You can start this circuit from anywhere in Bristol that is convenient. We started from the Downs because there is plenty of 5-hour free parking.

About 14-15 miles depending on optional route choices. Some hills but mostly quite flat.

On the the north side of the Downs, take Ivywell Road, cross The Avenue and continue down Hazelwood Drive. At T-junction turn left, then right down Old Sneed Park to join Roman Way. Go down Roman Way – noting the reason for this name at the junction with the busy Portway. Cross at the lights.

Here you might like to do a short detour down to the tranquil Sea Mills harbour next to the Railway Station.

• 

• 

Either return to the Portway or, if you didn’t go down to Sea Mills, turn right onto the shared pavement/ cycle way towards Avonmouth with the Avon away to your left. Along this route a stop at the viewpoint above Horseshoe Bend on the River Avon is worthwhile. This was a notorious spot for ships running aground when Bristol was a busy port.

Carry on on cycle path towards Shirehampton. As the Portway straightens out, look out for a cycle route sign opting right for Shirehampton and Avonmouth Bridge. Cross the Portway and take turning on the right – Park Road. At the top of Park Road, turn left and continue through Shirehampton on the B4054. Near the bottom of the hill, look out for a cycle route turning left just before the M5 flyover signed Avonmouth Bridge. Cross the bridge with the deafening, but often slow-moving M5 traffic on your right.

On the other side of the Avon, the cycle path leaves the M5. Follow signs to Pill and Bristol via the Avon cycle route. Pill was where the ferry crossing of the Avon used to be up to the 1970s.

• 

• 

• 

From Pill, the route is well-signed and eventually emerges onto the side of the Avon on the opposite bank to where we were before. The surface is of variable quality here and can get quite narrow before the route widens as we approach the Avon gorge.

After a while Brunel’s Suspension Bridge comes into view and it is a privileged view to see it from underneath.

• 

• 

• 

• 

The route now comes into Hotwells and the Cumberland Basin, where you can see the lock into the floating harbour that prevented ships in harbour being left high and dry and ‘Bristol fashion’ at low tide. If you are there at low tide, the old wharf timbers are visible.

• 

• 

From here you can choose to cross the girder bridge and climb back to Clifton by a variety of hills or, alternatively, follow the signs under the flyovers towards Ashton Court – a good spot for a picnic with great views over the city.

• 

• 

• 

• 

From here the route through the park climbs reasonably to bring you out opposite Bridge Road that takes you to the Suspension Bridge (free for bikes) and back into Clifton and the Downs.