Bristol - SS Great Britain

Totally I think It's worth it 110% - and the easy/fun way to get there is on the Harbour Waterbus from behind Bristol Temple Meads Station- https://www.bristolferry.com/waterbus/

Just follow the signs to the ferry through the old Brunel train shed (the original Temple Meads station, and in use until 1965 as extra platforms).

I know you can walk down there or take a bus from Temple Meads, but the water bus to me is the best way to see Bristol Floating Harbour (as it is called).

As someone who unusually prefers Bristol to Bath you absolutely do it, particularly if it's something that you are particularly
interested in. I imagine that you could do the SS Great Britain and be back in Bath to do something else in a day if you wanted, but I would plan a whole day in Bristol if I were you.

Only you can determine if it's worth it.

Otherwise, why not? Where are you traveling to after your stay in Bath and is it a long travel day? What time would you check-out and what about your luggage?

If it were a decision i were making for myself I would most certainly make the visit and at the front end of my visit to the area. I usually keep my schedule very flexible, not set in stone and I generally do not plan visits to attractions on my travel days. Britol is only a 20 minute train journey and an anytime day return ticket is £11.70, and off-peak is cheaper.

Yes very much worth it. It is an amazing ship with an equally amazing history. When she was launched in 1843, she was the largest and most advanced ship in the world - the first screw-propelled, ocean-going, wrought iron ship. Nothing like it had been seen before. It dwarfed earlier ships and not only wasa state of the art it was possibly the first of the luxurious cross Atlantic liners... Her return as an empty hulk from the Falkland islands in 1970 was the longest ever journey taken under tow. Her return up the Avon to Bristol was watched by crowds of spectators and millions on TV.

I remember seeing her in the 1980s when she was still an empty hulk and standing inside the sheer size of her. Since then she has been carefully restored to her former glory. The Victorians understood luxury (although travelling steerage may not have been so good.)

Not only is there the ship to explore, the surrounding Dockyard has also been restored and there are costumed interpreters as well as guided talks. Go and learn about her designer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel who was possibly one of the most famous engineers of the time and the stories of her passengers and voyages.

Allow plenty of time as there is so much to see and do - you could easily spend a full day there.

It’s great - do it. I’ve been there twice, saw different things both times. It’s pretty much my favourite historic ship/museum.

Give yourself plenty of time and enjoy the Bristol waterfront while you’re there. It has a very different vibe to Bath.

Stuart, absolutely - I love to get out on the water whenever I can …!

I think I might just add one more night in Bath since in order to visit the SS Great Britain, it causes an extra complication - if I do it on my last day.. The question is what would I do with my luggage (not especially big)…I suppose my hotel would hold it for me post-checkout, but I’d have to stop in Bath instead of going straight to London

A 3rd night sounds wonderful…

Thanks!

John, there’s no way I would plan something else in Bath - thereby rushing through this day

That’s why I think I’m going to add one more night in Bath..

Perhaps I might even have dinner in Bristol - if there are good restaurants near the train station?

Thanks!

VAP, after my Bath stay, it’s back to my base in Tunbridge Wells…which means 2 trains.

I front really anything planned for that day in terms of attractions. If I keep my stay at 2 nights, I’d need to visit the Herschel Museum on that Sunday in order to have time to do what I want

Well the luggage absolutely would be an issue returning from Bristol - I’d have to leave it at the hotel post-check out, then pick it up, head to London, back to TW

That’s way too much travel - I’m going to add a 3rd night

Thank you!!

Wasley, I’m kind of swooning with all that history, and all there is to do

I’ll add a 3rd night in Bath, expect to spend all day in Bristol at the ship, and maybe have dinner there as well

Thank you!!!

Golden Girl, I’m absolutely stoked for this day!

Any restaurants you can recommend in the area? I’d take the train back to Bath after dinner

Thanks!

Golden Girl, I’m absolutely stoked for this day!
Any restaurants you can recommend in the area? I’d take the train back to Bath after dinner

I can’t think of anywhere particularly by the ship. I’d head into the city for something to eat, then to the station. Or look at something else while you’re there - maybe the cathedral and/or Queen Square, a beautiful Georgian square.

I haven’t been in Bristol for a while - used to be that the St Nicholas Market area was good for eating places. I think we have a Bristolian who posts in this forum though!

If you can you should see Brunel’s other Bristol masterpiece the Clifton Suspension Bridge.

There is a large choice of food trucks behind the M Shed museum, less than 10 minutes walk back east along the dock. The M Shed itself is also worth some of your time - free entry.

Golden Girl,

Someone else on another board pointed me to the Mathew, which looks amazing…(see below link) and suggested lunch at the Primrose Cafe in Clifton Village. So assuming an early start, I could do both ships, walk across/back the bridge (if it’s not too long) and have lunch

https://matthew.co.uk/plan-your-visit

I hope this Bristolian pops up…but I will do some research (my favorite kind, lol) on restaurants

Thank you!!

Camborne, I will - and if the walks across & back aren’t too long, I look forward to that!

Thanks!

John, thanks!

The M Shed looks fascinating - I’m not sure I’ll have time, but I’ll put it on my list.

PS- I was in Bristol last autumn and can confirm that the St Nicholas' market is a very good place for a whole selection of world food places, as well as being architecturally very interesting.
We are over burdening your day beyond breaking point as the Matthew is probably your best chance of being able to do a boat trip down the scenic Avon Gorge to the modern Bristol Docks at the confluence with the River Severn. Until a few years ago (and hopefully sometime in the future) the MV Balmoral (which you will also see berthed in the Floating Harbour)- a 1947 built classic coastal excursion vessel was the best ship for that. But she is currently out of service and not normally open to the public while restoration is under way.
She featured in the fairly recent movie The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society as a ferry to the Channel Isles- that movie may or may not have reached the US.

The best places to eat near the SS Great Britain can be found at Wapping Wharf, which is a collection of restaurants in shipping containers. I can recommend Root (mostly veggie small plates), Gambas (Spanish tapas) and Seven Lucky Gods (Asian). There’s also Salt and Malt fish and chips which is very good if you fancy that. There’s a pub there too that does food but haven’t tried it.

The Matthew is moored right near there and tends be open for visitors at weekends and school holidays. Last time I tried to go on I was told you had to book which is new. It’s definitely worth exploring even if you can’t fit in a sailing. The Mshed is also right next to Wapping Wharf and is worth a look. It’s free.

Stuart, lol - it’s a lot to take in, but I love all the info. I won’t try to do it all - but I’ll also get as early a start as possible

I see St Nicholas has a street food market on Tuesday’s…I’ll be there on a Tuesday, so that’s foos news. Is it close to the wharf? If so, it might be a good option for lunch…

Funny, someone else just mentioned the Balmoral - I think it is open for visitors (based on a Google review), but TBH, I think I already have enough planned…

The Mathew will post their boat trip schedule soon. I believe the trip down the Avon Gorge is 3-4 hours, so I might need to do the 45 minute harbor cruise. But depending on the times of the cruise, I could do the Avon trip & SS Great Britain…that would be an amazing day

Thank you!!

Helen, I think you’re right - I’m going to stick to Wapping Wharf for dinner - then I can easily get to the train station

Root looks delish - I’m going to check out the Wapping Wharf site now, including Salt & Malt (I love fish & chips)

The Mathew will be open every day except Monday starting in April, so I’m good

Thank you!!!!

Hello Betsy,

My husband and I visited Bristol and Bath in September 2024. We stayed in Bristol for 3 nights and visited Bath as a day trip. In both places, we wish we had an extra day. In Bristol, we visited the Clifton suspension bridge and the SS Great Britain in one day, and I don't think we would have had time to do anything else that day. If you are going to Bristol, I highly recommend that you go see the bridge too - it is iconic for a reason.

We took a bus to the Clifton Suspension Bridge and walked from there to the SS Great Britain, taking the cross-harbor ferry to get across the water. If you decide to walk from the harbor to the bridge, be aware that it is steeply uphill.

The SS Great Britain has a lot of things to see, so it took us four hours and we could have spent another hour easily. There are a lot of different areas to explore. In addition, the neighborhood of the ship is also fascinating...we walked around a bit looking at the old dry docks, there is a Banksy there and a cute little coffee stand.

Food wise, as others have mentioned, Wapping Wharf is good - we ate at Salt and Malt as I am a fish-n-chips fiend. St Nicholas market is also good, but a little out of your way, especially as time will be short on a day trip.

If you decide to overnight in Bristol, I recommend Brooks Guesthouse. Good location next to St. Nicholas Market, walkable to the Bristol Meads train station (20 mins), access to buses to different parts of the city, fabulous breakfasts.

The 'Bal' (Balmoral) as we affectionately know her has open days on certain days this year- https://www.facebook.com/thebalmoral1949/events/?id=100068870074138&sk=events

Usually she is berthed at Hotwells on the north side of the harbour- but sometimes moves across the harbour to M shed. The events page tells you which berth she is at.

I am still marginally involved with her (although distance is now a serious barrier), but when she was in service was part of the shore crew when she was sailing from Northern England and the Isle of Man- organising advance publicity, the shoreside facilities and passenger registration, including transmitting that data forward to the relevant authorities as she departed port (and, after our TIC closed, also compiling passenger port welcome packs on the rare years when she did an inbound sailing from the Isle of Man to the Lake District).

Hi MapLady!

No doubt I’ll spend at least 2-3 hours at the SS Great Britain. A lot of what I’ll also do depends on if the Mathew offers Avon Gorge boat tours that day …if so, and I can do it, the boat passes under the bridge

If I end up doing the much shorter harbor cruise, I’ll have time to visit the bridge. I definitely wouldn’t want to walk that steeply uphill. Where did you take the bus from? I’d probably want to go there first - if I go- since most of my day (including dinner) would be at the wharf/harbor

I’m not going to stay overnight in Bristol, but I’ll make a note for when I return

Thank you!!!!

Stuart, that’s so cool!

Looks like they’re not open to the public when in there - which is just as well as I’ve got so much else to do. Hopefully I’ll be able to visit her at another time

Thanks!!

Betsy, we took bus X4 from near Brooks Guesthouse to Ashton on the other side of the Clifton suspension bridge. However, I think you are right - it makes most sense for you to go see the bridge first thing, and then spend the rest of your time harborside. So you would want to take a bus from Bristol Temple Meads to Clifton. A quick google search shows Bus #8: Temple Meads Connection, but I am sure the gurus on this forum can give you more details. It was about a 30 minute walk from Clifton to the cross-harbor ferry, mostly downhill.

Your trip sounds very exciting - have a wonderful time and please consider writing a trip report on the go....would love to follow along!

That's a side point. When you buy your train ticket ask for a Bristol plusbus ticket. That costs (currently) £5.40 a day, or £3.55 for railcard holders. For all buses in the City for the day.

MapLady, thanks!

I think I can avoid the half hour walk by taking the bus back to Temple Mead and then taking the ferry - which is what I’d do if I’m taking the Avon Gorge boat tour. If I’m not, then the walk should be nice…

Thank you - and I will! I’ll try to do the report as I’m living it !

Stuart, will do - that’s fantastic value!

Thank you!

Betsy - the station is plural - Temple Meads. as in meadows.

Sorry, Nigel - thanks!

Something to think about is that taking a bus back to Temple Meads and then catching the harbour ferry boat will take a lot of time out of your day. The bus runs once every 20 minutes and will take at least 20 minutes. Then the ferry is once every 40 minutes and takes 30 minutes.

You can see how the journey could easily end up being the best part of 2 hours. The ferry will run to time but the bus is unlikely to. You can get the First Bus app for live times but it’s not that easy to use.

An uber from the Suspension Bridge to the SS Great Britain would probably only take 10 minutes in the middle of the day.

Another route is to take a 20 minute downhill walk to what is called Porto Quay on the map (I didn’t know that!) and get on the little boat there that just spends all day crossing the harbour back and forth. You get off right outside the SS Great Britain.

Helen, thank you!

That’s way too time consuming….my time is precious, so I think the Uber is my best bet…