Reserves

Brandon Hill Nature Park

Grid ref: 578 728 / Area: 2.0 hectares

In a corner of a traditional park you can discover an area devoted to wildlife in the heart of a bustling city.

How to get there
In the centre of Bristol, in the south-west corner of Brandon Hill Park overlooking Jacobs Wells Road.

We encourage visitors to use environmentally friendly forms of transport wherever possible. Most of our reserves are easily accessible by bicycle, with many close to the National Cycle Network. Click here to view a location map of the reserve on the National Cycle Network website.

Access
Access for wheelchairs from Great George Street and Berkeley Square only.

Wildlife and conservation
A pioneering project by the Trust has turned an area of two hectares of Brandon Hill Park into a haven for wildlife.

The wildflower meadow is at its best in midsummer, when ox-eye daisies, yellow rattle and knapweed add a fine splash of colour. A pond provides a breeding site for frogs, toads and smooth newts.

The butterfly garden - a popular summer picnic area - supplies food for caterpillars and many kinds of butterflies. Also, along the attractive woodland walk, birds such as jay, bullfinch and blackcap may be seen.

Native trees and shrubs have been planted, and the meadow is cut for hay in July.

Other points of interest
Visit the Cabot Tower for a fine view of the city which lies in a valley carved by the River Avon. The river takes a sharp bend to the north to flow through the Avon Gorge. In the distance you can see the Dundry Ridge which acts as a natural barrier to the spread of the city.

Further information
Brandon Hill Park is owned by Bristol City Council and managed in partnership with the Trust.