Walking on the riverside

Last Saturday, winter weather gave us a break and the sun shone during the whole day. My flatmate and I decided to go for a walk along the riverside, happy to wear those sunglasses that have been in the darkness for several months. 

Hoping to have a similar weather this weekend (probably not tomorrow), I post the route we made. Hope you get something new out of it!

Bristol Harbour has existed since 13th century and it was the original port of the city but it was not until the 19th century when the tidal by-pass for the River Avon was done and ships were sent to the docks in Avonmouth or Portbury, located at the mouth of River Avon. According to Wikipedia, the harbour is also called the floating harbour as the water remains constant, unaffected by the tides.

Nowadays, Bristol Harbourside is tourist attraction with museums, art galleries, exhibitions, restaurants, bars and nightclubs around. Historical warehouses have been converted into cultural venues such as the Arnolfini art gallery and the MShed museum.

We started the walk at the Cascade Steps (1), the perfect spot to keep your feet fresh in Summer. During the Harbourside Festival last year, there was a stage by the steps. 
Following the left side of the river, we walked pass by Arnolfini (2). I will make a proper post about this art gallery in the following weeks. It is one of the Europe's leading centres for contemporary arts and the entry to the galleries is free.
We crossed the river through Prince Bridge and turned right to go towards the MShed. I posted a detailed description the temporary exhibition of the MShed some time ago. You can read about it here. 

We turned left before arriving to SS Great Britain (4). From the SS Great Britain, museum which I should visit some time soon but I keep postponing, several boat trip companies start their trips along the River Avon.

• Bristol Ferry Boat Company: They are open everyday except Christmas day. The daily service runs between 10am and 6.15pm and goes from Temple Meads up until the Pump House. There are single/return tickets (the price varies between 1.50-3.5 depending on the distance) as well as round trip(4.80) , day (6) and week (12) pass. Discounts are applicable for concessions. http://www.bristolferry.com/ 
• Number Seven Boat Trips: They have animal themed boats which can also be privately hired. The public service runs between 10.50am and 4.40pm linking the city centre with the SS Great Britain and Temple Meads. In summer, they also offer a service to Beese's Tea Garden for 10 pounds return. http://www.numbersevenboattrips.co.uk/
• Bristol Packet Boat Trips: They offer 45-minute tour on the floating harbour with a commentary. The public service runs between 11am and 3.45pm daily during summer and school holidays. From Easter to mid September, they also offer an afternoon cruise to Beese's Tea Garden every Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays with one hour stop for refreshments (which are not included) for 11 pounds. In addition, they also offer cruises along the Avon Gorge or Day Trips to Bath.http://www.bristolpacket.co.uk/

If you keep going ahead, the path will finish. So, there is a boat-building area at the back of the SS Great Britain, and if the gate is open, you can shortcut from there (5). It's a very nice place there where you can see old boats and ships being rebuild or fixed, as well as new ships in the process of being built.


From Bristol Marina (6), you can get very nice pictures of the famous colourful Bristolian flats at the other side of the river, as well as the Grain Barge (red boat) and an old military boat (grey boat).

There are very nice looking flats and apartments by the riverside, very expensive though. However, the view you get from your window is priceless!

We crossed the river again at Merchants Street, by Nova Scotia Ferry Landing (7). From the bridge, looking towards Cumberland Basin, you can see the end of the floating harbour. The Pumphouse on your right, a posh and quite expensive pub/restaurant, where we headed back to the centre. 

The weather was so lush, we stopped for a coffee at the Grain Barge (8), a friendly boat-bar docked in a beautiful location. It was opened in 2007 and this time last year, the mayor of Bristol George Ferguson, put the boat for sale. Apparently, he partially owned the floating restaurant. They have several beers from the Bristol Beer Factory, a brewery located in Southville (from £3.10 pint), and they are constantly changing the guest ale. Check drinks menu here. They also serve food, daily updated menu and Sunday Roast (£9.90). 
We ordered two lattes (£1.90 each) and we took a seat at the deck. Perfect place to relax and enjoy the views!

We restarted the walk after the break towards Lloyds Amphitheatre (9) and the city centre. The Christmas Tree Forest was still there (read about it here) and many people enjoying the weather by the river. Crossed the Harbourside Market and came back to Cascade Steps.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 
MShed: your museum, your story -
http://greatlittleplacecalledbristol.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/mshed-your-museum-your-story.html
Christmas Tree Forest:
http://greatlittleplacecalledbristol.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/christmas-tree-hungover.html
Harbourside Market (and other markets):
http://greatlittleplacecalledbristol.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/market-lovers-guide.html

OTHER LINKS

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Bristol Harbour: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Harbour
Arnolfini: http://www.arnolfini.org.uk/
MShed: http://mshed.org/
SS Great Britain: http://www.ssgreatbritain.org/
Pump House: http://www.the-pumphouse.com/
Grain Barge: http://www.grainbarge.co.uk/