The Bumpsy Trail

Distance: 33km (20 miles)
Elevation Gain: 429m
Type: Bumpy Trail
Route Link: Komoot | Strava

Along the River Avon and Trym in north-west Bristol are a set of very special tags. Some wonderful souls have graffitied not one, not ten, but FORTY pictures of Mr Bump all over the shop, stretching from under the M5 bridge right across to a skate park south of Hotwells.

Over the last year I've been scouting out each location, gathering tips and photos to try and come up with a route that will see all of them in turn.

Every time I was about to publish this updated route a new one would crop up; case in point I heard about 2 new ones only yesterday 😱.  As such this route is up to date as of the 4th June 2022, and will certainly be missing a tag by tomorrow 🙈.  To my knowledge all the tags mentioned below are still there and clearly visible.  Any that have rubbed off too much to easily identify have been excluded.

Special thanks to these kind souls who have sent a whole heap of tips on where to find new Mr Bumps as they've been cropping up:

• Ali Grant
• Alyson Bowen
• Andrew Cleaver
• Chris Cranny
• Mark Bollom
• Mark Hoskins
• Mary Milton
• Maxwell Gould
• mr_bumpsy instagram

Right, on to the route itself, it's a doozy:

The route starts outside the King Weston Estate Bumpsy that overlooks the golf course and can be seen clearly from Shirehampton Road.

We walk up and behind it to see the next tag resting cheekily on a bin on the path.

West along the path and down to Shirehampton Road is the next tag, a whole rock painted to look like Mr Bump.

From here we go to the war memorial down the road and see another one waiting for a bus

Back into the car park of King Weston just past this is a bright pink Bumpsy on the bin next to the woods.

Long walk now through the woods and across Shirehampton right to the underpass of the Portway below the M5 bridge for a large piece on one of the support pillars.

Then all the way back to Shirehampton Golf Course for one of my absolute favourites painted on one of the maintenance buildings in the middle of the park.

From here it's back out of the golf course and onto a short wooded path between Sylvan Way and Avonleaze. Right before the path hits Avonleaze road is a small tag on the wall.

Down to the Portway from here and walking up past the Rugby Club.  Look over to the pitch and you should see one painted on a grey box at it's boundary.

Into Shirehampton Park and down towards the pass under the railway bridge. On the back of the bridge is 1 tag, then next to the railway line is another 2.  Please note this is an active railroad, don't do anything dangerous for a photo!

The next one is off the beaten track a bit and requires walking north west along the River Avon to a tower that sits below the railway line.

Back along the Avon under the railway bridge near Sea Mills Station, then one Mr Bump is cheekily hiding under the small footbridge.

On the other side under the Portway bridge is a small tag on a green box.

Then up and across Sea Mills Station to the path along the Avon on the other side, there is one of the larger, and earliest Mr Bump tags on a wall.

Up on to the Portway and in for a long stretch to town and back. On the way on the Sea Walls climbing wall is, by far, my favourite Bumpsy.

All the way to Hotwells, then over towards Greville Smyth Park under the Jessop Underpass in the skatepark is the further tag from his usual haunts.

Now it's back all the way to Sea Mills (if you're walking this route, now's a good time to catch a bus!).  Before entering Sea Mills itself are a cluster of 3.

The first is the first Mr Bump I'd noticed, visible from the Portway.

The second is over the other side of the River Avon and visible from near the above one (thought it cruel to make the route go all the way up the Pill path for 1 tag!)

The third is over the Portway (please be careful crossing, especially at rush hour, it's a fast road) though the gate in the fence leading into Bennett's Patch.  On a container on the tarmac below the Avon Wildlife Trust building.

From here it's back to the River Trym in Sea Mills. There's a tag on a fallen tree round here but, full disclosure, I still haven't been able to find it!  I hope you do better than I 🤞

One I do know though is nestled along the river bank.

Crossing the river and making our way into the woods that run parallel to Sea Mills Lane is our next tag.

From here we take a short detour up the road to the edge of Stokes Lodge, where next to Parry's Lane is a Bumpsy that can only be seen from the path running parallel to the road.

Back down the road to the trail that runs behind The Millhouse pub, a little tag is left on the wall to your left as you go down.

Somewhere along the following path on the River Trym bank is another Bumpsy, though I am also yet to find this one for myself:

Across the iron bridge along the Trym one is painted on an old sign (missing a photo for this one, on the list to go and scout!)

Over the iron bridge and across the field is a fella hiding on the bin (he sure does love bins)

Next we go towards Coombe Dingle following the river still, under the A4162 bridge is a cluster of Bumps.  Firstly before you go under the bridge across the river:

Then on the other side, this time on our side of the river:

Just past this on a fallen log:

Along the path on a recently redone drain

Finally a fun one for you; under the drain cover near the Coombe Dingle Car Park at the end of this little path is another Mr Bump, however it is currently covered it a mound of dirt.  You can see the bandages poking out however, so bring a trowel / spade / rent a digger and your good to go!

On to Coombe Dingle Car Park at the bottom of Blaise Estate we have 2 painted on the signs.

Then we leave Coombe Dingle for a short trip into Canford Park near Westbury-on-Trym for a Bumpsy next to the tennis courts.

Back from Canford Park we go into the woods west of Henbury Golf Course, climbing up to Goram's Chair to a Mr Bump just past the viewpoint.

Then down the valley and up the other side to the path leading to Blaise Castle. Along the way is "Butchers Cave", a small seat cut out of the rock with a mini tag hiding in there.

Down across Blaise Estate to an old house opposite where Long Cross meets Kings Weston Road a Bumpsy is painted on the wall. Note this photo was taken in winter, the area is now covered in foliage so the tag is much harder to spot.

Up and over King Weston hill from here, heading back to our starting point one is painted on the building at the base of the aerial mast.

Over the road (or hopefully one day the iron bridge that's been clad in scaffolding for 5 years) and back into King Weston Estate where we first started.

Whew!

Now I need some help.

Over the last few months it seems like new ones have been cropping up almost daily! There's only so much scouting of North Bristol one person can do after all so I'm certain to have missed a few.

Do you know of any? Where else could they be hidden? If you've got any hints please give me a shout at @LukeAMerrett.