Clifton Suspension Bridge
About
Isambard Kingdom Brunel's bridge across the Avon Gorge, commissioned from his 1831 design when he was twenty-four and finally completed in 1864, five years after his death, using chains salvaged from his old Hungerford Bridge in London. It still carries around four million vehicle crossings a year, 75 metres above the tidal River Avon, and it remains one of the defining images of Bristol. Crossing on foot or by bike is free, at any hour, every day of the year; only motor vehicles pay the £1 contactless toll. The free visitor centre, on the Leigh Woods (north Somerset) side, tells the building story including the money troubles and long stoppages that nearly killed the project more than once, and is open 10:00-17:00 daily.
Photos
Highlights
- ✓Free pedestrian and cycle crossing, 75 metres above the Avon Gorge
- ✓The free visitor centre on the Leigh Woods side telling Brunel's building story
- ✓Sea Walls viewpoint on the Clifton side for the classic full-span photograph
- ✓Views over the gorge, the harbour and the Clifton Observatory
Tips
- →Pedestrians and cyclists cross free; only motor vehicles pay the £1 toll.
- →The Sea Walls viewpoint, a short walk along the Clifton side of the gorge, gives the best full view of the bridge.
- →It is open 24 hours; early morning or evening avoids both traffic and crowds.
- →Pair it with the free Clifton Observatory and Leigh Woods on the far side for a longer visit.
Best Season
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