Last weekend I spent the weekend in the lovely Bristol with 3 of my close friends who go to University there and 2 of my other girlfriends who came up to visit from home. I don’t know if everyone in Exeter appreciates how close and accessible this amazing city is to all of us here in Exeter, but if you book a return train ticket in advance, you can get it for as little as £7! I didn’t get my act together so got an open return with a rail card which cost me £17, which, considering I was there for the whole weekend and had the best weekend in a long time, I think was totally worth it. The train journey is just an hour and you’re only a further 10 minutes or so away from the just as impressive city of Bath.
Having friends at Uni in Bristol means my accommodation for the weekend was sorted, and after enjoying a breakfast of croissants, jam and fresh orange juice, we headed into town for a day of shopping and sight-seeing. I have family in Bristol so have been quite a few times before, but it’s so big and varied that there’s always something different to see and do. Cabot Circus is known as the massive shopping centre in the centre of Bristol, boasting a wealth of stores from Millie’s Cookies to American Apparel, both of which Exeter deprives us of. It also has a coffee shop every 100 yards, from the independent and quirky, to Starbucks and Café Nero, so if you’re anything like me and are addicted to latées and hot chocolate, this is the place to shop.
Having spent too much money in the high street stores on clothing that I can’t afford and don’t need, we made our way to Park Street. Recently nominated for a Google award as the UK’s hippest street, Park Street boasts a great selection of trendy clothes boutiques, music and record stores, bars and restaurants, furniture and art galleries. Granted, Park Street presents itself as a hill similar to that on the way up to the Forum, but it’s totally worth it, with its Georgian vista and quirky vibe. A shop I must recommend is BS8, selling vintage clothing and jewellery at ridiculously cheap prices. Cabot Tower is found at the top of Park Street and we would have climbed it for the breath taking views if it wasn’t for our grumbling stomachs. Luckily, we came across a Gourmet Burger Kitchen as we were hiking to the top, and having never been before, if you haven’t either, I would definitely recommend it. The burgers were fantastic, and there were actually tables left at 1.30 for lunch, unlike (1 of the 4 in Bristol…) Boston Tea Party which was rammed with coffee dates!
After a big night out with the girls, we braved the hungover blowy walk to the Harbour, a beautiful area to be in even when the sky is grey and you’re feeling rough from the night before. Spoons was the only place for us at 11am that morning, serving a large greasy fry up to satisfy out hungover shakes. All in all, a fantastic weekend in a beautiful city with lovely people – even if you don’t have friends or family in Bristol and can’t stay the night there, the journey is short enough to make a day trip there worth it.
Photo credits –
http://visitbristol.co.uk/things-to-do/park-street-p23531
http://www.breakfast-breakfast.co.uk/
http://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/special-offers/places/bristol