Most people who cross the Clifton Suspension Bridge stop at the far side for the view back over the gorge and turn around. Keep walking and you're in Leigh Woods, an ancient woodland reserve split between the National Trust and Forestry England, with several miles of waymarked trails, free entry, and a very different pace to the city you just left behind.
What's there
Leigh Woods covers a steep-sided stretch of the Avon Gorge's west bank, opposite Clifton, and is managed jointly by the National Trust and Forestry England, which explains why the rules change slightly depending on which side of the reserve you're standing in. There's an extensive network of surfaced and unsurfaced paths, most only moderately hilly, with three main waymarked loops: a 2.5km Purple Loop that's mostly level, a shorter 1.2km Red Loop, and a 2.25km stretch of National Cycle Route 41 with a few steeper sections for anyone on a bike.
The woodland itself is genuinely old, with veteran trees, an Iron Age hillfort (Stokeleigh Camp) tucked into the reserve, and gorge-edge viewpoints looking back across to Clifton and the bridge, quieter and less crowded than the equivalent spots on the city side.
Parking and getting there
There's no National Trust car park at Leigh Woods. Forestry England runs a pay-and-display car park at their entrance instead, charging 24 hours a day and locking the gate at 9pm, and National Trust membership doesn't cover parking here even though the Trust manages part of the land. If you're walking rather than driving, it's a straightforward extension of a Clifton Suspension Bridge visit: cross the bridge on foot from Clifton Village, and you're at the woods within a few minutes.
Dogs
The rules genuinely differ by section. In the National Trust part, near the old fort and the bridge viewpoint, dogs are asked to stay on a lead. In the Forestry England section, dogs are welcome off lead. There's a dog waste bin at the North Road entrance. If you're planning a longer dog walk, it's worth sticking to the Forestry England side, or checking signage as you go rather than assuming the same rule applies throughout.
When to go
Leigh Woods works in any season. Spring brings bluebells through the understorey, summer gives full tree cover and shade, and autumn is arguably the best time for colour among the veteran beech and oak. Winter can turn the unsurfaced sections sticky underfoot, so decent footwear helps. Weekday mornings are quietest, weekends busier with local dog walkers and families.
Comparing your options
| Leigh Woods | The Downs (Clifton) | Ashton Court | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Character | Ancient woodland, gorge-edge | Open grassland, big skies | Deer park, mountain biking |
| Parking | Pay and display, 24hr charge | Mostly free roadside | Free car park |
| Dogs | Lead in NT section, off lead in FE section | Off lead, open space | Off lead in most areas |
| Getting there | Walk across the Suspension Bridge | Walk from Clifton Village | Short drive or bus from centre |
The honest take
Leigh Woods rewards the people who keep walking after the bridge instead of turning back for a coffee in Clifton Village. It's free, quiet even on a busy tourist day, and gives you the best photograph of the Suspension Bridge in its landscape, taken from across the gorge rather than standing on it. Pair it with our best viewpoints guide for more angles on the bridge and the gorge, or with our dog-friendly Bristol guide if you're planning the day specifically around your dog.