Activities in Bristol's parks

Get active in Bristol's parks

Bristol has 450 parks and green spaces. Everyone can enjoy healthy, outdoor, fun activities; including sport, fitness, enjoyment of the natural world or simply relaxation.

Nearly 150 Bristol parks and green spaces have dog free playgrounds for children.  Some have wheels parks, games areas and teen environments. There are three very popular sites at Hengrove Park, Blaise Castle Estate and Oldbury Court Estate.

Many events take place in the parks and green spaces. Check out our online events listing and find out what's happening in a park or green space near you.

Bristol has more green spaces than any other British city and a wealth of urban wildlife. There are over 80 designated wildlife sites in the city and several local nature reserves

Walking  with buggies and wheelchairs

Walks with Buggies and Walks with Wheelchairs are the only UK web-sites totally dedicated to providing free information on routes that are suitable for those with access challenges.

The walks on these database have been tried and tested by experts, parents and wheelchair users, or those knowledgeable about routes in the great outdoors. If you can recommend a walk that you think is suitable for parents with buggies or wheelchair users then please login and share it.

Walks with Buggies
Walks with Wheelchairs

Buggy Buddies

Buggy Buddies is a fun and social activity for mums looking to get back in shape by exercising with their babies. Mums push their buggies along a planned route with regular stops for warm-up stretches, circuit exercises and cool down stretches.

The sessions are held by a personal trainer and the sessions last an hour.

• Tuesday, 11.30am – 12.30pm, Victoria Park, Bedminster
• Wednesday, 11.30am – 12.30pm, Ashton Court Estate
• Thursday, 10am – 11am, Durdham Down, Clifton

Each session costs £4.

Contact Damion Rice on 0787 539 0915 or email: damion@momentum-pt.com

Tai Chi

Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese martial art suitable for all ages and levels of fitness. Sessions are held in our parks and green spaces in the warmer months and are led by members of the Bristol School of Tai Chi.

Visit what's on and find out which sessions are taking place in a park near you.

For more information contact the Bristol School of Tai Chi on 0117 949 3955 / 0781 156 6791 or email taichi@bristoltaichi.com or visit the school's website at www.bristoltaichi.com

Outdoor sports

You can book a wide variety of outdoor sport facilities in parks and green spaces across the city.

You can also check on the availability of specific sport facilities during the winter months or when access may be affected by adverse weather conditions, and construction or maintenance work.

To book golf courses at Ashton Court Estate, you will need to view our Ashton Court golf course page

Tennis in the parks

Each year we organise tennis coaching for adults in the parks during the spring and summer. All courses are taken by qualified, experienced coaches who provide lessons for both beginners and improvers. 

Tennis courts are available in several parks and green spaces and other facilities across the city including:

• Canford Park
• City Academy
• Eastville Park
• Greville Smythe Park
• Horfield Common
• St George Park
• Victoria Park

Orienteering

Orienteering is a sport that challenges both the mind and the body. The aim is to navigate between control points marked by small red circles on a special, very large scale map, by planning the best route to complete the course in the quickest time. 

At Ashton Court and Blaise Castle Estates permanent orienteering trails have been set up.

You can buy a premarked orienteering map of both of the trails from:

• Ashton Court visitor centre (both trails)
• Golf course kiosk at Ashton Court (Ashton Court trail)
• Park Ranger's office near the car park café at Blaise Castle Estate (Blaise Castle trail)

There is further information on the orienteering trails with suggested trails of varying difficulty on the back of the maps. The maps cost £1 each.

Bristol Orienteering Klub (BOK) is one of the largest and most active clubs in the UK. BOK actively supports Avon Schools Orienteers. More details about the club and future events can be found on the BOK web site.  All events have courses suitable for young and adult beginners.

Croquet

South Bristol Croquet Club is in Redcatch Park, Knowle. The group meetin the park on Saturdays throughout the year.

No experience is necessary - just a willingness to learn and play this up-and-coming fun sport which is competitive, social and recreational.

To find out more, call 0127 583 4154 or 0127 583 3388, or just turn up next Saturday, or visit the South Bristol Croquet Club's website.

Why not visit the Croquet Association's website and find out more about the game? 

Urban Fringe Dispensary

The Urban Fringe is a collective term for the green and sometimes wild spaces that exist in and around the city. This includes parks, allotments, community gardens, and untended land accessible to the public. The Urban Fringe Dispensary project is about using these spaces to develop a deeper understanding of traditional and modern uses for wild growing medicinal and food plants.

To find out dates and locations of our walks and workshops, or to book us for your local group please contact: the Urban Fringe Dispensary on 0797 344 0615, email: Info@urbanfringe.org

Outdoor circuit training

Outdoor circuit training is a great way to lose weight, tone up and get fit using the natural environment. The classes are run in various parks in Bristol and in all weathers so dont be surprised if you get a bit wet and muddy! Personal trainer Dave Lewis will encourage and motivate you throughout the hour long sessions.

Each session costs £5 but further discounts are available.

Details can be found by visiting www.calon-pt.co.uk/group_fitness.php or by contacting Dave Lewis on 0797 479 2066 or email Dave Lewis

Nordic walking

Nordic walking is a specific fitness technique using poles. It is not to be confused with trekking, hill walking or trail running as the poles are not planted in front of the walker but in a specific way that increases the use of the upper body. It can be done by anybody, anywhere and does not require expensive equipment or clothing.

Nordic walking technique must be learnt correctly if the participant is to get the most out of the activity – the full health technique that ensures the whole body works efficiently is only taught by NWUK qualified Instructors. 

For more information, visit the Nordic walking UK website.

Walkit

Walkit is an award-winning route planner aimed at encouraging people to walk. It provides essential information for anyone considering a journey on foot within a five-kilometre radius of the city centre.

Leave the car at home and plot your walk across the city. You will be offered a drect route between two points, or a quieter off-main-road route, with estimates of route length, time taken, CO2 saved and calories burnt on your healthy walk. You can also print out easy to follow maps and route instructions.

Table tennis

Tennis tables have been installed in two parks in the Community at Heart area of Bristol - the Dings Park in St. Philips and Gaunts Ham Park, Lincoln Street, Barton Hill.

The tables are concrete so they will stand the test of time (and British weather!) and they provide a free and easily accessible activity for all ages. Community workers and play rangers have a supply of bats and balls for lending out, or players can buy their own equipment so the tables can be used at any convenient time.

If you think an outdoor ping pong table like this would work well in a green space near you then please make your suggestion by emailing Nicola Ferris.