Saltford, Bristol, Somerset
Saltford is right beside the River Avon on the Bristol to Bath road. With waterside walks, 4 pubs, local shops, boat trips, paddleboard hire and a cycle trail, it’s no surprise that this is a place that draws the crowds – city folk wanting a day out in more rural surroundings. Saltford is surrounded by the fields and hills of North East Somerset; pick a good spot and you can see for miles, but a huge part of its popularity is that it strikes a very good balance between village and city life.
It's a good escape, that’s for sure, especially when the sun is shining and you can take a slow amble along the river, stopping for lunch at The Riverside Inn or The Jolly Sailor. You’ll see riverboats moored along the way and people picnicking at Saltford Weir where on certain days you can visit Saltford Brass Mill, one of nine water powered mills along the Avon owned by Bristol Brass Company in the 19th century. There are pick up points for Escape to the River Boat Trips, which is a lovely way to pass the time, enjoying the scenery, looking out for wildlife. Further upstream you can plump for SUP hire with Bath Paddleboard Centre.
Apart from being a nice place to visit, Saltford is by all accounts, a very good place to live, with a vibrant community and lots going on – there’s a football club, a golf club, a rowing club and because the Bristol and Bath Railway Path runs through the village, it’s excellent walking and cycling territory. It’s a Conservation Area and has a lot of listed buildings, so there’s a lot that makes the village desirable. Among Saltford’s claims to fame are that it’s home to possibly the oldest continuously occupied building in Britain (going back to 1160), and that it’s where the first cricket match in Somerset was recorded in 1751. You live and learn.
All information correct at the time of writing