Bristol by foot

After work on Friday we were enticed by the sun and Cambodian visitors towards the Avon Gorge hotel, where we sipped cider overlooking the Clifton Suspension bridge. We then decided to eat at the Thali cafe in Clifton, and walked home via The Bell on Jamaica Street, leaving the car behind. Sunday was another fine day, giving us the opportunity to trek across North Bristol again to fetch the car.
We started in Montpelier, near the Star and Garter pub, passed the graffiti on Ashley Road and back onto Jamaica Street. This part of Bristol has recently begun to refer to itself as 'The Cultural Quarter', which is a name not entirely undeserved. Stokes Croft is an area full of old run down buildings which have found new life as brothels, squats and studios; large warehouse style nightclubs providing the finest of Bristol's underground music scene; independent shops, eateries, bars and galleries; and some of the best off licenses you could hope to come across, serving way into the night. Stokes Croft even has a Post Office which has a cash point, sells beer, and is open past 10pm on a weekend. Graffiti plays a large part in the culture of Stokes Croft, as the huge Banksy mural and designated graffiti wall (or 'outdoor gallery'), encourage many to make their mark, and the urban landscape is constantly changing. Sadly, this week saw an incongruous addition to it, with the opening of a Tesco on Stokes Croft, much to the dismay of locals who voted against its presence.
Emerging at the other end of Jamaica Street we hit the edge of Broadmead shopping centre, the BRI hospital and continued on to Park Row. Ahead of us was the imposing and quite magnificent Wills Memorial building, home to Bristol University's law students and many of my memories from student days. Next to the building we discovered that the museum was still open, showing the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition. We wandered in to take a look.
Back out onto the Clifton Triangle, and up another memory lane, as I used to live on Park Place, between the Quinton House pub, the old dilapidated cathedral and the barbers. From here we passed various student halls, finally reaching Clifton Village.
Just walking distance from Stokes Croft we felt in a completely different space, as Clifton is a beautiful array of Georgian terraces, cafes and rich people. Not much in the way of graffiti here.
It's amazing how diverse Bristol is, with a different outlook on each corner. The best way to take it in is on foot, especially as covering this distance by public transport would probably take all day!