So on my return from New Zealand I’m starting a new job in Bristol next week!

No accommodation sorted as yet, so will be airbnb’ing it for a couple of weeks whilst I room hunt.

Hence any recommendations for where to avoid or focus on? New office is Aztec west and would prefer to be in riding distance.

Mid week XC and techie riding squads also required!

Welcome!

Bristol’s pretty compact and easy to get around by bike. Sounds like you’re looking at mainly North Bristol if you want to be near work.

Horfield, Ashley Down or Bishopston would be a good compromise with your commute and still being close ish to the vibrant bits and the city centre

Redland or Henleaze are posher so more £££ but better access to riding in Leigh Woods

Further north than that and you’re in Southmead, Filton or Patchway, which are a quite rough so i would avoid

Lots of good places further south too

Welcome indeed.

Like pete^, I’d also be looking in and around Redland, Bishopston, St. Andrews, Horfield, Ashley Down. (Bishopston, Redland prob £££, St. Andrews, Horfield ££, Ashley Down and surrounding £) They’ll all be easily commutable to Aztec West. Plenty of buses going that way too for the mornings you really don’t fancy the bike. You’ll also be close to Gloucester road which is full of independent restaurants, cafes, bars, shops – and a great place for socialising at the weekend.

Any of those areas are pretty nice places to live. Pick a place within stumbling distance of Gloucester Road and you’ll have a nice introduction to life here. All in all, it’s a pretty cool city as they go, and you’re getting here in time for Summer so there will be lots going on in town every weekend and the floating harbour is a lovely spot on a sunny day to just hang around and watch life go by.

Hope you like hills. 😀

Hi mate, welcome.

Firstly, we’ve got a Wednesday night ride that you’re welcome to join, quite a few of here as well as a few others. Drop me an email (email in profile) if you want to be added in. Also plenty of us are riding most weekends.

Mr Mrs works in Aztec West, we’re in Redland but just moving to St George. I would say Gloucester Road would be ideal for you, loads of food places, shops etc.

Bradley Stoke (AKA Sadly Broke) is probably a very easy commute and right on the edge. It’s basically a giant modern sprawling housing estate but is full of families and houses for all budgets. Also near Parkway and Abbey Wood train stations for escaping the city.

Another option could be north of the M5 if there is a decent bike route or the new housing estate round the back of Cribbs Causeway (big shopping and entertainment park on the north edge of Bristol).

If you want to be more in the middle and older parts of bristol then I guess head down the A38 (Gloucester Road) and it gets more and more cultural. The best bit is around the middle near and just below the Memorial Ground I guess but I have never lived there.

Clifton/Stock Bishop/Redland are the most expensive bits but a bit far for you to commute on bike and commuting by car is a ball ache.

Riding places are Leigh Woods/Ashton Court or also a little bit of stuff at Blaise Castle. Other than that head south to the Mendips and further south to the Quantocks or north to the Forest of Dean, Wye Valley and then the trail centres in South Wales.

Kinda depends if you want to live somewhere quiet or bustling, village/suburbs/city, how long you want you ride commute to be, just you or a family, what’s your budget/how many bedrooms do you need, will you have a car etc.?
In terms of place close to Aztec West I’d avoid Patchway and Southmead, I’m sure there’s some nice places within them (and you get a fair sized house for cheaper than most other places in Bristol) but in general those areas are pretty rough.
Bradley Stoke is a giant suburban area close by but is pretty characterless, quiet though if that’s what you want.
Gloucester Road is certainly good for eating out variety (gets better the further away from Aztec you go though), not sure generally what the residential areas surrounding it are like but Horfield is OK.
There’s some villages close to Aztec to (Winterbourne, Almondsbury, Tockington etc.) house prices aren’t cheap in them though.

Welcome to Bristol – great place to live. Within an hour or so of great riding at Cwmcarn, an hour from uplifts at Flyup 417 and FOD and 2 hours from BPW and Afan.

Closest place to Aztec west is Bradley Stoke / Stoke Gifford but are a bit soulless – think massive 90’s new build estate and you’re there.

If you’re feeling flush then Clifton / Redland / Westbury / Cotham are all nice and not too far away.

Anywhere off Gloucester Road is a short ish commute too – with plenty of bars / pubs / restaurants. You could cycle into the centre of Bristol pretty easily too – although there is a lot of traffic to contend with.

I think must avoid for me would be Patchway and Southmead.

Not sure about Filton / Horfield – I think bits are ok but bits are a bit ropey. I’ve never lived that side of Bristol to comment.

There are a good group of guys in Bristol from here that have good banter and go out riding. I’m in the email group but haven’t made it out riding yet. Need to sort that out asap!

Sweet cheers guys!

Short term will just be renting a room whilst I scope things out and get in a position to buy.

Single and super active; so will be getting involved with as much local riding/climbing/hashing ect as I can.

climbing

Anywhere mentioned above will be a short ride from Undercover Rock in St. Werburghs. It’s Bristol’s original indoor climbing wall – used to go there a few times a week – pretty friendly place and plenty of people there that also do outdoor stuff in the gorge etc.

I almost envy you – I’d love to be “new” to Bristol. 😀

Welcome to Brizzle!

You’ll definitely have to come along on one of our midweek rides (ala Tom above) once you’re settled. It’s all pretty easy going and a good laugh. Drop Tom or I an email and we’ll get you on the weekly email ramblings to sort out a ride.

And yes Joe, you do indeed!

Ant

As above get yourself on the STW Bristol Massive e-mail list for regular rides, or occasional rides in some of our cases.

Bristol Mountain Bike Club are worth a look, regular week night and weekend rides.

And the Meetup group. I ride with them all.

Local riding mostly centered around Leigh Woods / Ashton court, with frequent trips to Cwncarn, FoD, Quantocks, Mendips, BPW etc. Plus further afield.

Indoor climbing spoilt for choice, UCR, Redpoint, TCA, Bloc. There are a couple of Meetup groups with regular weekly meets at each of them.

Sorry no advice on where to live, I mostly keep out of the big city.

Bristol named best place to live in Britain in 2017

Welcome to Brizzle, innit!

Cheers 🙂

Day one of the new Job tomorrow; going to be interesting….

What sort of work will you be doing?

Systems Engineering for a consultancy.

Sideways move for me from Software Development.

Someone will be along soon to tell you Aztec west isn’t bristol…..
Anyways, AW is bikeable from Winterbourne, Frampton Cotterell, both nice but not buzzy like Gloucs rd. More suburban villages.
If you like the feel of being “in” a city, then Horfield would probably suit. Lots of fun to be had there!
Bradley stoke, patchway aren’t somewhere I’d want to live, but Stoke Gifford is the best of that lot and it’s not at all bad.

It’s rubbish, and the riding’s crap.

Welcome to Brizzle!

Definitely get involved in the STW massive wednesday ride / emails as mentioned above. Ant does a good job of keeping the momentum going & the rides are fun. And the excuses for not riding are varied and entertaining enough in themselves!!

I’ve been here a few years now and absolutely love it.

Cracking city.

Cheers, Paul

Don’t forget that Prima Donna becomes Primal Donnal……

I had many happy years in Bristol and Weston – accent is a bit odd but I’m from Newcastle……..

Don’t forget to see Cheddar George – he lives near Axbridge.