To say Goblin Combe is the Bristol area’s best-kept secret would be something of an understatement - but maybe it’s just testament to how beautiful the rest of the countryside is to the south of the city that it’s not absolutely crawling with tourists, has a massive car park and is more famous. Indeed, writing this very feature extolling the virtues of the 244 acres of diverse and stunning landscapes - just nine miles and a 15-minute drive from the edge of Bristol at Ashton Gate - is controversial. Judging by the backlash for even tweeting the photo above, those who have already discovered Goblin Combe - the locals, the dog walkers spreading its glories by word of mouth, and the nature-lovers who are familiar with Avon Wildlife Trust’s website and work - almost certainly aren’t very keen on everyone else knowing about it too.
Indeed, my own wife, who heard about Goblin Combe from a friend, is right now giving me evils for writing this. Read next: Secret Cotswold village that tourist coaches tend to miss Read more: The Wurzels hit by fake TikTok account 'stolen instruments' fundraising scam We went fairly early one Saturday morning - 9am is early for us on a Saturday morning, anyway - and found the small car park off the main A370 in Cleeve, which was less than half full. By the time we returned, physically weary but smiling from ear-to-ear a couple of hours later, the car park was full and there were a couple of drivers waiting for a space.
So Goblin Combe might be .