Bower Walking Spaces  

Bower Ashton Campus is objectively close to some of Bristol's most beautiful walking spaces. This blog will cover some of the options near Bower Ashton Campus, for walks helping you attain that necessitated fresh air and exercise!  

Ashton Court Estate (Ashton Court Estate, Long Ashton, Bristol, BS41 9JN) 

Bower Ashton - City Campus - UWE Bristol to BS41 9JN, Long Ashton, Bristol - Google Maps 

Bower Ashton Campus is metres away from Ashton Court Estate, a Country Park and mansion with around 850 acres of woodland and grassland. 

Ashton Court Estate is a national ‘Site of Specific Scientific Interest’ (SSSI), covering 300 hectares with wildflower-rich grasslands, woodlands, ponds and ancient oak trees. Some trees are expected to be over 700 years old! 

The estate includes 78 hectares of grassland managed as hay meadow, with funding from Defra. Green hay collected here helps enhance other grasslands in Bristol, such as Blaise Castle. 

There has been a deer park for over 600 years (one of the oldest in the country), with around 200 red and fallow deer helping manage the land. The estate is home to many other wildlife species, including orchids, lesser Horeshoe bats, great crested newts, skylarks and saproxylic beetles (which live on the deadwood of trees). Rangers, supported by volunteers, help with conservation work like removing invasive plants. 

The Estate is huge and holds a plethora of facilities:  

• Two cafes 

• Coach House 

• Toilets with baby changing facilities (access via the stables courtyard) 

• Woodland garden 

• Picnic area 

• Deer parks 

• Golf course 

The link to Ashton Court Estate is here - Ashton Court Estate 

Clifton Downs / Observatory (Clifton Observatory, Litfield Place, Bristol, BS8 3LT) 

Bower Ashton - City Campus - UWE Bristol to BS8 3LT, Clifton, Bristol - Google Maps 

When escaping from Bower Ashton Campus, through Ashton Court Estate, you can find yourself at Bristol's most iconic landmark, Clifton Bridge. Looking over the bridge is Clifton Observatory.  

Clifton Observatory has a unique and varied history. From its construction on the spot of an ancient Celtic settlement, surrounded by the mythos of the Bristol giants, to popularity among members of the Bristol School of Artists and its links to Brunel and the Clifton Suspension Bridge, there is no denying that the observatory has become an iconic feature of Bristol’s landscape. 

Surrounding Clifton Observatory, Clifton Downs can be a beautiful place to go for a walk, picnic, or go have a kick about with friends. The downs can be a filled with all sorts of activities, regularly members of the public setting up games of volleyball or cricket for people like you to get involved with! 

The link to Clifton Observatory is here - Clifton Observatory - Wedding & Event Venue, Museum and Café 

Brandon Hill (Brandon Hill, Park St, Bristol BS1 5RR) 

Bower Ashton - City Campus - UWE Bristol to BS1 5RR, Great George St, Bristol - Google Maps 

Brandon Hill is simply a 35-minute walk from Bower Ashton Campus or a quick bus into Bristol City Centre. Brandon Hill provides a hilly park and popular picnic spot with nature reserve and views from Cabot Tower. 

Brandon Hill is the oldest park in Bristol, where you can enjoy great views over the city and Harbourside area. Located just off Park Street in the West End, Brandon Hill features a children's play area, beautiful paths and a nature conservation area, and of course the icon of Bristol's skyline, Cabot Tower. 

Cabot Tower is a 105ft tower built in 1897 to commemorate John Cabot's famous voyage from Bristol and the continent of North America four hundred years earlier. 

Brandon Hill even allows you to have barbeques, which can be a way to bond over a cheap meal in the great outdoors. If you are planning on having a barbecue at Brandon Hill, make sure to look at their rules for use on their website.  

The link to Brandon Hill is here - Brandon Hill 

Here are just some walks you can adventure into near Bower Ashton Campus!