Bristol sits at the head of the Severn estuary, which has the second-highest tidal range in the world, and its history is the history of ships. In 1497 John Cabot set sail from here in a small vessel called the Matthew and reached the coast of North America, and for centuries the merchants of the city grew rich on trade, much of it, as the city now admits, on the back of the slave trade. Isambard Kingdom Brunel left his mark: the Clifton Suspension Bridge, which crosses the Avon gorge in a single graceful span, opened in 1864 after his death, and the SS Great Britain, his great iron steamship, is now a museum in the dock where she was built.
With over 600,000 people, Bristol is the biggest city in the south-west, and it has a lively, slightly rebellious character. The harbourside is crowded with bars, galleries and street art, and the work of the local artist Banksy appears on walls around the city. Hills are the dominant feature, and the streets of Clifton and Totterdown climb steeply, with brightly painted houses stacked against the slopes.
Riding in is no hardship, but the centre can be slow, with buses, one-way systems and clean-air rules, so check the city's current restrictions before you go. Out on the edges, the old Severn crossings give access to Wales, and the tolls that once burdened them were scrapped in 2018, which helps if you are heading west for the Blaenavon ride. To the south the Mendips rise in green limestone ridges, with the Cheddar Gorge a good run, and the coast road toward Dorset and Devon opens up wide views of sea and downs.
Fuel is easy, parking is manageable in the outer suburbs, and the city is full of places to eat, from fish and chips on the quay to a long Sunday lunch in a village pub. Mild, damp weather is normal, so pack a waterproof. A good day in Bristol ends at the water, with the ships moored, the lights on and the tide coming up the river.