Walk Seventeen: the Malago, Crox Bottom and Novers Hill

Mike’s Bristol Walks Walk Seventeen: The Malago, Crox Bottom and Novers Hill Temple Meads Station or Bedminster Station. Walk Seventeen: The Malago, Crox Widely accessible by bus routes to Hartcliffe, Bottom and Novers Hill running to the bottom of Redcliff Hill from Broad Quay. Small car parks available at Last updated: October 2020 Bedminster Parade and Little Paradise, and Our series of more outlying walks begins, on-street parking available at weekends in perversely, with a walk that starts very much industrial estates behind York Road (cars in the inner suburbs. However, over the parked at owners’ risk). course of this walk we will be venturing out to Approx. Time: 3 hours 15 minutes very much more peripheral locations than Approx. Distance: 6.3 miles those seen so far. One of the longer routes on offer, this walk The Route focuses on discovering the course of Bristol’s Like Walk Seven ‘The New Cut and Southville’ most hidden river: the Malago. Very and Walk Eight ‘Bedminster, Totterdown and important to the historic development of Arno’s Vale’, this route starts at the Bedminster, this waterway can still be Bedminster Bridge roundabout, on the followed for large stretches of its route from threshold of the city centre, alongside the Bedminster Bridge out towards Dundry. River Avon New Cut. Having explored the route of the Malago, the walk then takes you from Bishopsworth The Malago, which originally met the River across to one of the Malago’s tributaries, the Avon in the vicinity of today’s Bathurst Basin Pigeonhouse Stream, as it passes through prior to the construction of the Floating Crox Bottom, followed by a journey down Harbour and the New Cut, now makes its Novers Hill with its views of the city centre outfall from a culvert under ASDA’s car park. If and an opportunity to explore a little more of you stand on the corner of Commercial Road Bedminster than we managed to cover in and look down the river towards St Paul’s Walk Eight ‘Bedminster, Totterdown and Church, you may be able to see the hatchway Arno’s Vale’. where it emerges. We won’t be able to see the Malago again until it emerges from its The sights on this walk are seldom glamorous culvert. or picturesque, but it’s a good opportunity to explore parts of South Bristol, which doesn’t Running south from the bridge, Bedminster generally lend itself to exploration on foot. Parade is an historic thoroughfare leading into the heart of Bedminster. The original Useful Information carriageway of the street, which lines up with the older of Bedminster Bridge’s twin spans, is Terrain: Undulating. Includes some steps. now a car park (1); through traffic splays off to Ground: Largely paved. An unpaved stretch in line up with the newer bridge instead. Manor Woods Valley that may be soft underfoot can be avoided by taking an alternative route. Key Attractions: River Avon New Cut, Windmill Hill City Farm, River Malago, Manor Woods Valley, Crox Bottom, South Street Park, East Street shops. Refreshments: There are a range of pubs and eateries available at the end of the walk. Starting point: Bedminster Bridge Roundabout Getting there: 20 minutes’ walk from Centre Promenade and 15 minutes’ walk from The old carriageway of Bedminster Parade Mike’s Bristol Walks Walk Seventeen: The Malago, Crox Bottom and Novers Hill Begin by walking down left hand / east side of Bedminster’s main river is now a shadow of its Bedminster Parade, outside a large block of former self. Once a driver of industry in the flats. Follow Bedminster Parade briefly and area and, occasionally, a cause of major then take the very first left, Boot Lane. flooding, the Malago has now been reduced to a partially buried trickle. These days, the Boot Lane will take you through to Stillhouse bulk of the storm water flowing down from Lane, a cobbled street to the rear of Dundry hill is diverted to the River Avon New Bedminster Parade, where you will find an Cut via a culvert at Manor Woods Valley in interesting old school building. During recent Bishopsworth, which we will come to a little years, the Bedminster Parade side of the lane later. has been undergoing gradual redevelopment into a residential mews – a process which is still ongoing. The Malago runs through derelict land at Clarke Street The old school buildings in Stillhouse Lane Continue along the edge of the derelict car park, keeping the stone wall to your right. Turn right and follow Stillhouse Lane to the far end. You will see that you are following the pavement of an old roadway, which is all that At the junction with Willway Street (2), note is left of this part of Clarke Street, which was the curious old stone malthouse to the left once a residential street. which resembles a prison. Soon after that, you will emerge on Philip Street at a crossroads You will soon pass through a barrier to next to the Apple Tree, a very local cider pub. emerge on the final surviving stretch of Clarke Street, which will lead you out onto Windmill Hill City Farm is located just down Whitehouse Lane, where the Malago briefly Philip Street to the left, and is worth a visit if disappears again as you are surrounded by you fancy a detour. small industrial premises. Otherwise, continue straight across Philip Turn right and follow Whitehouse Lane until Street into Clarke Street, where you will pass you reach the next junction. the small Victorian Philip Street Chapel. You will pass a small tree-lined space that is Clarke Street ends shortly at a footpath. sometimes known as Bedminster Green, and Take the footpath in front of you (3). is now at the epicentre of high-rise You will soon find yourself emerging in a redevelopment proposals that have caused a derelict car park; all of this land is set for stir locally. The Malago runs underneath this major redevelopment in the near future, but space, passing along Whitehouse Lane, and for the moment it remains open and there is a possibility that this short stretch underused. may be uncovered again in the future. A low stone wall to the right provides our first opportunity to see the River Malago. Mike’s Bristol Walks Walk Seventeen: The Malago, Crox Bottom and Novers Hill Turn left through a railway arch onto Windmill Follow the greenway until it emerges back on Hill (4), passing the entrance to Bedminster St. John’s Lane. Bear left towards the Station. pedestrian crossing. Note the steep leafy quiet of St. John’s Burial Ground off to the left (6). Take the first right after the railway arch onto Cross St. John’s Lane to reach Francis Road. Cotswold Road North, and immediately go through the barriers on the right to join a Now closed to traffic, Francis Road makes the footpath bordering a green space (5). third side of a triangle with the main roads St. John’s Lane and Bedminster Road. The River You are now on the Malago Greenway, a Malago can still be glimpsed through the tree cycle route that roughly follows the course of line on the left, running through a hidden the Malago out through Bedminster. glade. Reaching Bedminster Road, cross at the pedestrian crossing and then go straight on onto a footpath parallel to the Malago Greenway, which is off to the left. Autumn colours on the Malago Greenway Follow the cycle path to the bottom of the hill, where the River Malago emerges from a tunnel under the railway line. Crossing a footbridge, continue along the path with the Alongside the Malago near Bedminster Road river on your left. The path here has a more open feel. The Malago runs through marginal wildflowers to the left, while the new homes of Malago Drive make a tidy boundary to the right. Cross the footbridge to rejoin the Malago Greenway. Continue straight on through Marksbury Road Open Space. The Malago makes its appearance from beneath the railway line This part of the river flows through a wooded gulley shrouded by sycamore trees. The red- brick backs of the houses on Cotswold Road and their secluded gardens can be glimpsed through the trees to your left. On the right are the red-brick sheds of the Malago Vale Marksbury Road Open Space Trading Estate. Mike’s Bristol Walks Walk Seventeen: The Malago, Crox Bottom and Novers Hill Marksbury Road Open Space is one of a string Hartcliffe Way is the busy main road from of open areas that follow the Malago through Bedminster out to the more peripheral areas this part of Bedminster. Its recreational of Hartcliffe and Hengrove, running via the facilities are popular with local families and valley of the Pigeonhouse Stream, a tributary teens. of the Malago that we will get a better look at later. For now, Hartcliffe Way runs through Following the greenway, leave the open space industrial land. via the gates onto Marksbury Road. Turn right and follow Marksbury Road until you reach a Cross over at the traffic lights (10) and small stone bridge over the river (7). The continue following the Malago Greenway, Malago Greenway continues to the left just which runs as a cycle path along the far side of before the bridge span. Take this left turn. Hartcliffe Way. The next section of the Malago Greenway The cycle path borders the Vale Lane takes on a wilder and more airy feel. Beyond industrial area, where you will find various car the houses on the far left of the space you will sales and maintenance businesses.

Load more