Whether you live in Bristol or you’re a regular visitor, it’s well worth looking for some slightly different things to do during a day out. It’s a city with many attractions, but even the longest list is exhaustible so today, let’s take a look at some alternative options for exploring the city and making the most of it.
Finding Clues and Solving Riddles
There’s a thriving industry of outdoor treasure hunts and detective trails in the UK right now, and they’re a great way to see your city through new eyes. From finding Moriarty’s hidden lair in London to solving the pirate riddles of Edinburgh, it’s a fever gripping the country and Bristol is no exception.
If you find the right scavenger hunt Bristol becomes a different city. It might turn into the stage for a Sherlock style detective drama, with you as the star, its history might spring to new life in front of you: whatever happens you’re sure to discover new sights down side streets and highlights you’ve never seen before, however long you’ve been living there.
Explore the Caves
Bristol is a city built on cliff sides, and that means it’s got a bedrock riddled with caves – and that means new places to explore, and a new perspective on the city!
Redcliffe Caves are the largest complex of caves open to the public (irregularly, and within the bounds of guided tours, for safety). Dating from the Middle Ages, they’ve been used for glass and pottery making, trade good storage, and even as prisons during the Napoleonic war. They’re a slice of Bristol’s history cut right into foundations and well worth exploring.
If you want some slightly more picturesque caves to explore, the Hermit’s Cave, between St Mary’s Redcliffe and the river is a site to be seen. In the Mediaeval period, the home of a hermit who lived a solitary religious life, and after that, the centre of a non-conformist burial ground. It’s a peaceful, contemplative location, and shows that the religious history of the city extends well past the cathedral walls.
Standing Stones
Spread your wings a little and head just outside the city of Bristol and you’ll find a remarkable piece of prehistory. The Stanton-Drew stones aren’t quite as imposing as Stonehenge, but they’re still a tangible piece of history surviving until the present day.
There are lots of myths surrounding the stones, many suggesting that they’re a bridal party or dancers petrified where they stood. If you stand in the centre of the circle and feel a touch of your magic – you’re not the only one. The author Susan Cooper adopted the name of the stones for the heroes of her Dark is Rising Sequence – Will Stanton and the Drew family.