The more I research it, the more I find that Hotwells had far better transport links back in Victorian and Edwardian times than it has today. Along with buses that went to more useful places than the City Centre, there were trams, the funicular up to Clifton, the landing stage for paddle steamer services and two railway stations all within easy walking distance of me.
Today I took a day off work as preparation for doing the bookkeeping for my tax return1, and took a wander along to the site of what would have been my nearest station, Hotwells (or Clifton, as it started out in life), nestled in the shadow of the suspension bridge, the Bristol terminus of the Bristol Port Railway and Pier.
From there I wandered down the Portway, following the original line, until I got to the area around Sneyd Park Junction, where the tunnel from the slightly later Clifton Extension Railway joined up with this originally-isolated BPR line. Then I headed up to Clifton through the "goat gully" at Walcombe Slade, seeing the few above-ground bits of evidence of the tunnel (which is still in regular use) along the way.
It was a lovely day, and a good walk, and it was interesting to daydream of the times when I could have walked a few minutes from my flat down to Dowry Parade, caught a short tram ride to Hotwells Stations, and then headed from there to Avonmouth, perhaps even to board a transatlantic passenger service. The completion of the Clifton Extension Railway that linked the Avonmouth station with Temple Meads made relatively direct transatlantic travel from London via Bristol possible, with passengers travelling up from Paddington to Temple Meads, on to Avonmouth on the Clifton Extension Railway and Port Railway and Pier line, then perhaps catching a Cambpell's paddle steamer—which sometimes acted as tenders for large steamers—to a larger ship that was headed out for Canada, say.
1 I've learned that the best approach is to take two days off and deliberately do something that's not my bookkeeping on the first day, as otherwise I just inevitably end up procrastinating and feeling guilty on the first day no matter what. I have an odd brain, but at least I'm learning strategies for dealing with its strange ways as I get older...
2 Information mostly gleaned from Colin Maggs' The Bristol Port Railway & Pier and the Clifton Extension Railway, The Oakwood Press, 1975.
I did not see hide nor hair of a single goat the entire time I was in the goat gully. I clearly need to spend a bit more time there.
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Text Recognition Tags: Goat news ... New Kashmir goats!!! Some new, young Kashmir goats have recently arrived in the Gully. They join our existing herd of two old Kashmir goats (the big white ones) and the four Bagot goats (the small brown and white ones). Please help us to help them settle into their new home by: Keeping your dog on a lead Not approaching them - Not feeding them. They have plenty of natural food - If you feed them they may become sick. Their job is to carry out vital conservation work by nibbling invasive scrub and bramble. By doing this they're helping to make space for rare plants like the Bristol onion and Bristol rock-cress to thrive. Both of these wild flowers grow nowhere else in the UK! www.avongorge.org.uk Goat news ... New Kashmir goats!!! Some new, young Kashmir goats have recently arrived in the Gully. They join our existing herd of two old Kashmir goats (the big white ones) and the four Bagot goats (the small brown and white ones). Please help us to help them settle into their new home by: Keeping your dog on a lead Not approaching them - Not feeding them. They have plenty of natural food - If you feed them they may become sick. Their job is to carry out vital conservation work by nibbling invasive scrub and bramble. By doing this they're helping to make space for rare plants like the Bristol onion and Bristol rock-cress to thrive. Both of these wild flowers grow nowhere else in the UK! www.avongorge.org.uk
19 Aug 2023
It's been a long while since I did one of these walks.
I'm thinking of finishing up the project by walking one or two last bits of road, thus being able to declare with all honesty that I've done my best to walk every public road within my mile (and quite a few alleyways besides.) As a prelude, and just because I felt like it, I decided to drag out the camera and GPS on this little wander to the local shops.
More notices, including a couple of newcomers to the local businesses: Hopewell, an estate agency, has opened up just down Hopechapel Hill in the place of The Landmark Practice (an environmental consultancy firm that seem to have moved out to Long Ashton) and HappyBack, who I'd noticed appearing down on the Hotwell Road a month or two ago.
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Text Recognition Tags: SAVE JACOBS WELLS your We W ty WS Na à Order w a gratyf Lauan ya wld worldcat HERE THE PETI Cale wwwwww CHBUEC C www d Dabe 17 TANTO F www. 0-100 Your journey is our journey and we are here to help you every step of the way Wend fpwith vir Ourica apteert papper mating nything t neces or Sc ng vs Shack and petere p FM 2 yan unteers Needed 0/0 70-23 DAN HappyBack Find Ho D Highly experienced Physiotherapy. Osteopathy and H® Massage specialists, helping you to get your happy back! W Lifeskills Lifeskills Learning for Living Py Acad Marg back. people to join our amazing toomer volunteers Oxime ww We are your new neighbours! pelare a prsity independent state aguny tinging together every best o ort, medium Alongtam ss and mes for sale across the city ravis A NEW Ma # HOPEWELL Come and say hello at our new offic orated at Hope Chcel House Hone Chapel Hill BSB IND 0117 911 8663 CERED ww are acest (10-only) og for new SANT FREE PEER SUPPORT GROUP TUESDAYS ONLINE 6.30-8.30pm 24ury Facilitated by LGBTQIA people Safe, nonjudgemental, confidential space to discuss mental wellbeing with other LGSTOLA+people Trinity Lunch Club Thursdays 10am-3:30pm Morning Coffee Armchair Excises 3 Course Home Cooked Lunch CET ARTIN Quiz Activities Tea & Biscuits For more information Call 07458 300 210 or email tes@holytrinityhotwells.org Holy Trinity Church serving the communities of Hotwells, Cliftonwood, Saike Island, Harboursie holytrinityhotwells.org Alexander May Having a baby? 42- AU You and your birth partner weinstela Calm Births Hypnobirthing FREE TASTER SESSION, online with Dolanan Monday th September OXO 7.30pm P By placeb www.dealbws.com We are devastated by the fire at the Underfall Yard. fre The fee has destroyed the heart of the Yard where most of the boat building activity takes place and tenant's businesses and boats have. been ruined. Thankfully no one was killed and no on was injured, but a lot of people in the Underfall Yard community have been impacted our staff, our tenants, our volunteers and our neighbours on Avon Crescent and Nova Scotia Place. Our hearts are with them and we are supporting our tenants as best we can. P DARO l HIER UNDERFALL YARD TRUST The Underfall Yard Trust was formed i the 1990's to bring the Underfall Yard out of dereliction, to look after the historio buildings, to shine a light on Bristoll's engineering harbour heritage and to promote traditional marine skills. In light of the devastation at the Yard, those aims remain as relevant now as they were then, SE We absolutely are committed to rebuilding the Underfall Yard and continuing the charity's work, If you would like to support the Trust, please see our JustGiving page, scan the QR code or alternatively, there is a donation box located on the Café till. https://www.justgiving.com/theunderfallyardtrust SAVE JACOBS WELLS your We W ty WS Na à Order w a gratyf Lauan ya wld worldcat HERE THE PETI Cale wwwwww CHBUEC C www d Dabe 17 TANTO F www . 0-100 Your journey is our journey and we are here to help you every step of the way Wend fpwith vir Ourica apteert papper mating nything t neces or Sc ng vs Shack and petere p FM 2 yan unteers Needed 0/0 70-23 DAN HappyBack Find Ho D Highly experienced Physiotherapy . Osteopathy and H® Massage specialists , helping you to get your happy back ! W Lifeskills Lifeskills Learning for Living Py Acad Marg back . people to join our amazing toomer volunteers Oxime ww We are your new neighbours ! pelare a prsity independent state aguny tinging together every best o ort , medium Alongtam ss and mes for sale across the city ravis A NEW Ma # HOPEWELL Come and say hello at our new offic orated at Hope Chcel House Hone Chapel Hill BSB IND 0117 911 8663 CERED ww are acest ( 10 - only ) og for new SANT FREE PEER SUPPORT GROUP TUESDAYS ONLINE 6.30-8.30pm 24ury Facilitated by LGBTQIA people Safe , nonjudgemental , confidential space to discuss mental wellbeing with other LGSTOLA + people Trinity Lunch Club Thursdays 10 am-3:30pm Morning Coffee Armchair Excises 3 Course Home Cooked Lunch CET ARTIN Quiz Activities Tea & Biscuits For more information Call 07458 300 210 or email tes@holytrinityhotwells.org Holy Trinity Church serving the communities of Hotwells , Cliftonwood , Saike Island , Harboursie holytrinityhotwells.org Alexander May Having a baby ? 42 AU You and your birth partner weinstela Calm Births Hypnobirthing FREE TASTER SESSION , online with Dolanan Monday th September OXO 7.30pm P By placeb www.dealbws.com We are devastated by the fire at the Underfall Yard . fre The fee has destroyed the heart of the Yard where most of the boat building activity takes place and tenant's businesses and boats have . been ruined . Thankfully no one was killed and no on was injured , but a lot of people in the Underfall Yard community have been impacted our staff , our tenants , our volunteers and our neighbours on Avon Crescent and Nova Scotia Place . Our hearts are with them and we are supporting our tenants as best we can . P DARO l HIER UNDERFALL YARD TRUST The Underfall Yard Trust was formed i the 1990's to bring the Underfall Yard out of dereliction , to look after the historio buildings , to shine a light on Bristoll's engineering harbour heritage and to promote traditional marine skills . In light of the devastation at the Yard , those aims remain as relevant now as they were then , SE We absolutely are committed to rebuilding the Underfall Yard and continuing the charity's work , If you would like to support the Trust , please see our JustGiving page , scan the QR code or alternatively , there is a donation box located on the Café till . https://www.justgiving.com/theunderfallyardtrust