Quiz-lover's Guide

Are you a quiz lover? If yes, this is the post for you! We have gathered information on pubs and bars in the city centre organising a weekly quiz, including price to take part, jackpot price (if any), day of the week and area.

Monday is the favourite day for quiz. The earliest quiz starts at 7.30pm in The Beer Emporium, where you can win the biggest jackpot of the day (£50). Traditional Gloucester Road pubs such as The Flyer and The Wellington also organise weekly quizzes at 8pm and 8.30pm respectively. Close in Cotham, quiz at The Hill starts at 8.30pm with a £25 jackpot. Quizzes around Clifton start at 8.30pm in the Alma Tavern and at 8.45pm in The Eldon House, both with £50 jackpots. Both the Barley Mow (Bedminster) and the Grain Barge (Hotwells) start their quizzes at 8pm with £16 and £20 jackpots respectively, Stag and Hounds starts at 9pm.

On Tuesdays, best is to go to the Old Town area. The Famous Royal Navy Volunteer, with the incredible jackpot of £100, arrange a weekly quiz at 7.30pm while the one at Mothers Ruin in St Nicholas Market starts at 9pm. In the last one, apart from having the chance to win a £100 jackpot, they serve free food. We have been there and we had loads of fun! Read here. The Bank Tavern, also in the city centre, has a quiz that starts at 8.30pm which unfortunately has no jackpot.

Park Street is also a good area to go for a quiz on Tuesdays as Bristol Ram, starting at 7.30pm, has a £100 jackpot, and The White Harte, very popular among students, starts at 8.00pm with a £40 jackpot. Finally, The Brass Pig at the triangle starts at 8pm with a £45 jackpot.

If you have missed the Mothers Ruin quiz on Tuesday, you have another chance closeby on Wednesdays as Seamus O’Donnell hosts a quiz starting 9pm (£60 jackpot). Two quizzes are organised in Clifton this day: one at the Coach and Horses and the second in The Vittoria (both at 8.30pm). In Easton, the quiz at Chelsea Inn could be your option at 8pm, where it is free to participate but there is no jackpot to win either.

On Thursdays, the Three Sugar Loaves hosts a quiz on Christmas Steps starting at 9pm. It is the most expensive quiz of all, though (£2) and there isn’t a jackpot either. If you live in St Pauls, Surrey Vaults has a quiz at 7pm with a £40 jackpot, and in Cotham, the quiz starts at 7.30pm in Cotham Porter Stores (£50 jackpot). The other option is to go to The Ship Inn in Gloucester Road to try to win a £50 jackpot at 8.30pm.

There is no quiz on Friday or Saturday.

And the only quiz we know of that happens on Sundays happens at 8.30pm in The Cambridge Arms with a £50 jackpot.

It’s £1 to participate in all of them except for the few exceptions mentioned. There is a very useful map on this website (click here) which show the pubs with quizzes on a map, filtered by days. Have a look and… let me know if you win a jackpot!! :)

You might also like... Market-lover's Guide

The Better Food is always in season!

It's Good Friday and St Paul's is quiet today. I walk down Sevier Street and I see people coming in and out of The Better Food Company, a supermarket selling local, organic, ethical and fair-trade goods, apparently open as usual. Outside the shop, I find a poster that says "Fashions come and go. Veg is always in season". Once and for all, I decide to have a look inside.

When I go in, I find a very nice looking and appealing shop with a café next to it. It is the perfect place to find products for people with special dietary requirements from dairy free to gluten free. There is also a wide range of healthy options such as high quality raw products and a section entirely dedicated to superfoods. In addition, they have locally produced food directly from farmers and artisans. It doesn't really matter if you are a meat-eater, vegetarian or vegan, they have products to suit all of us.

Good quality local groceries; superfoods; chocolates and sweets; dairy products; local eggs and bread; meat, poultry and seafood; dairy-free, gluten-free and Poleo diet products; health and bodycare; gardening... You will be able to find anything!

It really surprises me to find products from the Basque Country in there! They have tinned tuna Bonito del Norte from Conservas Ortiz. It is a very well-known Basque company which sells canned tuna, anchovies, sardines and many other types of fish. I add a tin of tuna to the basket where I have a organic carrot and coconut soup (Free&Easy) and slow dried whole wheat Sicilian Gomitini pasta (La Bio Idea), which costs £5.28.

And the best: the friendliness of the staff member at the counter! Have a good Easter you too! :)

WEBSITES: 

• The Better Food Company: http://www.betterfood.co.uk/
• Conservas Ortiz: http://www.conservasortiz.com/home_en.php

Low-cost lunches (for people as poor as church mice...)

If you are as poor as church mice, or want to save some money but still enjoy a nice meal in Bristol, this is the post for you. In this post, I give you 8 options to eat healthy and/or cheap in Bristol city centre under £5.50 (excluding fast-food chains, obviously). 
Here we go!

Let's start around the Hippodrome: if you like international food, you could have a buffet lunch for £4.99 at Flavourz (BS1 4UB). There is Chinese, Italian and Indian food with a chocolate fountain and many cakes. It gets busy during lunchtime so if you are looking for a quiet place, this is not the best choice. Just next to Flavours, Drawbridge (BS1 4UT) also offers very nice and cheap meals. For example, they have a a £5.49 Cheese Burger or Mozarella & Pesto Burger which is actually pretty good.

Every day between 12am and 3pm, The Bagel Boy (BS1 4UB) offers a 5-pound deal including a classic bagel (there are more than 10 to choose from), some crisps and a soft drink. I have been there and believe me when I say it is really good! (read about my visit to Bagel Boy here). Very close to the Bagel Boy, we can find a very interesting lunch deal at Revolution (BS1 1UA). For only £5, you can chose from a Classic Burger, Bean Dreaming Burger or a Blackened Chicken Burger, all served with a house slaw and skin-on fries every Tuesday and Thursday until 4pm. And not very far away, there is an option for sport lovers: The Walkabout (BS1 1HQ). They offer a meal deal including a beef, chicken or halloumi burger with chips, salad, a piece of melon and a pint of Fosters for 5.95 pounds. Everytime I go there, I always choose the chicken burger. It is grilled instead of fried with breadcrumbs; very tasty.

In the Harbourside, bSb The Waterside (BS1 5UH) offers a burger and a pint for 4.49 pounds. I have never had burgers there although I really believe it is a very good deal. On their website, there is an even better deal including beef/chicken burger, chips and a bottle of Budweiser for £3.95. 

At the Triangle, there is Square Club (BS8 1HB) serving express lunches for £5. There is a selection of mouthwatering ciabattas and sandwiches served with salad or fries. As they say: perfect for a quick fix. If you prefer Clifton, The Racks (BS8 1LX) offers a £5 lunch menu from Monday to Saturday between 12-5pm including a selection of pies, salads, baguettes and sandwiches (check menu here). On Wednesdays after 5pm, on the other hand, you can have a free homemade pie if you buy one. They are the most popular item on their menu!

On Gloucester Road, I stopped at Bubalu Food (BS7 8AS) for lunch one day, which is a coffee shop/restaurant/bar below a fitness centre, offers lunch deals for 5 pounds. It is a complete and varied menu. In my case, it was a roasted veg crepe (huge) with chicken and hummus, a salad on a side and orange/apple juice. On the other side, if you are looking for a cheap Sunday Roast, The Bishops (BS6 5QP) offers a deal including a Sunday Roast with unlimited roast potato and vegetables for just £5.49.

WEBSITES OF INTEREST

• Flavours: http://www.flavourz.co.uk/
• Bagel Boy: http://www.bagelboy.co.uk/
• bSb Waterside: http://www.bsbbars.co.uk/home/
• Bishops: https://plus.google.com/118024844922864037398/about?gl=uk&hl=eu
• Walkabout: https://www.walkaboutbars.co.uk/
• Bubalu: http://www.bubalu.co.uk/
• Revolution: http://www.revolution-bars.co.uk/bar/bristol/
• The Square Club: http://www.thesquareclub.com/
• The Racks: http://www.racks-bristol.co.uk

Mystery shopping in Bristol

Over two years ago, I met a girl who told me she was travelling for free with Easyjet. Yes, you read it RIGHT. She explained to me that she was one of the mystery shoppers that the company hires, who travel and give feedback to the company about the service they provide. Basically, the company paid her to travel to different countries and fill in a couple of questionnaires. And today, I am going to reveal my secret: I am a mystery shopper myself. 

For those who are not familiarised with the "mystery shopping" thing, a mystery shopper or secret shopper is a tool used externally by market research companies or internally by companies themselves to measure the quality of the service they provide. The mystery shopper's identity and purpose is generally unknown by the establishment being evaluated and it can be used in any industry, being the most common retail stores, hotels, restaurants, fast food chains, banks, car dealerships and health care facilities.

Normally, a mystery shopper will have to note names and description of employees, how long it takes to be acknowledged, speed of service, cleanliness of the store, store appearance... and sometimes, she/he will be give some questions to ask to the employees. In addition, they might also need to make a purchase which could be completely or partially reimbursed and will need to fill a form later on describing the shopping. Other times, when a purchase is not needed, they will get a payment for their completed job.

I have been a mystery shopper for a year and a half already in Bristol area, giving feedback from shops such as ASDA, Tesco, EE, Lloyds Pharmacy, Next, Pret a Manger, Urban Outfitters, Zaza Bazaar, V-Shed, Ikea, House of Fraser... and I have earned some money with it. At first, it was just to improve the language skills as you will not get wealthy with the money you earn from mystery shopping. However, it helps with your finances if you have free time and you like the experience. 

I have worked with several companies and I would like to give you my opinion in all of them, if you every want to be a mystery shopper. I really recommend it, it's a lot of fun!

GRASSROOTS

Grassroots Mystery Shopping was the company which I started my Mystery Shopper adventure. They send an email when a job is available close to the areas you have selected and you get paid around 10-15 pounds per assignment, depending what it involves. Sometimes, it requires a small purchase but most of the times it doesn't. However, for Bristol area, they do not have many assignments and you need to be really fast to accept the work. You will receive an email saying that "there are assignments available in your area" and you will need to access the website really fast and accept it, before someone else accepts it. Shops I mystery shopped with this company: ASDA, EE, Lloyds Pharmacy, Next, Tesco, Thomson, House of Fraser...

WEBSITE: https://www.grassrootsmysteryshopping.com

GFK

GFK was one of the first mystery shopping website I signed in. However, after a while, I had to cancel my account because they kept contacting me by phone. I like to have my time to read the assignment notes, check my calendar and decide peacefully whether I am really interested in carrying out the assignment or not. When they call, you normally don't have time to decide where it is, what you have to do and if it is worth it for you or not. Now, I opened the account with them and I must say they don't call that often anymore and the assignment descriptions have improved considerably. I was paid average (5-10 pounds) depending on the assignment but sometimes they had really well-paid (but long) assignments in Ikea, for example. 
WEBSITE: https://mysteryshopper.gfk.com/gfk/ref/?pro=11&inv=1215 

MARKET FORCE

My favourite by far! Market Force is probably the company with more assignments but it is also the one which pays you less. They normally involve a purchase, which is partially reimbursed although it mightcover the entire shopping if you make some calculations. You have to check the website very often to search for new assignments because the update email they send is a very high level and it is not sent regularly. You earn for each assignment completed and lose some if you need to clarify something or release it. Shops I mystery shopped with this company: Pret A Manger, Urban Outfitters, Zaza Bazaar, Cosies, Next, Bank, River Island, Subway, Vision Express, Karen Millen... The more you work, the more grade you have as a mystery shopper.

WEBSITE: http://uk.marketforce.com/register/?ref=181&lang=en&reu=1258265

MYSTERY-SHOPPERS LTD

I have recently started mystery shopping for this company but they mostly work for banks and most of the assignments involve either audio or video enquiries. I don't feel comfortable yet with audio or video assignments and so far, I haven't done any assignment with them. But, if you do feel comfortable with these kind of assignments, they are paid really well (35-60 pounds) and they have many assignments available all the time. The allocation system is not very clear either: you have to apply for each assignment you are interested in and wait to see if you have been allocated or not. If you are not, they don't even bother to tell you! Not very transparent...

WEBSITE: https://online.mystery-shoppers.co.uk

TERN

Tern is also a new company for me and I have only completed one assignment for them so far. They do not contact you by email so you must check the website often and I must say that they don't have many mystery shoppings available as other companies. However, you get really well paid (10-15 pounds).

WEBSITE: http://tern.co.uk/

AMBER ARCH
Amber Arch is a relatively new company for me too. Once you pass the annoying welcome lady on the website, they use the same database as in Tern. So far, I have only completed one assignment for them. They do contact you every now and then by email but you should check the website very often. You get paid about the average £7-10.
WEBSITE: http://www.amberarch.com/

HELION RESEARCH
I haven't done any assingment for Helion Research yet. I only get crazy long assignment for Car Price Audits, which take very long and they aren't even paid that well (£30-35). I still don't give up and check their website every now and then but I haven't seen any assignment in Bristol area that weren't car price audits. 
WEBSITE: https://evaluator.helionresearch.com/r/s1172814

ESA RETAIL (New)
I have recently joined this company and I haven't done any assignment yet. They use the same online system as Mystery-Shoppers, which I personally don't like, and they don't seem to have as many assignments as the rest of the companies. I will keep you posted, though!
WEBSITE: https://www.esa-webms.co.uk

RETAIL ACTIVE  (New)
I found out about this company when I had a chat with an experienced mystery shopper. I signed in and filled the questionnaire to start applying for assignments. It seems they have interesting and quite varied assignments available in Bristol area but I haven't carried out any of them yet. They payment is average (around £5) and most of the assignments require a purchase which is partially reimbursed. I found it very useful that they have a system which allows you are personally notified if a specific unavailable assignment becomes available again.
WEBSITE: http://www.marketchecker.co.uk/

EDIGITALRESEARCH (New)
I have recently joined this company, filled the sample questionnaire and I am waiting for the validation to start shopping. At first glance, the system is not very intuitive and user-friendly. I guess it will improve the more I use it. I will keep you posted on this, too!
WEBSITE: https://www.edigitalresearch.com/shopper/

CHECKOUT UK (New)
I literally just sent a mystery shopping request to this company. Apparently, I have been accepted but there is no online system to see and allocate the assignments. They tell me I will receive an email or call if I am allocated an assignment and they also said that if they do not contact you, it means that there are no assignments available in my area. Not very transparent system, I must admit...
WEBSITE: http://msteam.checkoutuk.co.uk/

MARKET CHECKER (New)
I literally just sent a mystery shopping request to this company. I will let you know about my thoughts on this company when I have some more experience.
WEBSITE: http://www.marketchecker.co.uk/

The Bucket List

When I travel to a new place, I try to get involved with the locals and live a full experience. It is more difficult to do so if we are only there for a weekend trip. However, there are more and more people coming to Bristol to settle up here. Whether you are local, born and raised here, or you are a foreign who is living here for some time, you deserve to enjoy Bristol completely. And Bristol also deserves to have you around! :)

I have been living in Bristol for 3 years now and so far, I have tried fully enjoy my time here. Partially by writing this blog but also by participating and learning new things about the city every day. And I am loving it! 

So, here you are: my own Bristolian Bucket List. I hope you enjoy it!

THE BUCKET LIST 

(or a TOP 10 of things you need to do while you are living in Bristol)

1. Attend to a festival! There are many, especially during summer: Love Saves The Day, Air Balloon Fiesta, Harbour Festival, Walking Festival, Food Festival, Stone-Carving Festival... and for some of them, you don't even have to pay! Concerts, markets, exhibitions, activities and events. There is no time to waste in summer.

2. Taste local brew: whether you like cider or beer, Bristol is surely a place for you. There are many micro-breweries in Bristol area producing beer and cider. Bristol Beer Factory, BrewDog and Great Western Brewing Co are some of the local brands. Try The Apple Cider Boat for any kind of locally produced cider, or Zero-Degrees if you prefer beer. Going to a Cider/Beer Festival will also get you familiarised with brands you haven't heard of!

3. Cycle (or walk) the Bristol-Bath Railway Path: it takes around 1.5h to do it cycling and around 5h if you prefer to walk. I did it last summer, which was the hottest summer in many years, and I turned out it was a very beautiful walk (more info about the path here). Surely, a MUST if you like nature and sport!

4. Listen to (at least) one live music concert: most of the bars and pubs around Bristol have (free) live music each night. Choose one and enjoy many music styles. If I had to choose one, I would suggest going to The Old Duke for some Jazz Music. The atmosphere is FANTASTIC!... and don't forget donating some pounds!

5. Support local economy by buying locally grown food or pieces of art by local artists. For me, it is very important to support the locals with their shops and promote it. Stokes Croft would be the perfect area but also Clifton and Bedminster have very beautiful independent shops. Paying with Bristol Pounds would be another way of showing your support.

6. Volunteer for an event or charity. There are many non-profit societies that are willing to have some help for their events and charity events. City Farms such as St Werburghs Farm, for example, are continuously looking for some hand to help maintain the farm and there is always help needed in festival and big events. The upcoming Green Capital Opening Ceremony is currently looking for volunteers to help organise the event next weekend, for example.

7. Show the city to a friend/family member/tourist. There is no better way to visit the city than with somebody who knows about it. Bristol Cathedral, Cabot Tower, Suspension Bridge... and don't forget to go down the slide close to the Observatory! And if you don't know the city that much, check out the Free Walking Tour that starts by the Cathedral every Saturday at 11am. And absolutely necessary to check the graffities out! Bristol is widely known by its high quality stencils. Which is your favourite? 

8. Enjoy every season! I can tell you any season is the same as the one before so make sure you enjoy each and every one of them! Enjoy Summer by having a beer while sitting on the sun at the Harbourside or picniking at the park...and Winter by having a mulled wine at the German Market or sliding down Park Street in a snowy day. Note how trees change colour gracefully in Autumn in Blaise Castle Park or how the picture of Bristol Cathedral changes in Spring as flowers start to blossom.

9. Have a Sunday Roast in one of the best places in town. There are many places that serve excellent Sunday Roasts but the best I've ever had was at The Albion in Clifton. Absolutely well prepared and presented Sunday Roast! (Price around 15-18 pounds) If you are looking for a more affordable option, I would suggest The Eldon House in Lower Clifton Hill with prices between 8-10 pounds.

10. Participate in a language exchange session. It's never late to learn Spanish, Italian, German, French... or to improve your English. There are many sessions happening in different places in different days of the week. The best place to see what's going on is probably Couchsurfing.com. Don't be shy and try it out!

I have to say that this is my personal bucket list and I would be happy to hear from yours too. What would you add to this list?

INTERESTING LINKS

Links to older posts on the blog:

• Festivals 
• Visit to the Bristol Beer Factory
• Winter Cider Festival
• Bristol - Bath Railway Path
• Have a beer enjoying the sun at the Harbourside
• Autumn colours at Blaise Castle Park
• Mulled wine at the German Market
• Bristol Cathedral

Bristol - Bilbao - Bristol

Finally! I have been waiting for this piece of news for a very long time: an Easyjet flight will link Bristol to Bilbao (Basque Country) next spring!

Today, 10th December 2014, Easyjet has announced that the Bilbao - Bristol route will be back in business starting 19th April 2015 after ten-ish years since it disappered. Instead of travelling to Heathrow (Vueling), Manchester or Stansted (both Easyjet), we will be able to travel to Bilbao faster and in a more comfortable way.

It will be a year around service flying twice a week, Monday and Sunday. Prices will start from 30.99 pounds one-way. So now, dear friends, there is no excuse to visit my beloved Basque Country! 

Visit the iconic Guggenheim museum, have some tasty artistic "pintxos" in the bars around the historical Casco Viejo, watch a football match of the basque Athletic Club team at the brand new San Mames Barria stadium, listen to some classical music at the Euskalduna palace and walk along the Nervion riverside... or even do some kayaking! There  are so many things you could be doing in Bilbao right now... and this is just the beginning! :)

MORE INFORMATION

• Bristol Airport website: http://www.bristolairport.co.uk/media-centre/news-releases/2014/12/easyjet-new-routes.aspx

Extras needed for Music Video in Bristol!

Wanna be an actor/actress and you are looking for the opportunity of your life? This could be it. Keep reading! 

I've just come across this event on Facebook (click here) where Oli Corse  is looking for some extras for a music video. There is a club scene which will be filmed at Kobe Karaoke (above the old Shanghai Nights restaurant) on Nelson Street.

The filming will be happening on the 29th November between 1 and 5pm although he says at the Facebook page that it "almost certainly won't take that long". To hear the track and see the storyboad, check out the "I am Offbeat" website.

Don't be shy! This could be your opportunity to shine! :)

MORE INFORMATION
Website: http://iamoffbeat.com/
Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/382854235215215/?ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular

Zombie Walk 2014: Highlights

Finally, the pictures of the Bristol Zombie Walk 2014. Special mention to those who had worked hard to create great characters with such wonderful costumes and make up. I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I did!

Note: If there is a picture of someone who does not want to be here, please, contact me as soon as possible on greatlittleplacecalledbristol@gmail.com and I will delete the picture.



INTERESTING LINKS

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1549463511938560/

Need a cab?

Do you take a taxi very often? If you do, would you use Uber instead? Uber is an on-demand car service application that allows to request private drivers through your smartphone, for a cheaper rate and probably faster. The service utilizes dispatch software to send the nearest driver within the database to your location and you will be charged directly to the credit card stored in your Uber account instead of paying to the driver by cash.

I learnt about Uber when I was in London visiting a very good friend. I don't normally use a taxi to get around but underground works left us no choice. Instead of calling a normal taxi, my friend ordered a private car through Uber and I must admit that I was impressed how fast the car arrive to our location and how luxurious the car looked. Apparently, you can choose the vehicle type depending on your needs: budget option, luxury option, a car for 6 passengers... and my friend likes everything over-the-top! ;)

This application started in San Francisco (CA) in 2009 and has since spread across the world. So far in the UK, it is only available in Manchester and London. However, Bristol Post said it may not be long before it arrives to Bristol.

This system has created some controversy, specially between the taxi driver's community. London cab drivers, for example, claim that this way of working constitutes a taxi meter and the law states that only black cabs are allowed to use this type of meter in London. Transport for London, on the other hand, says that Uber is doing nothing illegal.

Travelers are also concerned about their safety even though they'd be able to see driver's name and picture before booking the vehicle. In addition, the customer does not know the exact final fare. Uber gives you the estimate instead as costs are determined by the time taken and distance traveled. 

Tell us what you think: Would you use Uber service if it worked in Bristol? 

INTERESTING LINKS

• Bristol Post: What is Uber? How does it work?
• WikiHow: How to use Uber

Shall we go for a swim?

We are having great weather so far this summer. Temperatures are warm, sun is shinning and who wouldn't take a dip? Apparently, open air swimming pools are not common in the UK so I bring a list of covered swimming pools in Bristol and I will leave open air swimming pools for another time. If you happen to know about any other covered swimming pool within the area that I haven't mentioned, please, leave a comment below and I will try to keep the post updated. Thanks!

Otium Health & Leisure Centrel (BS1 2EL): It has a heated indoor swimming pool, which is probably more for relaxing purposes rather than sport activity, as well as many other beauty and health facilities. Check prices on the WEBSITE:
http://www.thistle.com/en/hotels/united_kingdom/bristol/thistle_bristol_city_centre/hotel_facilities/otium_health__leisure_club.html

Bristol South Swimming Pool (BS3 1BS) : This swimming pool located in Bedminster was built in 1931 and is one of the most historically relevant swimming pools in Bristol. It offers a wide range of activities which include Swim Lessons from 4 months to 60+ years, and Swim & Fitness classes for all. The swimming pool is a 30.5-metres long and it has 5 lanes. There are separate changing facilities for male and female located at every side of the pool and there are lockers. One adult swimming session costs £3.45 (concessions £3.15 or £1.95 depending if it's peak or off-peak) and one month of swimming lessons are £25.00 (no discount for students).
WEBSITE: http://www.everyoneactive.com/Centre/Bristol-South-Swimming-Pool/15/Home

Jubilee Pool (BS4 2LP): The Jubilee pool is a 25-metres long swimming pool with 5 lanes located in Jubilee Road. Apparently, they don't provide swimming lessons,but they have other more innovative courses such as Aquazone, Moonlight Swims and also some classes for children such as Disco Swim and Aqua Run. One adult swimming session costs £3.60 (£2.55 for concessions) and a block of 10 Aquazone lessons cost £5.75 (£4.30 for students).
WEBSITE: http://www.leisurecentre.com/jubilee-swimming-pool

Easton Leisure Centre (BS5 0SW): Easton Leisure Centre has two covered pools: a main swimming pool and a teaching pool. They also offer swimming lessons and Aqua Aerobic classes for everyone. One adult swimming session costs £4.00 (concessions £2.25 ) and one swimming lessons, which are sold as a set of sessions, costs £6.00 (no discounts for students, either).
WEBSITE: http://www.everyoneactive.com/Centre/Easton-Leisure-Centre/16/Home

Bannatyne Health Club (BS6 6AG) also offers a heated indoor 25-metres long swimming pool which is available for all members. There are also free lockers, showers and swimwear drying facilities within the club. They have lessons for a fun water-based workout. However, I couldn't find any membership prices on the website.
WEBSITE: http://www.bannatyne.co.uk/healthandfitness/bristol/facilities/

Horfield Leisure Centre (BS7 0XW): Located North of Bristol, Horfield Leisure Centre has two swimming pools: one which is 25-metres long pools with 8 lanes and the other one, 17-metres long is used as a teaching pool. It offers a wide range of activities which include Swim Lessons from 4 months to 60+ years, Aqua Aerobic and  Swim & Fitness classes for all. One adult swimming session costs £4.00 (concessions £2.25 off-peak) and one swimming lessons, which are sold as a set of sessions, costs £6.00 (no discounts for students, either).
WEBSITE: http://www.everyoneactive.com/Centre/Horfield-Leisure-Centre/18/Home

Lido (BS8 2BJ) is a venue with a restaurant, a bar and a swimming pool all at the same place in Clifton. They have a 24-metres long heated swimming pool, which I will include in this post although it is an outdoor pool. Once you are a member (£50 joining fee + £56 monthly fee OR £616 annual fee), you can swim anytime and as many times you wish. They also have a non-member afternoon pass available from Monday to Friday (1-4pm). For £20, you are allowed to use the pool, sauna, steam room and hot tub for 3 hours.
WEBSITE: http://www.lidobristol.com/

Henbury Leisure Centre (BS10 7NG): Henbury Leisure centre also has two covered pools: a main swimming pool and a teaching pool. They offer swimming lessons and Aqua Aerobic classes, as Easton Leisure Centre does. Prices are a little bit different, though. One adult swimming session is £3.90 (£2.15 for concessions) but I couldn't find the price for a swimming lesson on the website, sorry!
WEBSITE: http://www.everyoneactive.com/Centre/Henbury-Leisure-Centre/17/Timetables

Hengrove Park Leisure Centre (BS14 0DE): It has an impressive 50-metres long Olympic swimming pool and another 20-metres long learner swimming pool. They provide swimming lessons but I couldn't find any information about any other activity such as Aqua Aerobic or Fitness. One adult swimming sessions costs £4.25 (£4.10 for concessions) while one swimming lesson costs £5.75 (£4.30 for concessions). 
WEBSITE: http://www.leisurecentre.com/hengrove-park-leisure-centre

Kingswood Leisure Centre (BS16 4RH): This leisure centre in Kingswood provides a 25-metres long main swimming pool and another small pool in Staple Hill. The website does not provide any information about prices or lessons.
WEBSITE: http://www.activecentres.org/centres/kingswood/

"EVERYONE ACTIVE" Discount Card
"Everyone Active" is a well established and nationally recognised brand which has professional staff and a range of payment methods to cater for all customers. The discount card is free for customers eligible for concessionary rates and it provides some discounts in some of the leisure centres above. It is no longer possible for customers who do not qualify for concessions to purchase an Everyone Active discount card as they used to do it until now. If you are a student, you can register online for your Everyone Active Card here or download and fill the Everyone Active Card application form together with the Full-Time Student application form.

WEBSITE: http://www.bristol.gov.uk/page/leisure-and-culture/everyone-active-discount-card

Bristol Bath Railway Path

On Saturday, a friend and I felt fit enough to walk the entire Bristol Bath Railway Path. The path is a very beautiful trail that should be done at least once in your lifetime. 
The Bristol Bath Railway Path was constructed on the bed of the former Midland Railway by Sustrans between 1979 and 1986. It is 16 miles long (24 km) and links Bristol with Bath following the old railway route. Although the Railway Path is mainly thought to be done cycling (it only takes around 1h30min by bike and the surface is tarmaced), it is also open to walkers and access is provided for disabled users.

We woke up and after preparing some sandwiches and taking some fruit for the day, off we went! We kicked off from St Phillips Road in Bristol at 10am on a very sunny day. Although it was really sunny and hot, the path mostly covered by bushes and trees, which gives a very comfortable shade to enjoy the 5-hour walk. 

DESCRIPTION
Start: St Phillips Road (Bristol)

End: Pulteney Bridge (Bath)

Lenght: 16 miles

Time: 5h

The path is well indicated in Bristol. It is very easy to find how to get there, and within the path, there are many arrows saying how many miles you have already done and how many are left to get to Bath. 
There are many other entrances to join the path at many points other than St Philips Road. So, you are allowed to pop-in/pop-out whenever you want.

There are many tunnels on the way. The first one is probably one of my favourites. As you can see on the picture, it has several scenes of the old railway on the walls. However, they are partially ruined by somebody who bought a black spray and wanted to pretend he was a graffiti artist.

There is also another tunnel really long and leaky. Pretty cool to see the "light at the end of the tunnel".

The path is mostly plain, with no steep uphills nor downhills. Very pleasant walk below the shade of trees and bushes although good trekking shoes are recommended due to the length of the path. We barely didn't stop, that's why it took us just 5h.

There are many benches along the way where you can rest although it would also be great if there were fountains to fill our water bottles and maybe more picnic-ing areas would be useful.

Wildlife, geology and flower lovers have the perfect excuse to come walk the path. But obviously, the old railway is the main attraction. Some of the former stations along the path are still popular stopping points. 

Mangotsfield Station, the spot we chose for the first stop, are the ruins of the old railway line with a special atmosphere and the station in Warmley (on the picture) is a perfect spot to have a rest, some coffee or refreshments sitting down on a terrace, or simply using the free toilets in case of need.

Some curiosities: at the beginning of the route, "Walking for Health" signs remain on the floor, an initiative which supports Bristol's diverse communities to become more active through walking. 

There are free bike pumps along the path.These where located at the Bristol Bath Railway Path very recently (read Bristol Post).

The Roman monument around 4 miles away from Bath made us laugh as well as the zebra crossing in one of the accesses to the path.

We have also come across a cat who might have been the one reported missing. However, we haven't been able to contact the owner as to retrace steps backwards to find her telephone number was too painful to even think about it. What made us smile, on the other hand, were the sentences written down on bridges: "I just lost my job. Let's go play!" LOL

There were many people cycling along the path, some of them probably too fast and too close from us. Very dangerous, especially those who were sneaking up on us...

With 10 miles behind our backs, our forces were scarce. This is where, out of nowhere, we ended up having a well-deserved drink in the Beer and Cider Festival happening that weekend in a pub called "Bird in Hand".

And there is no better reward than to check the map and see that you are already in BATH!! :)

LINKS

Bristol Bath Railway Path: http://www.bristolbathrailwaypath.org.uk/home.shtml
Free Bike Pumps (Bristol Post): http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Free-bike-pumps-installed-Bristol/story-20859128-detail/story.html
Bird in Hand (Pub): www.bird-in-hand.co.uk