'Dropping In': A Skateboarding Documentary
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The Best Places To Skate In Central Bristol
Here’s Callum with a handy guide to central Bristol’s best skate spots. Nuff said. No embarrassing skate pun. Just the spots.
Throughout my years of skateboarding, there has been five skate spots that I have seemingly skated the most, all of which, are located in the heart of Bristol. I have chosen to only list spots that are located in and around Bristol’s city centre as these spots always seemed to be the most accessible for myself and for others.
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1. Lloyds
Lloyds of course is at the top of this list. Located on the harbour, just past We, The Curious (formerly@Bristol). Its iconic skate history, along with the many different things you can attempt, just makes it the best Bristol has to offer. From the mass amounts of slippery flat ground, perfect for those all so trendy ‘no-complies’, to the ledges perfect for any technical skater. Lloyds seems to be the hub for skate meetups as it’s perfect for the skaters that would rather just sit and talk rather than actually skate whilst also providing enough to entertain those who do.
2. College Green
Second on the list is College Green, located at the bottom of Park Street. There’s nothing really more to this spot than slightly unlevelled flat ground and benches but it became the perfect spot to end a session at. The flat ground is big enough to play a game of ‘SKATE’, small curbs along the side allow for ‘slappy’ grinds, which are always fun. The benches, surrounding grass and Tesco (shout out to the Tesco meal deal), allow for easy socialising too.
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3. Vicky Rooms
Third on the list is Vicky Rooms. The flat ground is terrible, full of bumps and unlevelled ground; however, the many different three sets of stairs are perfect for trying new learns on a low impact level. The biggest downfall about this spot is the location. Having to trek to the the top off Park Street and then some can feel demanding, especially if you’ve been skating all day, but if you aren’t lazy, it’s a cool spot.
4. Little Lloyds
Fourth is Little Lloyds. Located near Castle Park, it can sometimes be blocked by parked cars but when it’s empty it can be a fun little spot. The ollie to bank can be good for practising ‘180’ variations and the long 4 stair is rough but rewarding when skated well. The surrounding cycle paths and roads makes it easy to get to when skating down from College Green for example.
College Street Car Park
Last on the list, largely for sometimes being a bust when it comes to security [skate responsibly and legally, people – ed.], is the College Street Car Park. Perfect for a rainy day, full of smooth flat ground inside and out. Its location makes it very easy to get to, which is great on the days when rain comes out of nowhere. On the rainy days, there is plenty of room for games of ‘SKATE’, ‘Wallies’ and grinding the curbs on the exit road. On the drier days, the outside is full of curbs perfect for ‘slappy grinds’ or practising your manual tricks along the short but smooth make-do manual pad.
There you have it, skate-fiends. We’d love to know where the best places outside of the centre are. Send the editor an email if you wanna write this
Also, you know: skate responsibly, legally, and dare I say it…safely.
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About the author
Callum Gundry-White
Callum is an 18-year-old photographer/videographer, writer and poet from Bristol, who is currently studying at St Brendan’s Sixth Form College. He aspires to connect with creatives who strive for a better future. Callum wishes to do this through, ‘SocialShepards’, an up-and-coming organisation that looks to showcase creative thought. Callum creates zines that touch on societal issues of the time. He enjoys creating anything that will spark discussion within social groups and strives to diminish stereotypes and push cultural generalisations forward. If he sees a problem, he will most probably create content and raise awareness about the issue; Power to the people essentially. Alongside constantly giving his opinion on every single subject matter, Callum enjoys listening to music obsessively on a dairy-free, rain-soaked afternoon full of melancholy melodies and spoken word.
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