Vassell’s Park

This is by far my favourite park in Bristol. It’s got everything you’d want in a park…
Massive open green spaces perfect for football, frisbee, cricket and any other park game.
A huge playground suitable for children of all ages. A hut that sells tea/​coffee/​ice cream and bacon baps.
Beautiful meadows that are buzzing with wildlife.
The river Frome runs through it and throughout the different seasons a walk along that river offers an array of different colours, wildlife and scenery.
I also love the fact you can start in Eastville park and follow the Frome Valley walkway right through Snuff Mills, Oldbury Court, Frenchay, Winterbourne and beyond.
If you live in Bristol and haven’t visited this park then get on it, you won’t be disappointed.

There is a big rolling walkway of green stretching from Eastville to right out under the ringroad at Hambrook, if you know where the paths are. Some of it is part of Oldbury Court, which is how you will see part of this park on the Google map.
Part of that group is Vassell’s Park (which used to be called Vassell’s Family Estate). It must have been an arboretum at one point as it has a fantastic collection of trees so it looks stunning all year round. Largely split into four fields you have the main entrance and car park on Vassall Park Road (note how the spelling is different!) and a sports field to the left with a very good enclosed childrens’ playground, and a larger green space on the right with a concrete path. Most dog walkers during summer and weekends stick to the right side as the left side has footie and cricket. Other times it is a free for all as it is only dog walkers and joggers who come to the park in winter and early mornings!
Then there are two fields at the back which are just big green spaces, again only dog walkers and runners seem to get that far into the park. You can also gain entrance to the park at the bottom of the right-​hand field near the back fields — at Goffenton Drive — but there is only one car space! And there is a way in by the allotments past Glaisdale Road at the back of the left-​hand field. No parking available here.
There is a constant coffee truck near the car park all year and an ice cream truck whenever children are likely to be about. There is a limited amount of waste bins in the hope that everyone will take their rubbish home — unfortunately they don’t and during summertime I become volunteer litter picker when I walk my dog. It does get filthy when the weather is hot and the picnics come out. Annoying and dangerous for my dog. The park does have numerous dog poo bins and the dog walkers here are very clean — I rarely see any left about in the park.
I should say if you don’t like dogs then don’t come here — even at 6am on a wintery day I will see 5 other dogs, on a Saturday afternoon in summer we’re talking 30+.
The park connects down to Snuff Mills and the river Frome at various points. The easiest option is to follow the concrete walking path all the way through the back fields and then when you reach the third entrance and car park at Frenchay Road turn back on yourself and go down the steps. Personally I like careering with my dog down through the the woods!
Of course Snuff Mills can connect you to Eastville Park and to the Purdown Estate for more green space by just crossing a road.
If you want to go on to Downend the woodland path continues opposite the car park but be careful as the path has eroded quite badly and is slippery on a slope. You can also take a short walk through the quiet Frenchay streets and keep going on the Frome Valley Walkway.