In the latest post in our skatepark series, we’ve put together a guide to some of the sickest skateparks you can find in Bristol.
The home of NASS festival (just about), Bristol’s skate scene continues to hit new heights. From kickflipping kids on College Green to shredders in Dame Emily Park, skateboarding plays a big part in Bristol’s urban scene that sees drum and bass music and graffiti art take centre stage. After all, it’s the birthplace of ‘Bristol Sound’. There’s fresh talent aplenty in Bristol as everyone trains for NASS’s 14ft high ramp, inspired by Tony Hawk and Sam Beckett. Take a look at our favourite skateparks to try out your moves.
1. Campus: Pool
Last year Campus Skateparks renovated a derelict swimming pool in Bishopsworth into an indoor concrete skatepark, aiming to use the positive energy and influence of skateboarding to engage with youngsters.
Designed and constructed by Canvas, the abandoned space was regenerated into one of the most incredible spaces in the country.
You could say they’ve ‘ramped’ the competition up a notch! Further treats are also in store for Bristol and Bath soon…
The park includes ramps, classic street elements and a four foot high quarter pipe, a hubba ledge and an eight foot high hipped vert bowled wall. It’s designed to be flowing and ideal for beginners too, so you can float through all the obstacles without putting your foot on the floor.
The skatepark also houses a café and meeting areas for social work, as well as all the kickers, rails and vertical bowled corners.
• Opening times:
o Mon: 4pm – 10pm (6pm – 10pm BMX welcome)
o Tues: 4pm – 10pm
o Wed: 4.30pm – 5.30pm (tuition) 5.50pm – 10pm (open to public) 6pm – 10pm (BMX welcome)
o Thur: 4pm – 10pm
o Fri: 12pm – 10pm o Sat: 10am – 8pm
o Sun: 12pm – 6pm
• Charge:
o Standard Membership £1
o Premium Membership £30
o Standard Session (2hr) £7
o Premium Session (2hr) £5
• Address: Whitchurch Road, Bishopsworth, Bristol, BS13 7RW
• Website: www.campusskateparks.co.uk/pages/pool
*warning: the music in this video contains strong lanuage
2. Emersons Green Skatepark
Opened in spring 2011, Emersons Green is a concrete skatepark that’s smooth as silk to ride on. Plus, Emersons Green skatepark has something for everyone, regardless of whether you’re a pro or a novice.
With two primarily back and forth sections laid across each other in an x-shape, the park is incredibly well laid out and it would take you an afternoon to hit all the lines.
The main section of the park contains two quarter pipes and a large pyramid bank. There’s also a mellow bank leading up to a bench which can be used for sitting or lying down tricks.
Although there are no facilities on site, there are free to use toilets nearby.
• Opening times: Unsupervised access 24 hours a day
• Charge: Free
• Address: Emersons Green, Bristol, South Gloucestershire, BS16 7AL
• Website: n/a
3. Hengrove Skatepark
An outdoor skatepark that features something for everyone, Hengrove combines street and transition elements with super smooth track and a lot of grip.
With fast and smooth surfaces, the park’s ideal for beginners but can present a challenge to more advanced skaters, too. There’s a street area with a long, flat bank and a bowled corner next to two side by side rectangular bowls with a spine and roll over in between them. There’s also two lines of ramps, a jump box with a hipped side, a fun box and a long manny pad.
There are no toilets on site but there’s a leisure centre with free to use toilets nearby.
• Opening times: Unsupervised access 24 hours a day
• Charge: Free
• Address: Hengrove Skatepark, Hengrove Park, Hengrove Lane, Bristol, Avon, BS14 0HR.
• Website: n/a
4. Dean Lane Skatepark
Dean Lane skatepark, or ‘The Deaner’ as it’s known locally, is one of the UK’s most original skateparks. Built in the 1970s when skating first began emerging, the park remains just as popular today.
As you’d expect from a park with such history, the layout is different to a modern skatepark, with more of a focus on transitions. However, it’s a great spot packed with heritage so you should definitely check it out. You may even get chance to brush shoulders with legendary skaters such as Korahn Gayle, who still lives in the city.
• Opening times: Unsupervised access 24 hours a day
• Charge: Free
• Address: Dean Lane Skatepark, Dame Emily Park, Dean Lane, Bristol, Avon, BS3 1DL.
• Website: n/a
5. Filton Skatepark
If you’re looking for a skatepark with character, then look no further than Filton. First built in 2008, it’s now a fairly old skatepark but its concrete surfaces remain as smooth as the day it was first built.
Filton is slightly quieter than some of the other parks nearby, which makes it perfect for beginners learning their craft. With two main sections, a bowl and a street section, there’s plenty of choice on offer depending on what you’d like to practise.
There’s also plenty of space between obstacles in the street section that features ledges, banks, a whippy quarter pipe and a grind rail.
• Opening times: Unsupervised access 24 hours a day
• Charge: Free
• Address: Elm Park, Filton, Bristol, BS34 7PS
• Website: n/a
It’s near impossible to not find the perfect park for you in Bristol. There’s no way we could fit them all in just this post, so let us know if we’ve missed your favourite.
Image courtesy of iStock.
