Cabot Tower and Brandon Hill
Cabot Tower: climb 105 steps for the best view in Bristol, 32m up on Brandon Hill. Free, always open, a central hilltop and a Victorian park on the slopes.
Cabot Tower was built in 1897 to mark the 400th anniversary of John Cabot’s voyage from Bristol to Newfoundland. It stands at the top of Brandon Hill, the highest point in the central city, and gives a 360-degree panoramic view over the harbour, Clifton, Redcliffe, Temple Meads and the Mendips on a clear day.
Cost
Free. Always open (the tower interior is closed at dusk).
What to see
The tower itself: 105 steps up a narrow spiral staircase to a small open-sided viewing platform 32 metres above the hill. The climb is strenuous; the view is worth it.
Brandon Hill park, the slopes below the tower, is nine hectares of landscaped green space with a small wildlife pond, a children’s play area, and more picnic spots than the city knows what to do with. Bring a sandwich.
Access
The tower is not wheelchair accessible (narrow spiral steps, no lift). Brandon Hill is partially step-free with tarmacked paths; the tower courtyard at the summit is accessible via a ramped path from the western side.
Nearest stop: Stop 11 - College Green and Park Street, then a steep ten-minute walk west up Jacob’s Wells Road.