The argument has long raged: “What is the best free activity in Bristol?” Whether looking for something to do after an expensive night out with mates or trying to impress a date without breaking the bank before payday, the city is chocka with cheap options. Be it museums and galleries, beautiful views and city farms. Bristol has us sorted every day of the week.
But there’s one place that has everything else beat, according to us, anyway. Because the best activities are always thrilling, beautiful and free. And up by Clifton Observatory and overlooking the Suspension Bridge, you’ll find something that has all three. Clifton’s natural rock slide has thrilled locals for decades – maybe even centuries.
While no one knows the true history of this strip of rock, we do know it has been made shiny and smooth by generations of bums heading down. Whoever went down first started a trend that has long outlived them. There’s no official access to the slide. You’ll have to climb under or over the pathway railings. But it’s impossible to miss the people lining up to watch or risk heading down themselves.
The Slidey Rock, as it is locally known, is not entirely safe either. So be careful on the way down. We’ve known a few to scrape their behinds or break a finger with a miss-angled leap. Nowhere else in the city can match these levels of exhilaration. Once you get a taste of the fun, you’ll be hiking back up to the queue again. Of course, not everyone will want to risk their life for a few seconds of joy. But the often calamitous attempts are worth heading over to watch anyway.
Some of Bristol’s other most wonderful attractions are also in the area. The view overlooking the Clifton Suspension Bridge is the best in Bristol and, arguably, one of the greatest in the UK. While just behind you, you can enjoy Clifton Observatory.
For £5 – not free but still incredibly cheap – you can visit one of only three working camera obscura’s in the UK. Think of it as a Victorian CCTV that lets you overlook the surrounding area in real-time. You also have access to the depths of Giant’s Cave – home to the local legend of Goram and Ghyston, and views of the Avon Gorge from halfway out of the cliff face. Now that’s a cheap jam-packed day sorted for you!