarried to such an extent that a system of caves can be traced under the houses and throughout much of the hill. In the dockyard itself a replica of Cabot's ship 'Matthew' was built against the rear wall and launched from here in 1997, 500 years after the original.
(D) The lofty church spire ahead of you (rebuilt and completed in 1872) is that of 'St Mary, Redcliffe'. A church has been on this site since 1115 and much of what we see today was described by Elizabeth I as "the fairest, godliest and most famous church in all England".
Follow Redcliffe Way across the bridge. Cross 'The Grove' to the Hole-In-The-Wall Pub then turn right to walk along the cobbles of Welsh Back passing the c. 1640 Llandoger Trow pub tucked away on your left and the Merchant Navy Seamens' Memorial on your right, then continue to the end where you see St Nicholas Church. The Hole-In-The-Wall pub was believed by some to be the model for the Spyglass Inn as described in 'Treasure Island'. Its original 18th c. name was the Coach and Horses but it probably gets its present name from the tiny window in the porch or from the way that men escaped the press gang! You will also pass a floating restaurant called 'The Spyglass'.
Welsh Back was the quay at which Welsh trading ships traditionally moored right alongside the Old City.
Now turn right onto Baldwin Street passing Bristol Bridge on your right (your return route), continue straight ahead across the pedestrian crossing into Castle Park. Follow the cycle path along the waterside until you see steps taking you down to the right. Use these steps or go down the inclined path at the next junction.
(E) Parts of the old Bristol Castle lie left of this route as well as the skeletal remains of St Peters church which have been retained as a memorial to the city's war dead. If you pause to look at these, take a look back at Bristol Bridge. This is the place from which the name of Bristol was derived i.e. Brigstowe, place by the bridge. Below the 1861 ironwork of today's bridge you will clearly see the stone arches of an earlier bridge from 1761. These are cleverly illuminated at night.
(F) A small grove of birch trees called The Normandy Garden of Peace has been planted here to act as a memorial to the D-Day landings and each tree has been given the WWII code name of a Normandy beach.
[3] You are now approaching the Castle Ditch footbridge near the site of the medieval Water Gate. Cross this bridge over the Castle Ditch and continue along the footpath to the right which again hugs the waterside. At the end of this path you will need to climb 17 steps and turn right.
To avoid these steps, go up the footpath to the left immediately after the footbridge and turn right into Queen Street. At the bottom of Queen Street turn right onto Passage Street and head for St Phillip's Bridge.
The Castle Ditch was part of the defensive moat of the castle, it ran around to the right and then left to join up with the River Frome which is now capped below 'Broad Weir'. Looking right and across the water from the footbridge you can see the sites of Finzel's Sugar Refinery and Georges' (later Courage's) Brewery now all turned over to housing.
Cross St Phillip's Bridge then immediately cross the road via the island on your left. Turn right then immediately left and immediately left again around the railings to regain the waterside path. (Before you do this you may care to pause for a moment to view the statue of Chief Fire Officer Kevin Pearson which stands outside the Brigade Headquarters on the corner of Temple Back). Continue along this path passing under Temple Way then take the right hand path up a slight slope along the line of the office building on your right. Make your way ahead to the curvy structure of Valentine Bridge.
(G) When you regain the waterside path you will see a concrete tower across the water. This is the 1968 shot tower which was built to replace the 1728 original William Watts tower which had been located on Redcliffe Hill.
As you approach Valentine Bridge note that Temple Meads Station is ahead and to your right. The section on the far right was designed by I K Brunel as his original station for the 1836-41 venture which first linked Bristol to London by rail.
[4] Cross Valentine Bridge and continue straight ahead to Avon Street. Valentine Bridge has a restrictive barrier access about 1 metre wide, a short steep incline and a lumpy, noisy surface. If this proves to be a problem see map for an alternative route which will take you over an adjacent footbridge and back onto the route again.
Cross Avon Street turning right then take an immediate left onto New Kingsley Road. Take second left into Russ Street and continue past Gardiner Haskins store. Turn left between the main store and the Garden Centre through the pedestrianised part of Straight Street (no street sign at this end) and on to the end of Broad Plain.
Turn before the busy dual carriageway and cross Broad Plain using the traffic island with care to reach the entrance (next to the Mc Coll's shop) to the subway running under Temple Way to the church of SS Philip and Jacob. Pass through the subway and exit left.
Subways are known to have an element of risk associated with them.
If you are not comfortable with this path for any reason, pass by the subway entrance and head up to the traffic lights ahead where you will see a pedestrian route to get you across Temple Way. Turn left and follow the line of the church back down to Narrow Plain. (See map for route)
(H) SS Philip and Jacob (known as 'Pip 'n Jay') was originally 'St Jacob-In-The-Market' c. 1150 and is the second oldest church in Bristol. Actual oldest church is St James' Priory Church dating from c. 1120. The 'market' is remembered in nearby 'Old Market Street' where several fine examples of Georgian architecture can be seen.
Turn right along Narrow Plain and continue straight ahead back over St Phillips Bridge and along Counterslip to the end of the road where you reach the junction with Victoria Street.
Cross at the pedestrian crossing turning right to go along Victoria Street and walk over the left hand side of Bristol Bridge. This returns you to the the crossing point used in section [6]. Cross Baldwin Street then go right of the church and into High Street.
As you cross Victoria Street note the ancient buildings opposite which date from c. 1456. The elevation may have changed a little but they give an idea of what the approach to Bristol Bridge may have looked like in the 16th c. at which time they would have been in St Thomas Street and only a nasty little lane existed where Victoria Street now runs.
(I) Pause midway across Bristol Bridge and look up to the spire of St Nicholas Church (front and left) If the trees are pruned or there are no leaves on the trees note that the clock has a working sweep second hand in the lower half of its face and may be unique among church clocks in this country.
[5] Turn left into St Nicholas Street then turn right up All Saints Lane, follow this through to turn left on Corn Street and walk a few yards along to the main entrance of the Corn Exchange. Pause for a moment in a position where you can view the facade.
Look up at the Corn Exchange clock andsee that it has two minute hands. This dates from the coming of the railways and reflects the fact that the London train timetable was based on London time which was 11 minutes ahead of Bristol time! This continued from 1841 until 1852 when Bristol adopted London (Greenwich Mean) Time. Along the pavement in front of the Exchange Hall stand four large bronze 'Nails' and a nearby board describes their history. In doing a deal the buyers would put down their money on the flat top hence the saying 'to pay on the nail'.
The Exchange Hall is normally open during the day on Mondays to Saturdays. It was built in 1745 and is used now as part of the market. The ceiling is decorated in an exotic fashion with brightly painted plants and animals from all around the world along its frieze.
Continue along Corn Street and out through Clare Street back to Colston Avenue / Baldwin Street. Cross with care at the pedestrian crossing (accidents have happened here) and continue straight ahead to Broad Quay. Turn right to cross Broad Quay onto the pedestrianised Centre Promenade. Head left past the water displays, past the 'cascade steps' and left onto Bordeaux Quay to bring you back to your start point once more. We hope you enjoyed your walk.