Bristol: Hengrove Park Loop

Several bus routes stop at the hospital, including First Bus routes 36, 50, 51, 75, 76 and 90, and Wessex 515.

There are a number of cycle paths leading to the hospital. Secure bicycle anchor points are available at the front of the hospital.

There is multi-storey car parking at the site, which will need to be paid for unless you are a blue badge holder. Note that if you start the walk at Hengrove Leisure Park, car parking there is free.

Note: Although the walk is generally flat and accessible, a short section (and the alternative extension) may be muddy, and so suitable shoes are recommended.

[1] Begin your walk from the entrance of Hengrove Park Leisure Centre, opposite the South Bristol Community Hospital [A]; cross Hengrove Promenade and walk down the right-hand side of The Boulevard, crossing Christopher Brain Street and passing the South Bristol Skills Academy [B] on your left.

[A] South Bristol Community Hospital was opened on 30 March 2012.

Christopher Brain Street is named in memory of the original architect of the South Bristol Skills Academy, who died aged 50 before the building was completed.

[B] South Bristol Skills Academy was opened to students in 2010.

Turn right at Whitchurch Lane and walk along the (shared) pavement. Continue until you are opposite an office centre, formerly the headquarters of the Somerfield supermarket chain [C].

[C] The Somerfield headquarters employed 750 staff in 2007; the chain was bought by the Co-operative Group in 2008 and the Bristol office was closed in 2009.

[2] On your right by some stone blocks you will find the entrance to a gravel/muddy path; take this path.

[3] After about 50 metres you come across a junction of paths; for the main route, continue straight ahead through an avenue of tall trees. The path soon improves to a recently maintained gravel surface (possibly being prepared for tarmac.)

An alternative path makes for a nice ten minutes (approx.) extension to the walk, but is muddy after wet weather. Take the wide left-hand path at right-angles to the main path. This path climbs gently for a short while, then levels out to go on a circuit around an overgrown former quarry on your right. As you approach the end of the avenue of trees, bear left to go downhill and reach waypoint [4]. [Caution - beware of illegal motorcyclists using this path.]

[4] Follow the path (edged by wooden strips) around to the right, and continue as it swings left and meets a wide tarmac path with barriers to your left.

[5] At this point, on your left through the barriers is Hengrove Play Park and a path to Hengrove Leisure Park while on your right is the end of the old runway of Bristol (Whitchurch) Airport.

[D] The Play Park includes equipment, for climbing, sand & water play. It also has a cafe and toilets, and some outside seating in both sun and shade. The Wheels Park has rinks and ramps for bikes, trikes & skateboards, and a basketball target.

[E] Bristol (Whitchurch) Airport, was the main airport for Bristol from 1930 to 1957.

From the barrier, continue along the runway (i.e. NOT the tarmac path with lamp posts to the right) and enjoy the open space as you walk towards the far end - if the space is open, which it usually is. Note that at weekends (and some other times) car boot sales or other events are held on the runway. [Caution - beware of vehicles using the runway at the start & end of events.]

An alternative route, avoiding such events, is to go along the tarmac path with lamp posts as far as a crossing with a wider path, where you turn right.

[6] About three quarters of the way down the runway, it is joined by a tarmac path on the right; turn right onto this path and head back towards the hospital building.

Go ahead at a path crossing, and zigzag through a barrier to return to the front of the Leisure Centre.

A. South Bristol Community Hospital. This new community hospital opened on 30 March 2012, and provides people in South Bristol with diagnostic tests and therapy services closer to their homes. It also houses Bristol's first urgent care centre for minor illnesses and injuries, day surgery and a rehabilitation service where people are able to stay as inpatients. The services are provided in a purpose built, comprehensively equipped unit with full access to all facilities and services in the hospital, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dieticians, speech and language therapy, X-rays and scans and a brand new community dental service, offering free NHS treatment for local people, provided by the University of Bristol Dental Hospital.

B. South Bristol Skills Academy was opened to students in 2010. Its prospectus says that It offers vocational training and specialised courses not available anywhere else in south Bristol, and puts the learning needs of the local community first. Facilities include motor vehicle and construction workshops, a professional hair and beauty salon, a training kitchen and restaurant, horticultural areas and a Learning Resource Centre.

C. The Somerfield supermarket chain (founded as Gateway in 1950), was by 1985 the 3rd largest in the UK; then followed a complex series of mergers, buyouts, acquisitions & sell offs over the next 20 years. In 2007 it was the 6th largest food retailer and the 5th largest private firm in the UK. It was bought by the Co-operative Group in 2008 and the Bristol headquarters, employing 750 staff, was closed in 2009.

D. Hengrove Play Park is (according to childfriendly.co.uk) “The largest FREE Play Park in the South of England .. not only the biggest but also one of the most exciting. Its most arresting feature is the high dome, which houses the jungle play experience. There are sand, water, slide and climbing play areas for younger children and rinks for skateboarders, skaters and BMX riders. There’s also a pleasant cafe from which you can sit and keep an eye on all their frenetic activity!”

E. Bristol (Whitchurch) Airport, also known as Whitchurch Airport, was the main airport for Bristol and area from 1930 to 1957. When opened, It was only the third municipal airport in the country. During the Second World War it was, for a time, the only operational civil airport. It enabled air connections to Lisbon, to Shannon and from there to the United States, and later to North Africa. The actor Lesley Howard was killed whilst on a flight from Africa to Bristol. The airport closed in 1957, with services transferred to what is now known as Bristol International Airport. The runway was last used in 1993 when a Cessna light aircraft landed on it in emergency.

The walk starts at Hengrove Park Leisure Centre, which is beside the South Bristol Community Hospital and is accessible by road from Whitchurch Lane. It is not the same as Hengrove Leisure Park (an entertainment complex with various food outlets, cinema, etc. and a large free car park) which is close to waypoint 5 of the walk and is accessible by road from Hengrove Way.















































































































 

This route is almost entirely created from work done by Michael Broggio and taken from his route "Bristol: A loop around the block from the hospital (363.6)" which in turn was prompted by help from Brian Edwards.