Description
This is one of my favourite walks, through some of the finest countryside on the fringes of Bristol. It contrasts with Naibri2 (and 1). I believe this is a clear example where we need both alternatives, as explained below. From the start, it detours by a few hundred yards to take in Bristol's famous harbourside, then takes you quickly out of the city via Ashton Court and the Gordano Round with spectacular views over the Bristol Channel to the Welsh hills. (Note: the short stretch of byway between Manor Road and the Gordano Round can get wet in winter but it was still walkable).
It skirts the edge of Failand, where there is a choice of a cafe and pub. There is then a few hundred yards on a grass verge along the B road, which is quite busy. I have shortened that by going through a gate onto National Trust land, which appears to offer public access. The "official" footpath is a couple of hundred yards further on, inside the same field. Then it goes through the Tyntesfield estate, through woodlands, and descends towards Nailsea via Wraxhall with more views over the Yeo Valley. It enters Nailsea on what looks like an old footpath predating the growth of the town, then through a park to the destination.
By contrast Naibri2 is flatter and slightly shorter. It bypasses much of the harbourside then mainly follows a tarmaced path through suburbs, along roads and a railway line. Much of Naibri2 is suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs, which this one is not. We need both.
I wrote an article about a slightly different version of this walk for Somerset Life, before I heard about Slow Ways: http://www.greentravelwriter.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Carfree-country-walking.pdf
This is one of my favourite walks, through some of the finest countryside on the fringes of Bristol. It contrasts with Naibri2 (and 1). I believe this is a clear example where we need both alternatives, as explained below. From the start, it detours by a few hundred yards to take in Bristol's famous harbourside, then takes you quickly out of the city via Ashton Court and the Gordano Round with spectacular views over the Bristol Channel to the Welsh hills. (Note: the short stretch of byway between Manor Road and the Gordano Round can get wet in winter but it was still walkable).
It skirts the edge of Failand, where there is a choice of a cafe and pub. There is then a few hundred yards on a grass verge along the B road, which is quite busy. I have shortened that by going through a gate onto National Trust land, which appears to offer public access. The "official" footpath is a couple of hundred yards further on, inside the same field. Then it goes through the Tyntesfield estate, through woodlands, and descends towards Nailsea via Wraxhall with more views over the Yeo Valley. It enters Nailsea on what looks like an old footpath predating the growth of the town, then through a park to the destination.
By contrast Naibri2 is flatter and slightly shorter. It bypasses much of the harbourside then mainly follows a tarmaced path through suburbs, along roads and a railway line. Much of Naibri2 is suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs, which this one is not. We need both.
I wrote an article about a slightly different version of this walk for Somerset Life, before I heard about Slow Ways: http://www.greentravelwriter.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Carfree-country-walking.pdf
Status
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Information
Route status - Live
Reviews - 1
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Is this route good enough? - Yes (1)
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Geography information system (GIS) data
Total length
Maximum elevation
Minimum elevation
Start and end points
Nailsea
Grid Ref
ST4734270766
Lat / Lon
51.43343° / -2.75889°
Easting / Northing
347,342E / 170,766N
What3Words
bubble.shares.lifts
Bristol
Grid Ref
ST5894073546
Lat / Lon
51.45939° / -2.59239°
Easting / Northing
358,940E / 173,546N
What3Words
dollar.perky.study
| Nailsea | |
|---|---|
| Grid Ref | ST4734270766 |
| Lat / Lon | 51.43343° / -2.75889° |
| Easting / Northing | 347,342E / 170,766N |
| What3Words | bubble.shares.lifts |
| Bristol | |
|---|---|
| Grid Ref | ST5894073546 |
| Lat / Lon | 51.45939° / -2.59239° |
| Easting / Northing | 358,940E / 173,546N |
| What3Words | dollar.perky.study |
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review
Chris Melia
09 Jan 2024We did this walk around the time when much of the country had been dealing with heavy rain and flooding, so some stretches of the route were quite muddy and waterlogged (see photos). It was pretty flat however, so it wasn't particularly problematic in appropriate footwear. (We did it in wellingtons. It would have been more challenging in walking boots).
Despite being quite flat, the route offered some great views out across the Bristol Channel and covered a good mix of open country, villages and parkland.
We didn't have a dog with us on this occasion, but I normally have at least one dog with me on my walks, so I was thinking about how it would have been with a canine companion. This would have been a great walk to do with a dog. There were no inaccessible stiles and the only stile that would have been difficult had a dog gate. The short stretch alongside the road would have intimidated one of my dogs who doesn't like close traffic, but it is such a short stretch, it would have been ok. The cafes we stopped at in Nailsea, Ashton Court and on the Harbour side were all dog friendly and there were several places where a dog could have a drink, either in the cafes or in streams/ bodies of water along the way.
Apart from the mud, the route felt 'easy going' with only one short, easy ascent and nothing that proved to be difficult under foot. It was also fairly straightforward to follow the route. There were a couple of places where there was more than one footpath option to take, but it was fairly easy, on each occasion, to identify the right direction.
There were several options for eating and drinking along the way, as well as at both ends and there were some nice opportunities for fun and play, particularly at Ashton Court and around the Bristol Harbour area. As such, it would be a good walk for quite a diverse range of people of different ages and fitness levels. It is certainly a walk that could be done at any time of year and it is one I would enjoy doing again.
The bus ride was around 30 minutes and the bus stops were centrally located at both ends. Walking at a steady but gentle pace (3mph), the route took us just under 4 hours, plus the lunch stop.
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