Thousands of people from all over Bristol and beyond will flock to the Ashton Court estate in August for the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta but this beautiful free-to-enter space is a major city attraction all year round.
Ashton Court dates back to the 11th century and the Smyth Family, who owned the estate from the 16th century until the 20th century. When the last member of the family died, the estate was bought by Bristol City Council in 1959.
Ashton Court was used as a military hospital in WWI, as the venue for the Royal Show in 1936, and as an army transit camp during WWII. The landscape was designed by Humphry Repton in the early 19th century.
Expanding across 850 acres of land, Ashton Court Estate now has a 16th-century mansion, two deer parks, two dog-friendly cafes, golf courses, an activity centre and picnic areas, to name a few. Its higher points also offer some of the most stunning views of the city.
The estate is open seven days a week from 8am until 5.15pm in November, December and January, 6.15pm in February, 7.15pm in March and October, 8.15pm in April and September and 9.15pm in May, June, July and August.
We visited Ashton Court Estate to see what it has to offer and here are 14 photos from our rainy afternoon trip.
1. Ponds
There are multiple ponds throughout the estate which are home to wildlife, some of which are endangered. Swimming from both people and pets is discouraged due to the bacteria growing like blue-green algae that grow.
2. Forest trails
Visitors can enjoy a multitude of trails through the forest-like woods. The trails are made of dirt and can become slippery during the rainy season.
3. Parking
There are three car parks within the estate. The car parks are open every day except for Christmas, and charge a minimum fee of £1.50 for up to 1 hour, and £4 for up to 5 hours. For stays longer than 5 hours, you can pay for extra hours.
4. Cycle trails
There are multiple cycling trails throughout Ashton Court for different abilities. The trails are colour coded for four different levels: Green Easy, Blue Moderate, Red Difficult and Black Severe.