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Daytime

Golden Light at the Downs

Start with a coffee, walk the grassy expanse, and catch the late afternoon sun setting over the gorge.

Best time: 15 JanuaryAbout 90 min

Timeline

  1. 14:30

    Burra

    Grab a coffee at Burra. The café opens at 08:00, so this is a good early start to beat the chill.

  2. 15:30

    Clifton and Durdham Downs

    Walk across Clifton and Durdham Downs. The 400 acres of grassland offer open views towards the Severn Estuary. The walk from the café is short, putting you on the downs well before the light changes.

  3. 16:30

    Clifton and Durdham Downs

    Watch the sunset. The sun sets toward the SW at 16:30. The open downs provide an unobstructed view of the sky darkening over the Avon Gorge.

  4. 17:15

    The Downs Cafe

    End with a hot drink at The Downs Cafe. It is open until 17:00 on weekdays and 17:30 on weekends, making it the perfect warm-up spot after the cold evening air.

Local tip

The Downs can be windy in winter. Bring a coat for the sunset view.

Check before you go

  • The Downs Cafe closes at 17:00 on weekdays and 17:30 on weekends. Plan your sunset viewing accordingly.
  • Burra is open from 08:00 daily.

Worth knowing

  • The Downs Cafe is open at 17:15 only on Sa, Su

Built from places in the Wikivoyage guide to Bristol (CC BY-SA 4.0), with open map data from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

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