170. Brunel, Boats, Bridges and Banksy Master's Weekend in Bristol 26-28 April
After months of planning, 33 Company members and guests spent the weekend in Bristol and Clifton.
For those
who arrived early, there was an interesting guided tour round the city, led by
local members, followed by dinner in the hotel overlooking the harbour.
On the next
day, we ventured up river by boat towards Bath.
Both the skipper and our local guide offered fascinating commentary
about the sights and history of the area.
After lunch on board, we disembarked at the SS Great Britain. We had a fascinating tour round the boat,
learning about Brunel and the construction of the ship, and life on board at
various points in history. Those who
tracked down the ship over 50 years ago as a rotting hulk in the Falkland
Islands and returned it to its home in Bristol had great vision. The exhibition is rightly very popular.
The evening
meal, of locally sourced food, was in a restored wine shed. A former colleague of the Master, from the
University of the West of England, spoke about Bristol from an environmental
point of view.
On the final
day, we ventured to the smart suburb of Clifton, and had an entertaining guided
tour of the Clifton Suspension Bridge, another brainchild of the resourceful
Brunel. Some of us donned hard hats and
high vis jackets to descend into the recently rediscovered vaults underneath
the Bridge. We concluded with lunch at a
restaurant overlooking the Bridge and Avon Gorge.
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