Bristol - A Mini City Break
After the most exciting-yet-hectic summer EVER, we enjoyed a return to normality in the form of a mini city break in the caravan.
Any Excuse
Despite it only being three months since our last trip, having had a house move and a wedding to contend with during our “summer of growing up”, it feels more like three years! So when the caravan manufacturer, Bailey, invited us to their press launch in Bristol, we jumped (not literally, obviously) at the opportunity to make a little city break out of it. Any excuse to get out in the caravan again.
For those who want to stay right in the city centre, Baltic Wharf Caravan and Motorhome Club Site provides a great base, but we opted for a CL (Certified Location) instead, which had better availability and was less than half the price. Willis’s Batch is located on a smallholding in the rural outskirts of the city, and is surrounded by open greenery and cosy woodland. It’s somewhere that we’ve enjoyed staying during a previous trip, so we were very much looking forward to returning!
On that early September afternoon, we arrived to an empty field basking in the sunshine, and I was pleased to see the picture-perfect oak tree still standing tall in the centre of it — The kind you’d see in a Jane Austin tale, with a lady in a floaty dress perched beneath it, reading a book or daydreaming about her love.
Although technically still summer, signs of autumn were beginning to appear all around us. Trees were just starting to turn and there was a distinct chill in the air! But that wasn’t going to stop us firing up the BBQ before settling down for the night. As strange as it sounds, going to bed is one of the things I look forward to the most during caravan trips — No, not like that (get your mind out of the gutter) — You just can’t beat the feeling of the warm cosiness in our little home-on-wheels. The combination of the compact space, ambient lighting and a super-comfortable memory foam mattress topper, creates a top-tier snuggle!
Shiny New Caravans
The following day we tore ourselves away from our own caravan, to go and see some shiny new ones at the Bailey launch. Appropriately named “The Station”, an ex fire station made the perfect venue for the event, as the building had been designed to house huge fire trucks, so there was plenty of room for the new vans.
Being added to their fleet this time was not one, not two, but three shiny new ranges — Two caravans (Unicorn Deluxe & Alicanto Grande Deluxe) and an Adamo motorhome! Having a Unicorn caravan ourselves, we were most excited about seeing the latest version of it. And it certainly didn’t disappoint. Like ours, it’s built to a high spec, with the addition of some new, modern features, like remote-controlled lighting and Bluetooth speakers. Features that add a level of luxury, but also provide “accidental accessibility” for people like me, who can’t reach up high to change the lighting or music.
Also oozing luxury, the Alicanto Grande boasts these same modern features in an 8ft wide shell. It’s only 6 inches wider than ours, but you’d be surprised by the difference it makes inside! While I wasn’t a huge fan of the interior aesthetics of the new Unicorn (the amount of white is just a little too stark for my taste), I absolutely loved the warm, inviting feel of the new Alicanto. Not to mention the washroom, which rivals that of a high-end hotel.
After buying a house and getting married this summer (two of life’s most exciting but expensive events), we’re not looking to upgrade our caravan any time soon… But if we were, the Unicorn and Alicanto would both be strong contenders.
Setting Sail
We’d had a lovely evening with friends, colleagues and acquaintances from the caravan world, but it was time to see what else Bristol has to offer. Of course by now the weather had turned, but that wasn’t going to dampen our spirits!
Waking up to a heavy onslaught of raindrops on the tin roof, it was clear that it wasn’t going anywhere any time soon, so we decided to do the item on our list that would require the least amount of time spent outdoors — Brunel’s SS Great Britain.
Described as “The world’s first great ocean liner”, this spectacular 1843 ship was designed by Brunel and once crossed vast oceans, transporting people, animals and cargo as far as America and Australia. Since then, it has been lovingly restored to (almost) its former glory and is dry-docked at the edge of Spike Island, in the centre of Bristol, where it was first built all those years ago.
After purchasing our tickets, which closely resemble those the passengers would’ve received when boarding in the 1800’s (LOVE THIS), we made our way to the first of two museums. Inside the Dockyard Museum, we found an array of artefacts which had been salvaged from the ancient ship, and fascinating information boards detailing its versatile history. The more we learnt, the more excited we grew to hop aboard!
Taking the lift to the top of the museum, we eagerly headed for the gangway. It was still bucketing down when we boarded the upper deck of the ship, so we flung on my rather sexy poncho and braced ourselves against the rain.
It’s funny — There was a time, not that long ago, that I wouldn’t be seen dead in a plastic poncho. I would rather have gotten soaking wet and unbearably cold than commit such a fashion faux pas or, god forbid, wear anything that could make me look “more disabled” (whatever that even means). But whether it’s the internalised ableism gradually lifting, realising that how you look does NOT define you, or just caring less what other people think as I get older… I’m glad my views are changing. Up there, in the pouring rain, I may have looked like a numpty, but I was a dry numpty having fun… And there’s something so freeing about that.
We were absolutely thrilled (and surprised!) to learn that the ship itself is extremely good for wheelchair access. I didn’t feel as though I missed out on a single part! Taking another lift, we left the rain behind and headed below deck, where we discovered a network of corridors that took us on a journey back in time.
My favourite kind of museum is one that fully immerses you, and this ship does just that. The sights and sounds made us feel as if we’d been transported back to the 1800’s, and the kitchen even emanated cooking smells! It was fascinating to see how it functioned as both a cargo ship and a passenger liner, with the First Class living quarters being our favourite to see. I’m a very small person, but I’m not sure that even I would fit in their teeny-tiny beds!
(Access note: some corridors and corners are a bit tight and dimly lit, but I managed fine in my Balder powerchair).
As if it’s not enough to explore the top, middle and lower decks of the ship, you can also head down into the original dry dock to get a closer look at its hull.
Another lift took us through the “glass sea”, which not only gives the illusion that you’re being submerged under water, but also serves the purpose of keeping the fragile hull dry — Very much needed with the weather as it was! To prevent the iron from rusting further, industrial-sized dehumidifiers also keep the air as hot and as dry as the Sahara Desert, which was immediately noticeable when we exited the lift. Brunel’s SS Great Britain towered over us, as we gazed up in awe. A walkway allowed us to explore the length of it, though it merged into cobblestones towards the innovative screw propellor at the stern.
We couldn’t end our visit without nipping into the final museum, dedicated to Isambard Kingdom Brunel himself. I’m ashamed to admit that we didn’t know much about him before our visit, but we could tell you his life story by the time we’d finished. It turns out he’s quite the impressive chap! I won’t go into detail about his many great achievements, but I highly recommend you visit for yourself. We had a fantastic day, and whether you’re interested in maritime history or not, I’m certain you will too.
A Bucket-List Item
Back on the campsite, the rain continued through the night, with a sprinkling of thunder thrown in for good measure. It seemed to be letting up by the morning and had reduced to a fine drizzle by the time we were up and ready, so we continued on with our plans…
At our wedding the previous month (this might seem like I’m going off on a tangent, but I promise it’s relevant), as an alternative to a traditional Guest Book, we had a bucket for our guests to put bucket-list suggestions in (see where this is going now?). One great suggestion we received was to “Go across the Clifton Suspension Bridge”, which also happens to have been designed by Brunel (he does get around, doesn’t he?). We just HAD to tick this one off the list while we were nearby.
You can cross the bridge by car or on foot, but we wanted to make the most of the experience and do both. Parking up on the west side, we first strolled across this incredible feat of engineering, admiring the views of the River Avon far below. The bridge was a lot higher than we expected! Despite the drizzle, Avon Gorge was looking spectacular, and its jagged rock-faces reminded us of scenery we’ve discovered in mountainous regions overseas. The bridge is designed to sway in the wind, but thankfully for Stephen — or “Seasick Steve” as we discovered on our crossing to the Outer Hebrides — the weather was calm, so we felt little more than a slight wobble as cars passed by.
Before traversing in our own car, we headed for the small museum dedicated to the Clifton Suspension Bridge, where we learnt more about it. Entry to the museum is free, but we couldn’t resist picking up a decoration for our adventure-themed Christmas tree, to remember our trip by. It felt good to cross the first thing off our list!
A Walking/Rolling Tour of Bristol
With the day still young, we parked in an underground car park beneath Millennium Square to explore more of the city. After all, you can get a good idea about a place by driving through it, but until you stroll around on foot, you’ll never really soak it all in.
Polka-dotted with raindrops, the concrete pavements took us away from the lively square, with its array of entertainment and eateries, to the impressive Cathedral and City Hall. We’d only wandered for a couple of hundred metres, but the stone of the 12th-century cathedral contrasted greatly with the metal and glass of the modern establishments we’d just come from. It called us inside for a closer look.
Somehow, it was even more spectacular on the inside than it was outside!
An organist played dramatic music, which filled every inch of the building and created such an atmosphere. The music was coming from a digital organ, as the traditional, 300+ year old one, was undergoing a much-deserved refurbishment — Not that our untrained ears would’ve noticed. It still sounded amazing! We wandered around quietly, absorbing our surroundings before heading back out into the drizzle of ‘Brizzle’.
Famous for its maritime history, next we made our way down to the harbour to see the variety of boats moored up. From little dinghy’s to multi-million pound yachts, this small stretch of water is home to it all! We circled the amphitheater and strolled along the tree-lined Hannover Quay, with the bleak sky turning ever-darker as the evening approached.
At just the right time, we passed a BBQ restaurant on the waters edge, and decided to nip in for some dinner. These spur-of-the-moment decisions can go either way — You could end up having the worst meal of your life… or the best. Thankfully, it was closer to the latter, and Spitfire provided a full Texan experience, with its country music, buzzing atmosphere and fantastic selection of barbecued food.
Our little city break may have been drawing to an end, but as we sat across the table from each other, we flicked through a tourist map picking out all of the things we will see and do next time we visit. We aren’t huge city people, but we had a wonderful time exploring Bristol (even in the rain), and we will certainly be back!
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