Large parks

Bristol City Council own three major parks: The Downs, Blaise Castle and Ashton Court. The Downs lie two miles to the northwest of the city centre and total 400 acres (1.6 km²). The downs are divided into Clifton Down to the south and Durdham Down to the north, with a main road running between them. At the south end of Clifton Down is the Clifton Suspension Bridge, and both look over the Avon Gorge. The Downs were given to the city by the Society of Merchant Venturers and are protected by an 1861 Act of Parliament.

Blaise Castle estate, situated five miles north of the city centre, includes a recreation ground and large playing fields, as well as woodland and a small gorge, totalling 650 acres (2.6 km²). Additionally the mansion house is now a branch of Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery.

At 850 acres (3.4 km²) Ashton Court estate is Bristol’s largest park. Though the estate lies largely within the boundaries of North Somerset it is maintained by Bristol City Council, and has been publically owned since 1959. The park contains horse riding and mountain biking trails, and a deer park, and is protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its ecology. The mansion house is now a conference centre.

Parks close to the city centre

There are only a few small parks close to Bristol city centre:

Castle Park is adjacent to Broadmead shopping centre and the Floating Harbour. The park was created after wartime bombing destroyed most of the mediaeval buildings which originally stood here. The ruined shells of two churches, St Phillip’s and St Mary’s, still stand with the aid of concrete reinforcements, and the foundations of Bristol Castle are also a feature. There are small formal gardens around St Phillip’s church.

Brandon Hill is a hill between the city centre, Clifton and Hotwells. At the summit is a folly commemorating John Cabot a pioneer who sailed from Bristol to Newfoundland. The park is steep and is divided into informal gardens, a small nature reserve and open grassland. The Avon Wildlife Trust headquarters are beside the park.

To the northwest of Broadmead shopping centre is St James’ Park, a small park divided into two sections by a sunken walkway which links Broadmead to St James’ Church and Bristol Bus Station.

West of the city centre near Bristol Cathedral is College Green.

Queen’s Square, a large Georgian square in the centre, carried the inner city ring road for many years, until it was dismantled and the square restored.

Additionally, there is an area of paved open space at St Augustine’s Parade in the very centre of the city, beside the harbour.

Other parks

Parks in Bristol’s suburbs include:
Arnos Vale Cemetery
Begbrook Green Park
Bristol and Bath Railway Path, a green corridor following the route of a dismantled railway.
Cotham Gardens
Dame Emily Park
Eastville Park
Greville Smyth Park
Leigh Woods (within North Somerset)1
Mina Road Park
Oldbury Court
Redland Green
Snuff Mills1
St Agnes Park
St Andrews Park
St George Park
Owned by the National Trust.