Bristol is a wonderful place, but occasionally the hustle and bustle can grow too much. Fear not, because all of these peaceful escapes are just a bus journey away.

5. Ashton Court

If you’ve heard of the Balloon Fiesta, you’ll know Ashton Court. Though it has a completely different atmosphere for the other 11 months of the year. Ashton Court is a peaceful escape, just a short walk over the Suspension Bridge. Occasionally a balloon can be spotted outside of the fiesta:

By road and by air! #igersbristol #hotairballoon #bristol #uk #weekend #sunny #sunday #picoftheday #park #england

A photo posted by Nina Allwood (@ninaallwood) on Nov 22, 2015 at 3:00am PST

There is also a deer park in Ashton Court. If you’re lucky, you can get a photo like this:

Two stags rutting taken last year #canon #stags #reddeer #ashtoncourt #blackandwhite #monochrome #nicefilter #fauna #wild #naturelovers #naturehippys #igers #igdaily #bristol #swisbest A photo posted by @smudgemoon0 on Feb 9, 2016 at 12:40am PST

Finally there’s a gorgeous 11th century manor house, complete with rose garden, grounds and stables (which have now been converted into a coffee shop).

i went to ashton court for the first time today! so cold but worth it i took like no phone photos so for once here’s a camera one #bristol #igersbristol #livebristol #ashtoncourt #igersflywithbmi

A photo posted by monica (@ankelbiters) on Jan 30, 2016 at 10:42am PST

4. Blaise Castle

Blaise castle has something for everyone: an 18th century estate, scenic nature walk, park and castle. If you have time, head to Blaise Hamlet, a collection of National Trust cottages that will make you feel as though you’ve walked into a fairytale.

#BlaiseCastle #BlaiseWoods #Bristol #Nature #Forest #River #DogWalk A photo posted by James (@mstrmena) on Feb 4, 2016 at 10:50am PST

Rain, rain go away Stormy conditions have besieged Bristol over the last 24 hours and several umbrellas have paid the price (my own included!). It therefore seemed apt to select @bokehtone’s great moody shot taken at the Blaise Castle Estate as our Photo of the Day. Top work as ever Josh. Thanks for tagging #IgersBristol. ————– For those of you who aren’t aware, @visitbristol is the place to be this weekend with our very own @porthjess acting as guest moderator! If you haven’t already, make sure to click the follow button and be treated to Jess’ highlights of our city. ————— Chosen by IgersBristol moderator @bristoljj #igers #igersuk #IgersBristol #blaisecastle #blaisecastleestate

A photo posted by @igersbristol on Feb 6, 2016 at 12:45pm PST

3. Tyntesfield

Even if you don’t know it explicitly, you may have seen Tyntesfield in Sherlock or Skins. You’ll need to either buy a ticket or have a national trust membership to visit the gardens or house, but this is certainly worth it. Alternatively there are some decent and free walks in the area.

#Tyntesfield #tyntesfieldhouse #nationaltrust #garden #view #pretty A photo posted by Christine (@christine_moffatt) on Jan 28, 2016 at 12:37am PST

Today we visited @nationaltrust #Tyntesfield a #Victorian #gothic #house near #Bristol where the latest episode of #Sherlock was filmed. We learnt so much from the wonderful volunteers & it was great seeing rooms we recognised from the show.

A photo posted by Ladies what…travel (@ladieswhattravel) on Jan 22, 2016 at 10:01am PST

2. Arnos Vale

On the face of it, a day out to a cemetery doesn’t sound that upbeat, but Arnos Vale isn’t your average cemetery. It makes for a great walk. They also have a range of weird and wonderful events, such as yoga, mindfulness and the occasional outdoor cinema.

#cemetery #spooky A photo posted by Daniel Vincent Belthazar (@dvsdan189) on Sep 29, 2015 at 3:11am PDT

Cemetery cinema

A photo posted by Loucey Gilbert (@loucigram) on Oct 29, 2015 at 12:02pm PDT

1. Clevedon Pier

Clevedon is home to a longstanding Victorian pier which, as you can see, is a great location if you’re into photography. On a sunny afternoon it’s a great place to pull up a deckchair and forget about the world. On a rainy afternoon it’s a great place for a cosy cup of coffee.

I went out to Clevedon Pier last night with @shua_one and @alkalloyd_ to try out some long exposures. This one however was taken on my iPhone because I wasn’t super happy with what came out of my camera. I was too afraid to get my camera close enough to the quickly rising tide, plus I totally had the wrong shoes for wandering around on the mud beach! It was still a fun night and the other guys captured some beautiful images of the sunset, so go check them out ✌️ A photo posted by Rob Jones (@robmuch) on

Do you have any secret escapes near Bristol? Let us know in the comments!