What you can do in our parks and green spaces

This guide details what you can do in our parks and green spaces and what you need permission for.

Most of our parks and green spaces are covered by the pdf byelaws for pleasure grounds, public walks and open spaces (449 KB) . The Downs are covered by the  pdf Clifton and Durdham Downs byelaws (39 KB) .

You must ask us for byelaw permission to provide a service in a park or green space you charge for. This includes:

• fitness training
• hot air ballooning
• nordic walking
• boot camps
• forest schools
• outdoor school clubs
• professional dog walking

Apply for byelaw permission

Small, informal events

You don't need permission to hold a small, informal event in a park or green space, such as a family barbecue or children's party, as long as:

• less than 50 people will attend
• it's not promoted, for example on social media, posters or flyers
• there's no loud noise, such as, music, shouting or playing of musical instruments
• you don't have structures, such as portable toilets, barriers or swings, you can have gazebos or day tents

Larger events

You must apply for site permission for your event, if:

• more than 50 people will attend
• you promote the event, for example on social media, posters or flyers
• you want to put up structures, such as a bouncy castle, portable toilets, barriers or swings
• you want to play amplified music or make other loud noise, such as playing of musical instruments, singing or shouting
• you need vehicle access to the site

You can pick wild fruit, such as blackberries, or parts of edible plants in any park or green space (except for Ashton Court), as long as:

• they're for you or your family
• you don't sell them (raw or cooked)

You cannot remove plants, shrubs, trees, soil or turf.

Ashton Court Estate is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). You cannot pick or remove anything from SSSI sites.

You can let your dog off its lead in parks and green spaces that aren't covered by the Dog Control Public Space Protection Order.

If you want to have dogs off leads as part of a larger event on council land, make sure you include it in your site permissions application Go to https://app.apply4.com/eventapp/uk/bristol (opens new window).

Barbecues

You can have a barbecue in most parks or green spaces.

During prolonged dry and hot weather, we'd advise you not to have a barbecue. Fire can spread easily when grass is dry and cause damage to our parks and wildlife.

Barbecues are not allowed at Troopers Hill and only allowed in certain parts of pdf Brandon Hill (331 KB)  and pdf the Downs (3.82 MB) .

You must not have the barbecue in a children's play area.

The barbecue must be:

• shop bought, not home-made
• placed on the ground, not park furniture
• on legs, so the grass isn't burnt
• watched when alight
• cold before you put it in a rubbish bin

You must put all rubbish in bin or take it home with you.

If you advertise or promote your barbecue or want to play loud music, you must apply for site permission.

Fires and fireworks

You must ask us for byelaw permission before lighting a fire or fireworks in a park or green space.

Apply for byelaw permission

If you want open fires or fireworks as part of a larger event on council land, make sure you include it in your site permissions application Go to https://app.apply4.com/eventapp/uk/bristol (opens new window).

You can't camp or park overnight, 10pm to 6am, in a park or green space unless it's part of an event that has site permission.

You can fly powered model aircraft, including drones, on the Downs and in part of:

• pdf Blaise Castle Estate (680 KB)
• pdf Dundridge Park (139 KB)
• pdf Hengrove Park (444 KB)

The model aircraft must weigh 7kg or less, without its fuel. The person flying the aircraft must:

• be a member of any of the 4 Civil Aviation Authority recognised model aircraft organisations, or hold a CAA A2 Certificate of Competence (A2 CofC) or a CAA General VLOS Certificate (GVC)
• register with the Civil Aviation Authority and get a Flyer ID
• have public liability insurance
• comply with all Civil Aviation Authority regulations at all times
• get prior permission from the Parks Service for drone operations outside of A1 or A2 Open category

If you want to fly model aircraft or drones as part of a larger event on council land, make sure you include it in your site permissions application Go to https://app.apply4.com/eventapp/uk/bristol (opens new window).

You must ask us for byelaw permission to take off or land aircraft, a hot air balloon, helicopter or hang glider in a park or green space.

Apply for byelaw permission

If you want aircraft, a hot air balloon, helicopter or hang glider to land or take off as part of a larger event on council land, make sure you include it in your site permissions application Go to https://app.apply4.com/eventapp/uk/bristol (opens new window).

You can fish with a line or net in any lake or river, in and next to all parks and green spaces, except St George Park where no fishing is allowed.

You need a permit to fish with a rod and line in Eastville Park.

You need a rod licence to fish anywhere for salmon, trout, freshwater fish, smelt or eel.

See fishing.

You can only play golf on the golf courses at Ashton Court Estate.

You can cycle in any park or green space. On the Downs, use the cycle path from Saville Road to Stoke Road. On the Ashton Court Estate there are two graded mountain bike trails.

You must not annoy or injure other people and you must not cycle over flower beds, shrubs or plants.

If you want to include cycling as part of a larger event on council land, make sure you include it in your site permissions application Go to https://app.apply4.com/eventapp/uk/bristol (opens new window).

You can go riding at pdf Wickham Glen or Meadowsweet Open Space (1.53 MB) , near Eastville Park.

There's also a two-mile long, pdf horse riding trail at Ashton Court Estate (158 KB) .

You must not annoy or injure other people and you must not ride over flower beds, shrubs or plants.

If you want to include horse riding as part of a larger event on council land, make sure you include it in your site permissions application Go to https://app.apply4.com/eventapp/uk/bristol (opens new window).

You can only do archery and field sports, such as javelin, hammer, discus or shot, as part of a larger event that you have site permission for.

You must ask us for byelaw permission before putting up structures in a park or green space, such as:

• portable toilets or buildings
• scaffolding
• barriers
• posts
• rides or swings

You don't need permission for gazebos or day tents.

Apply for byelaw permission

If you want to put up a structure as part of a larger event on council land, make sure you include it in your site permissions application Go to https://app.apply4.com/eventapp/uk/bristol (opens new window).

You must ask us for byelaw permission before letting an animal graze in a park or green space.

Apply for byelaw permission

If you want animals to graze as part of a larger event on council land, make sure you include it in your site permissions application Go to https://app.apply4.com/eventapp/uk/bristol (opens new window).