distance approximately 2.5 miles. Taking the
number 5 bus from the centre of Bristol will take you to just outside River View,
which will take you into Snuff Mills itself. You will need to ask for the bottom
of Blackberry Hill, or it will take you onto Frenchay. If you want to do the whole
walk, the bus will also drop you near to Eastville Park, too.
River View is a very short walk, bringing you into Snuff Mills
itself. Initially you will need to keep your dog on its lead, but you'll be
able to let it off once you've passed the Water Wheel.
The River Frome is on your right.
Towards the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th
centuries many of the mills along this area were converted to the grinding of
snuff. It is thought that this is how the place got its name, but the mill here
was called Whitworth and it ground corn, animal feed, and cut stone.
There were
mills that did grind tobacco to make snuff, but only the weirs and a few ruined
walls remain. However, an elderly lady I spoke to knew the area as 'Snuffy Jacks',
as did her parents - and in "Stapleton Past & Present 1934" by Louis H. Dahl,
a letter dated 14th June 1921 clearly states: "the miller of that time was an
old fellow bearing the name Jacks. He wore a long white smock and was in the
habit of taking large quantities of snuff and then wiping his fingers on his
smock, the state of which was obvious. This gave rise to the local name Snuffy
Jacks
Walking a short distance, to just past the end of the house
on your left, you'll see through an aperture in the wall an 140-year old Water
Wheel. Its restoration was carried out by members of the Fishponds Local History
Society, who combined with the Industrial Archaeological Society for the project.
On passing this Wheel you'll be able to let your dog off its lead, providing
of course it's well behaved!
Carry on walking. The steep steps on your left
- the first lot you come to - takes you along a walkway to Snuffy Jacks
Bridge. This route is taken mainly out of curiosity than of interest.
But by carrying on along the path you're on you will come to
an area where the path splits in two: the lower one running
parallel with the River Frome and the upper one, going through a wooded area,
away from the River but running parallel with it. Both paths will take you to
Snuffy Jacks Bridge. It's worth noting that the bridge is actually called Halfpenny
Bridge, but it became locally known as Snuffy Jacks Bridge because
it was not far from his mill - although nothing remains of Witherlay Mill today.
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On crossing Halfpenny Bridge and taking the first left turn
you enter Oldbury Court Estate, which used to be one of the hunting lodges of
Kingswood Chase. Many years ago, HTV did some filming here for the series "Robin
of Sherwood" (the theme tune of which was sang by Clannad).
Much further on, the steep steps opposite the High Kynges
Mill Weir leads to the children's playground, the Arboretum, and to the Fishponds
area. People with prams or in wheelchairs can take an alternative route - just
carry straight on until you come to a fork. The right fork takes you to the
area described in the following paragraph. The road going straight past the
fork takes you in the direction of Frenchay Bridge. Not suitable for wheelchairs
or prams (although I have seen people with prams coming along this way, but
I wouldn't recommend it!)
The Arboretum, which you will come to if you
take the right fork, although small, is extremely beautiful. There is a sense
of peace here, which you can actually feel even though it's not far from the children's
play area. Many of the trees have been dedicated to loved ones who are now deceased.
An appropriate way to remember the dead: with that which is living!
If you carry on through the Arboretum, to the right, you will eventually cross
Crinkle Crankle Bridge, which will lead to Frenchay Bridge. CLICK
HERE for map The circle on the map is very close to Frenchay Bridge.
Both routes will take you to Frenchay Bridge - again, leading to a main road so
make sure your dogs are on their leads.
If you wish to turn this into a circular walk you can do so
by making your way back through the Arboretum. Before reaching it, however,
you will see a large playing field on your right. Entering the field and on
your left, close to the trees, there is a sign saying "Horseriders beware of
pedestrians!" Just a few feet from here is a path going down into the woods.
It is a pleasant walk, but don't cross the very small, one-person, I call it,
bridge at the bottom. If you look across to your left you'll see a pool. Walking
straight past this pool and just carrying on will bring you back to Crinkle
Crankle Bridge. However, if instead of turning left and going past
the pool, you turned right at that one-person bridge you will arrive back at
the fork, the one leading to the Arboreturm. From here you can just carry straight
on back to Snuff Mills.
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