Brandon Hill

General information

Brandon Hill is one of Bristol’s most popular picnic spots with plenty to interest everyone, panoramic views of the city, and spectacular sunsets.

Visitor information

Location

Brandon Hill is situated off Park Street and can be accessed from Great George Street, Jacob Wells Road and Berkeley Square, just two minutes from the centre promenade.

Accessibility

Due to the very hilly nature of the site, access is very limited for people with disabilities and wheelchair users.There is very limited parking in the roads off Park Street.

Opening hours

Brandon Hill Park is open all day, all year round. 

Toilets

There are toilets near the top ponds, close to the Cabot Tower, which are open daily from approximately 8am until half an hour before dusk.

Visitor facilities

• dog-free children's play area for under 12s
• Cabot Tower - Grade II listed structure
• Brandon Hill Nature Park

Events

To find out what is happening in the park, visit What's On. Please see our events promotion page if you are interested in promoting an event in Bristol.

What to see when

Spring

• Newts, frogs and toads making their way to breed in the ponds around Cabot Tower and the Avon Wildlife Trust wildlife pond.
• Bats emerging from hibernation.
• Spring migrants arriving - willow warblers and chiffchaffs plus the occasional passage migrant such as the redstart.
• Take a walk in the woods for the dawn chorus and listen out for goldcrests, blackcaps, treecreepers and song thrushes.

Summer

• Fledglings in late spring and early summer - greenfinch, blackcap, coal tit, long-tailed tit, blue tit, robin, dunnock, blackbird and goldcrestall nest at the hill.
• Look out for the violin shaped leaves of fiddledock in the wildflower meadow and ivy broomrape growing at the base of ivy - a parasitic plant with no chlorophyll.
• Emperor dragonflies and large red and azure damselflies buzzing around the ponds.
• Swallows and swiftschasing insects.
• Insects and butterflies such as the rose chafer beetle and common blue and marbled white butterflies.

Autumn

• Migrant birds from Scandinavia such as the redwingbegin to arrive to feed on the autumn berries.
• Look out for kestrels and sparrowhawks hunting around Cabot Tower.

Winter

• Foxes come out earlier to search for food in the long winter nights.
• Squirrels are busy hiding nuts.
• Gulls, cormorants and peregrines passing overhead on their way up the Avon to roost.

For further information on the wildlife at Brandon Hill please follow the Brandon Hill Nature Blog.

Please respect the wildlife on Brandon Hill. All fires and barbecues are strictly prohibited. Picnics are most welcome, but we would like to ask you to preserve the beauty and freshness of the hill by taking your rubbish away to recycle at home.

Special designation and awards

Parts of Brandon Hill Park have been designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument due to its archaeological importance.

Community engagement

A new user group, the Friends of Brandon Hill, was set up in October 2008.  If you would like more information or if you are interested in joining, then please send an email to info@friendsofbrandonhill.org.

Cabot Tower

Cabot Tower was built between 1896 and 1898 in commemoration of John Cabot, 400 years after he sailed in the Matthew and landed in what later became Canada.  

Cabot Tower was closed in November 2007 after bad cracks appeared in masonary around the viewing platforms. Bristol City Council received a substantial grant from English Heritage of £200.000 towards the restoration of Cabot Tower.

Restoration has now been completed and Cabot Tower is open to visitors again.

Cabot Tower is open everyday, apart from Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, from early morning until dusk – approximately from 8am to 7pm during the summer and from 8am to 4pm during the winter. Entrance to the tower is free