Great West Way Travel Magazine | Issue 08

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DYRHAM PARK, NEAR BATH
The grand country house of Dyrham Park sits nestled in a
valley just north of Bath. Built in the Baroque style in the
late 18th century, the house is managed by the National
Trust and preserved as it would have looked in the 19th
century. The grounds are just as alluring as the house however,
and its deer park spreads along the edge of the escarpment that
defines the western boundary of the Cotswolds, providing views
down to the city of Bristol sprawled out in the distance, and across
the Severn Estuary to the hills of Wales beyond. The view alone
would be worth a picnic stop, but sitting amongst the well tended,
undulating estate grounds make it utterly irresistible.
9
AVEBURY STONE CIRCLE AND ITS
SURROUNDS
The World Heritage site of Avebury is one of the most
remarkable prehistoric wonders of ancient Britain. Set
just off the King’s Road linking Bristol to London (the
modern A4), Avebury and adjacent prehistoric remnants combine
to provide some of the most fascinating and inspiring prehistoric
remains anywhere in northern Europe. Climb atop the giant
earthen banks carved out using deer antlers 5000 years ago and
set your picnic down overlooking the stones and picturesque
village that has encroached into the circle over the centuries. Or,
make your way to Kennett Long Barrow, a large, prehistoric burial
chamber that rests on a nearby hill overlooking the prehistoric,
pyramid-like, Silbury Hill, in the valley below, to commune with
the ancients over pimms and sausage rolls.
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CLIFTON DOWN, BRISTOL
Ending our list at the western end of the Great
West Way, in Bristol, is this gem of a spot. Sitting
atop the eastern edge of the Avon gorge, this
stunning park was established in the 1800s to
provide the well-to-do of nearby Clifton with a space to ‘take the
airs’. Clifton, a suburb of the the city of Bristol below, became the
residential district of choice for merchants and slave traders in the
18th century as Britain’s trade empire and its wealth exploded.
The suburb, set atop a hill close to town, but not in it, allowed its
occupants the space and elegance to enjoy the good life without
becoming caught up in the squalor and unpleasantness of the port
below. Today, Clifton Down affords views of the river and gorge,
as well as Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s iconic Clifton Suspension
Bridge, the first suspension bridge in the world, and is framed by
stunning Georgian architecture along its other sides making it a
remarkable spot for a picnic in a remarkable city.
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