The Bristol walking tour that will take you to all 45 of the city’s bridges

When you think of Bristol, one of the first things you probably think of is the Clifton Suspension Bridge. This landmark of the city is a masterpiece of engineering. But it’s not the only bridge you’ll find here.

Did you know that Bristol boasts some 45 walkable bridges? What’s more, there’s a 45km (28 mile) walking tour that will take you on a journey to visit them all. It’s actually even been described as a ‘walking challenge’.

So, when you’re thinking about your January fitness regimes, exercise challenges, or simply fancy a new adventure, keep this one in mind… Of course, only if all of the bridges are open!

Dubbed ‘The Bristol Bridges Walk‘, this walk takes you across all 45 walkable bridges that span Bristol’s main waterways. The circular walk takes you across each bridge just once, and it doesn’t require you to start or finish at a specific point – you can choose on which bridge you start, and which direction you wish to head, and the walk will eventually bring you right back to where you started.

The walk even boasts its own Facebook page ‘The Bristol Bridges Walk Challenge‘, in which you’ll find more detailed instructions, as well as news and updates about the route – and you can even post your own photos and experiences of taking on the ‘challenge’. There’s even a companion handbook you can order (read more about this below).

And if you complete the entire walk, you can receive an official badge to say so!

Here’s a list of all 45 of the bridges featured in the Bristol Bridges walk:

1. Bristol Bridge
2. St Philip’s Bridge
3. Castle Ditch Bridge
4. Temple Bridge
5. Valentine’s Bridge
6. Meads Reach Bridge
7. Bath Bridge (West)
8. Bath Bridge (East)
9. Brock’s Bridge
10. St Philip’s Footbridge
11. Temple Meads Relief Line Bridge
12. Sparke Evans Park Bridge
13. St Philips Causeway Bridge (East)
14. St Philips Causeway Bridge (West)
15. Barton Hill Bridge
16. Netham Lock Bridge (East)
17. New Brislington Bridge
18. St Anne’s Footbridge
19. Netham Lock Bridge (West)
20. Feeder Road Footbridge
21. Marsh Bridge
22. Totterdown Bridge
23. Langton Street Bridge (Banana Bridge)
24. Bedminster Bridge (East)
25. Bedminster Bridge (West)
26. Bathurst Basin Footbridge
27. Bathurst Basin Footbridge (East)
28. Bathurst Basin Footbridge (West)
29. Gaol Ferry Bridge
30. Vauxhall Bridge
31. Ashton Avenue Bridge
32. Avon Bridge
33. South Entrance Lock Bridge
34. South Entrance Lock Walkway
35. Plimsoll Bridge
36. Clifton Suspension Bridge
37. Avonmouth Road Bridge
38. Portway Viaduct
39. Poole’s Wharf Bridge
40. North Junction Lock Bridge
41. South Junction Lock Bridge
42. Prince Street Bridge
43. Pero’s Bridge
44. Redcliffe Bridge
45. Castle Bridge

‘From Brycgstow to Bristol in 45 Bridges’

Published by Bristol Books in 2019, Jeff Lucas tells the story of each of the 45 bridges featured on this list, which span the waterways of Bristol between Avonmouth and St Anne’s, and which can be crossed on foot. Illustrated with Jeff’s own photography, the book‘s aim is to ‘open up new ways of looking at these often beautiful structures that we usually take for granted’.

The walk is also the solution to a mathematical puzzle called the ‘Königsberg Bridge Problem’ – how to walk around a given set of bridges crossing each one only once. The problem has been solved for Bristol’s 45 bridges by Thilo Gross, a young mathematician and Bristol University alumni, who contributes a chapter about the bridge problem in the book.