The Downs (Clifton and Durdham Downs)

The Downs are the 400 acres of open grassland at the top of Clifton, running along the Avon Gorge towards the Suspension Bridge. Nomadic Boys' 2026 Bristol guide and misterb&b's listings name the area for cruising. It's also the city's main open space: joggers, dog walkers and football matches by day, and the site of the Bristol Pride festival every July. Sex in public can be prosecuted in England, and the roads across the Downs are open and well used. If you go, stay alert, keep valuables to a minimum and tell a friend where you are.