There’s two days worth of beautiful sights to be enjoyed in this lively, unique area of Bristol.
I took the opportunity to join TC on an overnight trip to Bristol so I could explore the Clifton area and I wasn’t disappointed with it’s Georgian architecture and laid back vibe.
One of Clifton’s beautiful Georgian terraces
We stayed in the Avon Gorge Hotel which is a fairly new addition to the Hotel du Vin stable and has all the hallmarks in terms of design and style that you would expect. It has a prime position overlooking the gorge and the mighty Clifton suspension bridge, all of two minutes away and a glass front bar and all weather deck which offer stunning views into Somerset – if it’s not a rainy grey day in April!
The view from the Avon Gorge Hotel, which houses the White Lion – stunning on sunny day
The walk up to the bridge is pretty impressive – two buxom towers and an elegant span across the huge span of the Avon River. The Clifton side is set in a park, and the Observatory is set up on a rise about the bridge. It houses a camera obscura and a rooftop terrace offering amazing views in all directions. You can also enter Ghyston’s (Giants) Cave, a natural cave in the gorge’s limestone face. A tunnel leads down 130 steps into the dark, you come out on the cliff face and get a very different perspective on the gorge and the bridge.
The impressive Clifton Suspension Bridge
Clifton is very pretty. Lots of leafy parks and gardens and lovely architecture. I headed for Clifton Village which is a lovely area of independent shops, boutiques, cafes and restaurants with a hip vibe. There’s a dearth of coffee and cake shops to make up for all the walking. I ate lunch at Spicers and Cole: Coffee and Kitchen – a lovely frittata and exciting fresh salads in a bustle environment, but there are plenty of other choices. I spotted lots of very nice looking independent eateries (alongside the usual Cote and pizza places). Locals favourites include The Clifton Sausage which sports 6 varieties of sausage on the menu at any one time and the charming East Village Cafe, where brunch attracts a good crowd. There are also lots of great looking independent pubs if a wee pub crawl is your thing. Bristol has a big student population and that generally means vibrant, cool options.
Right opposite the East Village Cafe is the Clifton Arcade, again all independent stores, including a couple of lovely galleries featuring good local artists. There are some delightful nicknack emporiums.
The quirky Clifton Arcade with its emporiums.
I’m not usually a fan of the hotel restaurant as I like to get out and explore, but this was a works do so I went with the majority and we ate in. Luckily this was Hotel du Vin so the food was pretty good and the view stunning by night.
Stunning view of the bridge by night
So all in all, I really liked Clifton. The architecture is lovely – long streets of imposing golden Georgian townhouses with intricate balconies, ends of streets opening out onto great expansive views over the Somerset countryside. It’s very elegant. There’s a really vibrant feel and I imagine in the Summer, when everyone is outside enjoying the greenery and eating outside, it would be a really fun place to hang out for a while.
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