The castle is lovely and grounds are absolutely stunning. Although the structure and landscaping…read moreare lovely, our tour guide felt the need to weave her strong political views into most topics. Examples would be regarding a pitcher/jug that is displayed in one of the glass cases. She said the pitcher "should not be here" and if she had her way "it would be returned" because it was "stolen from a masque." She also said when referring to Dr. Edward Jenner being the first to develop a successful vaccination for small pox that "it really is a question if he were the first." She said he barely beat Africa and Turkey in this world altering vaccine. To which doctors to whom was she referring to in Africa or Turkey? She made a comment of, " My grandfather always said, 'Whatever horrible acts done have been done have been done by the English first.' and I firmly believe this." She was also railing against the decisions of the monarchs before the addition of the parliament. Then she went on to say she wished she could get rid of the current government. A guide should concentrate on the facts and remove biases. It is quite distracting and unnecessary.

What can you say about one of the oldest inhabited castles in the world which is still owned by the…read moresame family from 900 years ago. You have to go. Its where Edward II was murdered with a red hot poker up his fundament .

Cabot Tower is a tower in Bristol, England, situated in a public park on Brandon Hill, between the…read morecity centre, Clifton and Hotwells. It is a grade II listed building. The tower was built in the 1890s to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the journey of John Cabot from Bristol to land which later became Canada. It makes for a pleasant walk through the park, although a steep climb if you go to the top.. Lovely views of Bristol once you are there.

When I asked where we were going, I was told to see the Folly. Who doesn't love a good folly? Turns…read moreout my friend was talking about Cabot Tower. The park surrounding the tower is lovely, even a dreary November day. The tower allows great views of the city. The only problem is getting up and down on a busy Sunday. The steps are narrow and I may have slipped and thought I was going to die. Definitely worth a tour around and hopefully you won't have to pass folks on the stairs as you go up and down.

The big yellow mansion you can see from the M32 is Dower House - built in 1553 by Sir Richard…read moreBerkeley and used subsequently as Pur Down Hospital and the Burden Neurological Institute. Closed in 1985 and converted into luxury flats (think just under a grand a month for a one bedroom). The house overlooks Stoke Park which connects freely to Pur Down fields and woods. You can get here off Broomhill Road - so if you are walking or cycling in Snuff Mills just go up the busy road until you get to the mini roundabout at the top and you will see a big pair of fancy black iron gates. Pedestrian access is to the right and a nice wide path leads you all the way up. There is a fishing lake at the bottom here which is very popular.

Worth a visit if you are in the area. The suspension bridge is quite majestic especially if you see…read moreit from the woods there. You can also travel across it by car for one pound, aswell as walk across it. The area around is located In Clifton which has beautiful houses and parks and walks around. There is an observation tower which also offers great views aswell as a cafe..

It's a must visit if you're in Bristol ,the area is so beautiful,the views is gorgeousread more

St Vincent's Cave / Giant's Cave nr Clifton Observatory…read more Not something for those who are claustrophobic or fear heights - but that is of course also its charm - this is a great exploration to add on to your Clifton Down walk one day. William West (artist 1800s) built a tunnel (2000 feet long) from the Observatory to St Vincent's cave (historians claim it was both a chapel dating back to around 350 AD and place of refuge). Steeped in history, you will find your decent a sharp one as you hunch over to get through the rugged limestone passageway. The reward comes as the path opens to a 'balcony' carved out of the cliff with views of the Avon Gorge 250 feet below (and if you twist your neck the cliff top 90 feet above). It feels rustic, pure and of a bygone era and then you are transported back to reality as you climb back to the surface.

Beneath the Clifton Observatory, near the Suspension Bridge, a tunnel snakes down through the…read morelimestone to St Vincent's Cave, in the side of the Avon Gorge. From here, there are stunning views towards Leigh Woods and the Bridge, and 240 feet down to the River Avon and the road that runs alongside it. A platform with a chest-high modern railing allows you to walk out above thin air and see the floor of the Gorge through a grid beneath your feet. The gnarled cave opening was used as a chapel by the Romans in the 4th Century, and since that time has served both as a shrine and a place of refuge. Limited information is available in the Observatory. Entrance is 1 pound, and it is open every weekend during the day. Some tight turns and steep steps mean that the climb is not suitable for everyone.

Gloucester Road is my favourite street in Bristol, particularly because I include Stokes Croft and…read moreCheltenham Road in with it as well - one road leads into the next, so I figure what the hell. Reputed to be the home of the longest stretch of independent shops in Europe, this two mile plus road offers an awful lot to so very many. It's cosmopolitan and it's cool, riddled with graffiti and just a little bit decadent. It harbours the vast majority of Bristol's most creatively active individuals and groups. It's not as grand as some of the more famous shopping streets in Bristol, but what it lacks in notoriety it makes up for in liveliness and heart. This is where the passionate people and free-thinkers like to hang out. There's plenty of cafes to visit during the day and some great pubs and music venues to frequent at night. The quality of what is on offer is usually pretty high. I'd trade ten Whiteladies Roads for one Gloucester Road, and if they attempt to gentrify Stokes Croft, I might just have to leave town.

This very long, wiggly, busy street in North Bristol is one of the most interesting and most useful…read moreshopping districts in the city. If you're visiting Bristol and wondering where the best shops are, it's worth setting aside a day or afternoon to tackle this whole street, because it's a seemingly endless stretch of great clothes shops, cafes, charity shops, bars, organic foodshops, and everything else in between. Of course, if you're lucky enough to be a local, you'll gradually use each and every shop along Gloucester Road just by virtue of having it on your doorstep. That's what I mean by it being a useful shopping district: it's not just market-style shopping that you can do here; it's also "ordinary" high street shopping, because there's a Post Office, a Boots, a Somerfield, a Tesco, and several pound shops. It's not stuck up, Gloucester Road, and manages to accommodate the more arty, vintage and organic shops as well as providing the basics. Shop highlights for me from Gloucester Road are The Breadstore (and you can probably guess what they sell there), the large second hand bookshop Books For Amnesty, Shanti Fabrics, which sells all sorts of lovely ethnic throws and cushion covers, and Scoopaway, where you can happily lose an hour just deciding which of the lovely dried fruits, seeds and nuts you want to scoop up and take home. As for somewhere to relax, drink or eat, you have umpteen options on this road. My recommendations are, for Spanish roadside bar-style refreshments, Cafe Delight, and for upmarket stylish gastro-pub fare, Robin Hood's Retreat. Good for drinking: the Price of Wales pub. One niggle about Gloucester Road: trying to get across it is infuriating, and quite dangerous, as there just aren't enough pedestrian crossings and the road is wiggly so cars tend to fly around corners just as you start crossing. Best avoid crossing altogether by going all the way up one side of the road seeing all the shops there, then going all the way back down the other!

Bristol University's music department is a prominent feature at the top of the triangle on Queens…read moreStreet. The grandeur of the building is put to use for other purposes - concerts, open-days, graduation ceremonies, and ball venues. The epitome of Bristol's wealth and propriety, this changes when student celebrations are in full-swing. A common sight is of students jumping into the fountains at the front of the steps, splashing around in the water and even being so rebellious as to pour washing-up liquid into the water. There are lots of rooms of various sizes and this makes it a perfect venue for almost any occasion. The building is mainly host to concerts and recitals, but I had my end of first year prom here. A large but cosy dining room for dinner, a room fit for dancing and a two smaller, connecting-rooms to hold a casino night.

Bristol University's music department is housed in this stunning Victorian building at the top of…read morepark street, where the route splits between Clifton and Whiteladies Road. With the fountains and sculptures adorning its front facade, it is an imposing building to add to a list of impressive architecture in Bristol. Inside, there are two large recital rooms that serve as the concert hall for both the students who study here and a range of independent music performances, from classical superstars to the local Bristol Schools Orchestra. There's also a wide variety of teaching rooms. The university only turned this into the music department in 1996, but the building was purpose built in 1842 for the use of music. There are tours available through the University, or alternatively just buy a ticket to one of the concerts, but the Victoria Rooms is a Bristol asset that is definitely worth appreciating.

Blaise Hamlet was designed by the architect John Nash for the Quaker Banker, John Scandrett…read moreHarford, in 1811. Despite its small scale, it has been hugely influential on the design of domestic housing in the UK. Nash had already designed an orangery and dairy for Harford in the nearby Blaise Castle, but this commission was designed to provide homes in an idealised setting for Harford's elderly retainers from his estate. It is thus an early example of philanthropism in action. More than this, however, it epitomised the chocolate-box ideal of what an English village should look like: there are nine cottages, set around a small 'village green'; each cottage is different, but all portray a rustic ideal, with stone walls, stylised chimneys, tiling and thatch, gables and inglenook fireplaces. Much copied, they are not to everyone's taste: Pevsner in his Buildings of England wrote, 'Blaise Hamlet is indeed responsible for some of the worst sentimentalities of England. Its progeny is legion and includes Christmas Cards and tea-pots'. But even he admitted that it was, at the same time, enchanting. The hamlet is now in the care of the National Trust and the cottages are rented out. Public access is restricted to the green during daylight hours.

What a fantastic day out. This place offers a lot for family's…read more Great value for £8 per adult and £5 for children over two, under twos are free ! The grounds are fantastic lots of open space for the children to wonder and explore and also paths that follow through the trees and gardens. There's a big adventure playground full of lots to explore, zip wire, slide climbing frame etc. There were also blow up slides and a paddling pool. There was a separate area with Wendy houses, trampolines and a climbing frame for the smaller children which was in a really nice relaxing area. You can get up close with pigs, rabbits, guinea pigs and chickens in Pet's Corner. There is 66 acres of beautiful gardens and woodland walks, the views across the River Severn and Wales and spectacular ! There's also a cafe and shop. The cafe is really nice I had a caramel latte with a cheese and chutney sandwich came to £5.50 wich Is good value. Plenty of parking available. Overall a fantastic day out which was really enjoyed by all.

Old Down Country Park is not your typical stately home. It is a farm/zoo/park/house. Great for the…read morewhole family too. They have large lawn areas for picnics, a café for those who didn't pre-prepare food, and lots and ltos of animals. Expect to find your typical farm animals. Goats? Check. Pigs? Check. Sheep? Check. Ponies? Check. Wallabies????check!!! Entry is only a fiver and you can spend the whole day there (weather permitting) walking along the Victorian walls and cooing at all the cute animals.