It's no secret that buses in Bristol have faced more than their fair share of disruption over the last year or so, but driving and parking can be just as problematic - especially with pay machines introduced at more green spaces. If you fancy a trip to explore the outdoors in the near future, you might find that a journey to a beautiful National Trust estate on the border of Bristol and North Somerset will cost you just £2 each way by bus.
From January 1, 2023, a vast amount of bus companies in the UK introduced a £2 fare cap on single tickets, which will remain in place until March 31. Here in the West Country - and further down in the South West - there are loads of bus services that are part of the £2 fare cap initiative, including a number of First West of England services.
One of these is the X6 service which goes from Bristol to Clevedon via the National Trust site of Tyntesfield, an ornate Victorian Gothic Revival house with extensive garden and parkland, as well as a cafe, play areas and even a shop. The journey should take 23 minutes from Bristol Bus Station if traffic is kind.
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First Bus fares in the Bristol zone had already been reduced to a £2 flat fare in September, although journeys outside of the zone into the wider West of England area can incur a bigger cost depending on the distance travelled.
What is Tyntesfield House?
William Gibbs bought Tyntes Place for his family in 1843 and remodelled the exterior of the simple regency house into "the Gothic extravaganza" that exists today. Each of the following three generations added to the work.
Nowadays some of the highlights include:
- A Gothic cloister
- Library with thousands of books
- Mr Gibbs' room
- Dining room
- A hall that soars 43 feet to the lantern roof
- The Ante Room - home to one of Tyntesfield's finest paintings, The Madonna and Child with St. John the Baptist by artist Giovanni Bellini
- The Drawing Room
- The Oratory
- The Garden Lobby
- The Boudoir
- The Charlton Room and Bathroom
- The Flaxley Bedroom
- The Chapel
Opening hours and prices
For most weekdays up until mid-February and mid-March, 2023, the house is actually closed to the public. Most weekends it is open from 10.30am to 2.30pm and these times continue through to its weekday openings during those months too.
However, even when the main house is closed, there is still plenty to do and many things remain open - including the main estate, the Cow Barn Cafe, Pavilion Cafe, shop and second-hand bookshop. What's more, you don't need to pre-book your visit to Tyntesfield, making it the perfect place for a spontaneous day out.
Prices for the garden and estate between January and February are as follows:
- Adult: £15.40 with Gift Aid or £14 without
- Child: £7.70 with Gift Aid or £7 without
- Family: £38.50 with Gift Aid or £35 without
- One adult family: £23.10 with Gift Aid or £21 without
Garden and estate prices between March and December are as follows:
These prices are for non National Trust members only.
Other things to explore at Tyntesfield Estate
Dog friendly areas
Dogs must be kept on a short lead at all times, but are allowed to explore almost everywhere on the estate, including:
- Large lawn areas, great for rolling
- Shaded woodland including Truckle woods, a haven with leaves to sniff through
- Estate walks that include plenty of fresh air for exploration
- Orchards for tree sniffing opportunities
- Parkland for wide open space and vistas
- Paradise, an aptly named area full of trees from around the world
- Home farm visitor centre, the main entry area, we have a dog friendly section in the Cow Barn Cafe.
- The car park, with room to stretch your legs after your car journey
Dogs are not allowed in the following areas (with the exception of assistance dogs who are allowed everywhere while wearing their identity harnesses):
- The historic buildings on the estate, including the house and shop
- The Rose Garden
- The Walled Garden, where many of the ingredients used in the Cow Barn restaurant and Pavilion café are grown.
The dog-free areas are clearly marked on the walking routes map, which you can view on arrival.
Woodland walks
The Tyntesfield woodland walk takes you through woodland and to the kitchen garden, rose garden, holly walk and Home Farm. The circular walk is 2.4 miles long and you can find the full route here.
Gardens
During the winter months, most of the activity is found in the Kitchen Garden - with lettuces, leeks and onions growing. Other garden highlights at Tyntesfield include:
- The formal terraces
- Rose garden
- Paradise - an arboretum with a collection of trees from all over the world
- The Orangery and cut-flower garden
Shops and cafes
There are a few shops and cafes at Tyntesfield, including the Home Farm Cafe which is set in the Grade II listed Victorian Dairy and serves meals, snacks and drinks, and the Home Farm Shop which sells everything from seasonal specialities and locally sourced produce, to National Trust classics.
Family friendly things to do
There are three play areas for different age groups at Tyntesfield, as well as a den building village in the woodland. There are also baby changing facilities available and even a sculpture trail.
What's more, the estate has a list of family-friendly events taking place during the winter months and February half-term, which you can see here and plenty of kid-friendly things to spot in the house itself, too.
Nearby attractions
The village of Wraxall boasts plenty of history, archaeology, its own church, schools and plenty of amenities. One of these is the Noah's Ark Zoo Farm, with play areas, a large collection of animals and the offer of hands-on experience for families.
Bus times and information
You can find the latest bus times and information for the X6 service on the First Bus website and you can find out more about the £2 fare cap on the gov.uk page here. The National Trust travel guidance states: "Bus number 59 (from Nailsea) and X6 (from Bristol) both stop at the main entrance to Tyntesfield. Please be aware that bus number X9 (from Bristol) stops at the bottom gate, which is locked and not accessible."
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