Bounding through Bristol: A 10km Running Tour

(1 review)

Bristol audio tour: Bounding through Bristol: A 10km Running Tour

This is a 6.6mi running tour

It takes an average of 90 mins to complete.

Bristol

The United Kingdom

$9.99

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About the Tour

Bristol is one of Britain’s most influential maritime cities. On this 10km running tour, you’ll trace its evolution from a Saxon settlement to a modern metropolis. As you jog through centuries of history, you’ll hear some of the uncomfortable truths about how it built up its wealth.

The tour starts and ends at College Green. You’ll race through cobbled streets and along the famous Floating Harbour, learning how this strategic location at the confluence of two rivers made Bristol England’s third-largest city by the 1300s. The tour combines scenic waterfront paths with historic city centre streets, taking you past everything from Norman castle ruins to cutting-edge street art.

You’ll even see Girl With Pierced Eardrum, Well Hung Lover, and You Don’t Need Planning Permission to Build Castles in the Sky, three original Banksy pieces that celebrate the city’s most famous artistic son. You’ll learn about pioneering engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, whose suspension bridge and steamships revolutionised transport. You’ll also confront Bristol’s central role in the transatlantic slave trade and find out how the city is reckoning with this legacy today.

On this 90-minute tour, you’ll have a chance to:

Learn about Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s revolutionary contributions, from the iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge to the world’s first iron-hulled ocean liner, SS Great Britain
Explore the remains of Bristol Castle and the medieval city walls while running through streets that witnessed 1,000 years of history
Visit historic pubs including the Llandoger Trow, which inspired Treasure Island’s Admiral Benbow Inn
Run past the site where Edward Colston’s controversial statue was toppled in 2020, now marked by a crack in the pavement
Experience the contrast between medieval streets and modern regeneration in areas that were devastated during the Bristol Blitz

This combined fitness and education adventure proves you can get under a city’s skin while keeping your heart rate up and covering more ground and history than most walking tours.

The tour is designed for runners but can easily be walked, with plenty of opportunities to pause and catch your breath.

Tour Producer

Jonathan Bolland

2 tours

Hi, my name is Jonathan and I'm 29 years old. I've spent most of my life living in Bristol and London, UK.

I've created tours on VoiceMap to combine 2 of my favourite things, running and history. On my tours, you'll get the opportunity to join for a running tour, which is exactly as it sounds. Come along for a jog and learn about the city at the same time.

Preview Location

Location 1

Start - John Cabot Statue

Hello! And welcome to this running tour where we'll discover Bristol together! My name is Jonathan, and I'll be your running guide today. The route will be approximately 10km, and take us through 1,000 years of Bristol's story. Along the way, we'll learn what the Romans a... Hello! And welcome to this running tour where we'll discover Bristol together! My name is Jonathan, and I'll be your running guide today. The route will be approximately 10km, and take us through 1,000 years of Bristol's story. Along the way, we'll learn what the Romans and Saxons thought of Bristol, its role in exploration, the Triangular Trade and Industry. You'll learn how it got its name, what a Floating Harbour is, and most importantly, why a pub nearby has adopted Nicolas Cage in military dress as its front-of-house signage.

To start with - you should be standing immediately in front of a statue of a man holding a scroll.

Before we get going, let me explain briefly how VoiceMap works.

It uses your location to play audio automatically, at the right time and place. I'll be with you every step of the way, helping you with directions, and filling you in on the local knowledge as we go. This means that you can put your phone away now. Don't worry if I'm silent at times, when I'm not giving directions or telling stories. There's a map on your screen if you ever feel lost, and if you do get way off track without noticing, VoiceMap will let you know.

While this was designed as a running tour, you can also walk it, there'll just be longer gaps between each location. The tour is set for a medium running pace but if you want to go faster, you can always increase the tour's playback speed. It's really up to you. You can even complete this in multiple parts if you like. There are also plenty of places to stop for a rest or grab refreshments, and I'll point these out as we go.

The large, curved building behind the statue is City Hall, housing Bristol's local government. The statue itself was erected by the Society of Merchant Venturers [to.... complete] ....... today a charitable organisation but once a merchants' guild who held a monopoly on Bristol Harbour Trading. Their fingerprints are seen all over Bristol, including in the construction of the Great Western Railway, Clifton Suspension Bridge, and the University of Bristol, which was once the Merchant Venturers School. Unfortunately, a lot of their wealth came from the Triangular Trade in the Atlantic Ocean, meaning that some members of the Merchant Venturers profited from the slave trade. We'll hear more about that as we progress through the city, as it's an important part of Bristol's story.

Turn to your left, and face the cathedral.

Bristol Cathedral has stood since 1140 when it was first erected as an Abbey, though it became a Cathedral in 1542 after the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII. The western facade, which will reveal itself soon was added in the 19th century as part of an extensive restoration. Local legend says the spirit of a monk haunts the cathedral grounds. It’s said he wanders near the Abbey Gatehouse, looking for his lost brothers after the abbey was dissolved during the Reformation.

We're about to get going, heading in the direction of the Cathedral. You can start running now - and remember to start your watch if you have one! Follow the path next to the water, heading towards the Cathedral.

You should see a bronze statue in front of the gatehouse, facing away from the grand entrance to the Cathedral. Head towards it. Read More

View locations and route

How VoiceMap Works

Focus on your surroundings, not the screen

The VoiceMap app uses GPS to play audio automatically, at the right time and place, so you can focus on your surroundings, not the screen.

Follow a route with turn-by-turn-directions

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a fixed starting point. That lets us give turn-by-turn directions and use context to tell a better story.

Resume playback to go at your own pace

If you'd like to stop for a drink or go into a museum, end your tour then use the Resume feature to pick up exactly where you left off.

Listen as many times as you like

You can listen to your tours as often as you like using both the VoiceMap app and website.

Take virtual tours anywhere, like a podcast

Select Virtual mode in the VoiceMap app to listen to tours like a podcast - at home or in transit.

Buy for less on voicemap.me and sync

Once you've purchased a tour, it's added to your VoiceMap library. To access it in the app, just sign in using the same account.

Do tours without paying for data

Tours work offline, so you don't have to pay roaming fees. Just download them over WiFi before you get started.

Major Landmarks

Bristol Feeder Canal
Clifton Suspension Bridge
Brunel's SS Great Britain
Castle Park
Bristol Temple Meads
Banksy’s Well Hung Lover
Girl With Pierced Eardrum - Banksy
Banksy's You Don't Need Planning Permission to Build Castles in the Sky
Bristol Cathedral
Harbourside
The Matthew of Bristol

View all

Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.

Start location
City Hall, College Green, Bristol BS1 5TR, UK
Total distance

11km
Final location
College Green, Bristol BS1, UK
Distance back to start location

83.55m

Directions to Starting Point

The tour begins in front of the Bristol Council building on College Green. Head for the statue of a man holding a scroll. This is right in the centre of the city, and is easily accessible - there are a number of bus routes nearby as well.

College Green (P1) is your nearest stops, but is easily walkable from any bus stop at The Centre (C1-8).

What3Words location: pulled.swear.books

Show Directions

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

There's loads of places to stop for drinks, rest or other refreshment along the way. There's a good number of pubs en route, including a personal favourite, The Ostrich, which is called out during the tour. As well as that, there's multiple shops including a Tesco on the way.

The tour finishes where you start, at College Green. There's a load of cafes, restaurants, and pubs nearby as well for some post-run refreshment - have fun!

Best time of day

This can be completed at any time of day, though is best completed in daylight. In evenings, there is a diversion in place that follows around Underfall Yard, as it is closed.

Precautions

This route is safe, taking you through the middle of the city. Like all cities, though, it is best to stay vigilant.

If you are doing this run in the evening or at night, the entrance to Underfall Yard may be closed. If this is is the case, continue follow the pavement around the road in the same direction, and follow the signs back to the harbourside when you are able. The total diversion is only a couple of hundred meters.

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“This app has become my go-to app for audio tours. I pretty much use it for every trip and it works wonderfully. I highly recommend VoiceMap for travelers to truly experience cities.”

App Store Review

“Great app. walk around at your own pace, stop where you want, move on or speed up when you want. Read the script before you go or during the commentary, speed it up or replay it. Repeat the tour whenever you like.”

Google Play Store

Last Updated

3 Jun 2025

Questions and Reviews

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Bounding through Bristol: A 10km Running Tour

About the Tour

Tour Producer

Jonathan Bolland

Preview Location

Location 1

Start - John Cabot Statue

How VoiceMap Works

Major Landmarks

Bristol Feeder Canal

Clifton Suspension Bridge

Brunel's SS Great Britain

Castle Park

Bristol Temple Meads

Banksy’s Well Hung Lover

Girl With Pierced Eardrum - Banksy

Banksy's You Don't Need Planning Permission to Build Castles in the Sky

Bristol Cathedral

Harbourside

The Matthew of Bristol