Visiting Troopers Hill

Information to help you to find Troopers Hill
and get the most from your visit.

On this page:
How to Find Troopers Hill | AccessibilityLooking after Yourself & our Wildlife Habitat  | Troopers Trails | Site InfoByelawsNear By |

Troopers Hill & Troopers Hill Field Accessibility Guide (pdf) >>

Keeping Troopers Hill looking its best

Please help keep Troopers Hill looking good for all our visitors and safe for wildlife by taking your litter home and cleaning up after your dogs.

If you would like to join one of our Conservation Work Parties please contact us. You can also do your bit to help by picking up any litter as you walk around the Hill.

If you would like to borrow our litter pickers please contact us and we will drop them off to you.


Troopers Hill is owned and managed by Bristol City Council, there is free unrestricted access all day everyday. There is access across Troopers Hill Field to the top of the hill without any steps or steep slopes.

We hope you enjoy your visit. If you have any questions or comments about Troopers Hill please Contact Us.

Please respect Troopers Hill and its unique environment, take your litter home. Responsible dog walkers are welcome but please bag it and bin it and ensure your dog is always under control. Thank you.

There are posters with information about forthcoming events and activities on the Hill at each entrance.

No barbeques permitted
on Troopers Hill LNR

See why >>

How to Find Troopers Hill

Troopers Hill is between the A431 Air Balloon Road and Crews Hole Road. There are four pedestrian entrances to the site from Troopers Hill Rd.

Alternative entrances are from the east end of Malvern Rd; from Summerhill Terrace or following the public footpath from the milestone on Summerhill Road - using any of these allows you to get to the top of the hill and admire the views without the need to climb any steps. Follow the paths around the Field to access the Hill.

By Bus there are frequent bus services seven days a week to nearby Summerhill Road / Air Balloon Road from the centre of Bristol or Bath. Take buses numbers 44 or 45.

There is no car park at Troopers Hill. Limited car parking is available on the adjacent residential roads. If you visit by car please park with consideration for local residents. Take care to lock your car and remove valuables from sight.

If you have a satellite navigation system the nearest postcode for Troopers Hill Rd entrances is BS5 8BL. The Malvern Road entrance to the Field is at BS5 8JA.

The grid reference of the chimney is: ST 629 731 - Latitude: 51:27:22 North - Longitude: 2:32:06 West

 Postcodes & What 3 Words for entrances - use for emergencies (pdf)

 what3words top of the Hill: fresh.space.pure

 How to Get to Troopers Hill - Directions to print (pdf)

 Discover East Bristol Map - Troopers Hill Activity Sheet

 Bristol City Council Interactive Pinpoint Map (includes options to view historic maps)

 Bristol City Council Know Your Place Map (also has historic maps - better for mobiles / tablets)

 iNaturalist map - showing wildlife records >>

Troopers Hill on other online maps

www.openstreetmap.org - Bing, Bird's Eye View - Google Maps

There are many paths across and around Troopers Hill and through the woodland, Open Street Map gives the best view of them. Note the routes of the Public Rights of Way have not been updated since since the 1970s and it is not possible to follow all of them, though there are alternative routes available.

Accessibility

Troopers Hill & Troopers Hill Field Accessibility Guide (pdf) >>

The entrance at Malvern Road (postcode BS5 8JA) provides the easiest access for those with limited mobility and from here there is a wheelchair accessible track / path to the top of the hill so that everyone can enjoy the wonderful views.

Some of the slopes on this path may mean that some wheelchair users need assistance.

Works to resurface the track along side Troopers Hill Field were completd in June 2020 as part of our Ways to Nature Project and the path along the top of the Hill was resurfaced in May 2022.

There is now a smooth tarmac path all the way around Troopers Hill Field and to the view-points by the chimney.

The remainder of the paths on the hill are unsurfaced and there are some sections of steep steps. Beware of steep cliff edges.

There are no toilet facilities at Troopers Hill.

Accessible toilets are available at Air Balloon Surgery, Kenn Road, St George, BS5 7PD during their opening hours as part of the Council's Community Toilet Scheme

The nearest public toilets are at St George Park or in the car park at Conham River Park.
Accessibility Guide

We have worked with Your Park Bristol and Bath to produce a guide setting out what you can expect when you visit Troopers Hill.

There are descriptions and photographs showing entrances to the site, paths and seats. The aim is to put together in one place all the information you need in deciding whether to visit Troopers Hill and how best to get here.

The Guide was produced in line with the findings from the report, ‘Not just a check box’, produced by Your Park Bristol and Bath to understand the barriers experienced by Disabled people and unpaid carers when trying to use local parks.

Troopers Hill & Troopers Hill Field Accessibility Guide (pdf) >>

Looking after Yourself & our Wildlife Habitat

Troopers Hill is a hilly, exposed site with rough ground. You are welcome to explore off the formal paths - it is a good way to spot the range of wildflowers and invertebrates - but if you do, good footwear is essential. You will need to dress for the weather.

Off the paths be aware of steep slopes, the grass can be slippery even if it is not wet (maybe try cardboard sliding?). There are some near-vertical drops at the edge of the gully. You also need to be aware of ticks

The site is covered by Bristol Parks Byelaws (see below).

You can pick wild fruit, such as blackberries, or parts of edible plants, as long as:
• they’re for you or your family
• you don’t sell them (raw or cooked)

You can’t remove plants, shrubs, trees, soil or turf.

Please don't plant anything on Troopers Hill Local Nature Reserve. The site needs to be sensitively managed, planting flowers and trees has the potential to reduce the valuable wildlife areas of the site, both by direct impact and by potential spread of such species across the site - read more in this article from one of our Newsletters.

There are bins for dog waste at every entrance to the Hill and also four bins for litter and dog waste on Troopers Hill Field. If you can, please take you litter home, especially at busy times when bins might get full.

Be Aware of Ticks

As with all natural green spaces in the UK, you need to be aware of the possibility of you or your dog picking up ticks if you walk on Troopers Hill. With the recent warmer summers and mild winters ticks seem to becoming more common in Bristol and throughout the UK.

Ticks are brushed off deer and other animals as they past through undergrowth. If you happen to be passing through that undergrowth later they may move on to you or your dog. Wearing long trousers or avoiding areas of bracken or long grass can help, but you should check yourself and your dog after spending time in any natural spaces.

Most tick bites are harmless but a small number of ticks are infected with the bacteria that cause Lyme disease - a bacterial infection that can be spread to humans by infected ticks.

NHS advice on Lyme Disease and how to remove ticks >>

Public Health England - Tips and tricks to stay safe from ticks >>

Troopers Trails

There are various trails that you can explore on Troopers Hill. The trails are designed to be fun ways of exploring the Hill while learning more about its wildlife and history.

There is an 'Audio Trail' that you can download as an MP3 file from the link below or from www.troopers-hill.org.uk/audio to your mobile or other device to listen to as you explore the Hill.

Other trails are a 'Fun Learning Trails' with information and quizzes to download; a marked trail through the woodland and a tree trail. Find more about the trails via the link below.

 Troopers Trails >>

 Download the Audio Trail MP3 file >>

You can also download a leaflet showing a walk around the Hill:

 2015 Local Nature Reserve Wild Walks - Troopers Hill

Site Information

Information Leaflets

We have leaflets describing the Hill's wildlife, history and geology.

Copies are available at all our events and guided walks, or they can be downloaded via the link below.

 Download our Information Leaflets >>

 

Interpretation Boards

There are signs welcoming you to Troopers Hill at each entrance which also display posters with details of forthcoming events.

In addition, there are five interpretation boards on the Hill with more information:

• At the entrance to the Field from Summerhill Terrace - general information.

• Two by the Chimney at the top of the Hill - general information & geology.

• By the Lower Chimney on the corner of Crews Hole Rd & Troopers Hill Rd - history.

• At the second entrance up Troopers Hill Rd - fungi.

The last of these was installed in July 2019 as part our Ways to Nature Project, which also funded a new welcome sign at the third entrance up the road.

 See images of our Interpretation Boards >>
More information about Troopers Hill & other green spaces in Bristol

www.bristol.gov.uk/parks - www.bristol.gov.uk/troopershill - www.bristolparksforum.org.uk

Bristol Parks & Estates Byelaws

No barbeques permitted
on Troopers Hill LNR

See why >>

Byelaws apply here to help people enjoy Troopers Hill responsibly.

For more information www.bristol.gov.uk/byelaws

To report an issue www.bristol.gov.uk/parks

Near By

Troopers Hill is in St George and from Troopers Hill Field it is an easy walk to St George Park a wonderful traditional park with a large play area, a kiosk café and public toilets. Further down Church Rd are other pubs and cafés.

Following a path downhill through Troopers Hill Woodland will bring you to Crews Hole Rd, crossing the road brings you to the River Avon Trail which you can follow towards Conham and then on to the Old Lock & Weir and Chequers Inn at Hanham Mills.

Find out more about the area on the new Discover East Bristol website.

More about East Bristol on the Visit Bristol website >>

On this page:
How to Find Troopers Hill | AccessibilityLooking after Yourself & our Wildlife Habitat  | Troopers Trails | Site InfoByelawsNear By |

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