Victoria Park, Bristol

Victoria Park, located on Windmill Hill near Bedminster in Bristol, is a delightful park and open space. Positioned to the east of Bedminster railway station and the south of the Bristol to Exeter line, it offers a range of recreational facilities.

Within the park, visitors can enjoy various amenities such as tennis courts, a bowling green, a skate park, a table tennis table, and a designated 1.7-kilometer route for joggers. Additionally, there are several exercise stations scattered throughout the park for fitness enthusiasts. For the little ones, there is a charming children's play area.

Victoria Park in Bedminster was established in the 1880s as a result of the area's growth. The local council bought 51.5 acres of land from Sir John Henry Greville Smyth. Before its official acquisition, the land was already used informally as a gathering spot. In 1887, a children's play area was added and quickly became popular. The surrounding streets were developed in 1891, and by 1898, the park had four rangers, a bandstand, drinking fountains, and a circular pond.

One notable addition to the park is the Water Maze, constructed in 1984. The design of the maze draws inspiration from the decorative bosses found on the roof of Saint Mary Redcliffe church. Interestingly, it was built above a 12th-century pipeline that once supplied water from a spring in Knowle to Redcliffe. The annual Saint Mary Redcliffe Pipe Walk commemorates this historical pipeline.

Victoria Park serves as the venue for numerous annual events. Notably, it hosts the Art on the Hill Arts Trail, a captivating art exhibition held every year during the first weekend of October since 2007. Additionally, the park has provided a picturesque backdrop for open-air film screenings, with profits from these events contributing to the park's maintenance and upkeep.