We
start our tour at Isambard Kingdom Brunel's magnificent Clifton
Suspension Bridge. We will drive across the bridge which spans
the Avon Gorge, and you will be dropped at the visitors centre
on the Clifton side of the bridge. If we have enough notice,
we will be able to book a guided tour of the bridge. In any
case, we will take you on foot back over the bridge and show
you the best places from which to take photos.
(photo
courtesy of Ciaris Perry-Bowden)
When
you have finished marvelling at the skills of these Victorian
engineers, we will take you down to Bristol Harbour. Here
you will have time for a coffee break before we take you around
Brunel's famous ship, the first great passenger liner SS Great
Britain. This is an absolute must - you don't have to be a
shipping expert to appreciate the work that has been done
to restore Brunel's legacy. In fact, SS Great Britain was
named as the museum of the year for 2006, winning the Gulbenkian
Prize for museums and galleries at the end of May. Lord Robert
Winston, Chairman of the judges said ..."the SS Great
Britain got our unanimous vote for being outstanding at every
level. .....Most importanty the SS Great Britain is accessible
and highly engaging for people of all ages".
Alongside
the SS Great Britain is the replica of the Matthew in which
John Cabot sailed to Newfoundland. For further details on
the Matthew, click here.
You
will have time to take some photos before we move on to the
Arnolfini, on Bristol Quay. The Arnolfini is one of Europe's
leading centres for contemporary arts presenting innovative
work in the visual arts, dance, theatre, performance, literature,
film and music. You will have time to view the paintings and
you will also have some time to wander around the Quay and
enjoy the interesting modern architecture.
Pero's
Bridge is a beautiful new structure spanning the water
from the Arnolfini to the At-Bristol site. Bristol was
built, in large part, on the slave trade and tobacco.
Pero's Bridge in the Floating Harbour was built to commerate
Pero Jones, a slave who lived and died in Bristol.
(photo
courtesy of Ciaris Perry-Bowden)
We will then walk up to The Watershed - opened in 1982 this
was Britain's first Media Centre of its kind in the country.
The ornate facade, complete with a domed tower, was designed
by Edward Gabriel in 1893 to disguise two converted utilitarian
warehouses overlooking the floating harbour. We will continue
on to the Millennium Square and harbour where you will be
able to take some photos and stop for lunch.
Millennium
Square
(photo
courtesy of Ciaris Perry-Bowden)
After lunch we will drive up to Bristol Cathedral. The Cathedral
is near College Green, and is on a site that has probably
had a church on it for over a thousand years. It is the Cathedral
Church of the Diocese of Bristol.
For the rest of the afternoon you can choose between visiting
At-Bristol, (a wonderful new intereactive museum which children
in particular will love), The Bristol Industrial Museum at
Princes Wharf, Wapping Road, which has 700 amazing and exciting
exhibits telling the story of Bristol's varied industrial
past, or you can visit the large shopping centre at Cribbs
Causeway.
