Bristol is one of England’s biggest and busiest cities, but also one of its greenest and most vegan-friendly. It also has a strong culture of supporting indie shops and is just a 13-mile walk/cycle ride away from its neighbouring elegant city of Bath (which you can reach via a traffic-free railway path, but do watch out for cyclists and horse riders).
This port city has a strong maritime city, and is not too far from Wales. It’s not that far from London (120 miles), but also pretty close to the Cotswolds and lots of lovely countryside and beaches. It’s mostly known for the Clifton Suspension Bridge, which is often depicted with hot air balloons flying overhead.
Situated on the Rivers Avon and Frome, you can also find a whopping 400 parks and gardens in the thriving city that is often called ‘the city in the countryside’. There are also 12 nature reserves to explore.
Local food thrives in Bristol with many indie shops selling locally-grown produce. Better Food is a locally-owned chain of foodie stores that sells organic produce, and The Community Farm is an innovative veg box scheme based on community-supported-agriculture principles, where local people support the farm financially before the harvest, to receive affordable veg boxes in return.