Bristol is the largest city in southwest England and takes its name from the Old English for ‘place of the bridge’. It is home to the Clifton Suspension Bridge, which stretches across Avon Gorge and many other engineering and natural marvels. It is also an excellent base from which to explore the wider region, not least the UNESCO-listed city of Bath.
One of England’s most eclectic cities, Bristol is a thriving hub for the arts. Not only is it the home city of street artist Banksy, with many of his works to be found around the city, but a multitude of venues attracting a steady stream of big names. The youthful population ensure there is a lively nightlife, while visitors to Bristol are never far from the quintessential English countryside.
Located in the southwest of England, Bristol campervan hire is easily accessible from elsewhere in the UK and abroad. It is situated at the crossing point of the M4 and M5 motorways. The M4 connects Bristol with the bright lights of London in as little as 2.5 hours. The M5 runs roughly north-south, connecting the international airport at Birmingham in the Midlands with the attractive city of Exeter on the Devon coast.
Bristol’s airport receives regular flights from the likes of Aer Lingus, KLM and budget airlines easyJet and Ryanair. Bristol can be reached from more than 125 different European cities, with flights from Bristol to Amsterdam lasting just one hour 15 minutes.
Bristol Temple Meads is the city’s main rail terminal. Up to three trains per hour connect Bristol with London in around 1.5 hours, while other domestic destinations including Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff and even Edinburgh.
With more than 11,000 parking spaces dotted across the city, motorhome hire in Bristol can easily find parking. Central 24-hour options include Trenchard Street and West End multi-storey car parks offering hundreds of spaces over several floors. Prices are around £4.50 for 4 hours, or £12 for more than 4 hours in a 24-hour period. There are also smaller kerbside parking bays operated by the city council. Signposted and marked as a painted white box on the road, generally speaking, they operate on a ‘pay and display’ basis. This means you will need to purchase a ticket for a set number of hours from one of the automated roadside machines on arrival and display it clearly on your front windscreen. Costs start at £1.50/hour.
Even in quieter months, it’s recommended to book campsites ahead of time to avoid disappointment.