Monday 12 August 2013

A little Gromit spotting

In and around Bristol this summer there are eighty Gromits, decorated by celebrities and local artists,and which will be auctioned in September to raise money for the local children's hospital.  While they're on display you can go round to see them all, with a special map and a passport that can be stamped in six locations.  It's the kind of thing that small boys can get quite obsessed with.  We took the bus, which cost £10 for five of us, and in fact with that ticket you can go as far as Wiltshire, Somerset, Dorset, even Cornwall.

Apparently we saw twenty-four Gromits.  (I lost count after about five).  I promise I won't show you all twenty-four...

One of the first ones we found, named Canis Major, was at the lovely Hotel du Vin.




There'd also been a little themed yarn bombing.


This one was at the Old Vic Theatre.  It's Butterfly by Philip Treacy.  The littlest boy is standing in front of a poster for "The Boy Who Cried Wolf".  Coincidentally.


Along from the theatre is a pub called the Llandoger Trow which dates from the mid-1660s.


I don't visit Bristol much any more, so it was good to be back, and see some of the stunning architecture.  This is Corn Street, the old financial district.  When I go there I always look up.



This one's Hound Dog by Sir Peter Blake, found at the Arnofini Gallery.  He was one of the simpler ones,but he did make me smile.


This was Joanna Lumley's Gromit, Poetry in Motion, outside of the Cathedral.



We walked along to the Central Library as well, somewhere we used to visit regularly.  Inside was Axel Schaeffler's offering, The Gromalo.



In need of a break from the city streets we headed up Park Street towards Brandon Hill.  On the way we stopped at St Georges to see Sir Gromit of Bristol.




It was lovely to have a big green space to run around on for a bit.  We played in the play area, then climbed to the top of the hill and walked back to Park Street to see a final couple of Gromits.  This one, by Nick Park himself, was called News Hound, and is in the wonderful Bristol Museum.


By this time the little people were pretty much worn out.  We trotted down to the bus station and headed for home.  This was my fourth long day out with them in a row, and it's safe to say they were finally worn out.  And I was certainly Gromitted out.  Although there are of course 56 that we haven't seen yet...

28 comments:

  1. I loved this so much. I was supposed to go to Bristol this weekend and find the Gromtits with my family. Unfortunately Marc has to go overseas with work, so I am St Ives bound. Gutted is not the word. I am from Bristol, and I do still miss it. So your pictures have at least given me a fix of both the Gromits and my first (and favourite) home. Thak you

    Leanne xx

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    1. That's such a shame Leanne, although there are worse places to be stuck! Hope you will get to come and find some Gromits before the end of the summer.

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  2. oh this whole post just steals my heart! what beautiful pictures and what a joyful time! xxoo

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    1. Thank you Rebecca, we did make some good memories.

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  3. What fun!
    Love Sir with his armour plated ears..
    Happy Gromitting.

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    1. He was one of our very favourites too.

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  4. I think I saw this advertised on TV - were all the Gromits in one place to start with?

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    1. I'm not sure Sue, they might have been. At the end they will bring them all together for people to see before they are auctioned.

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  5. Wonderful. I wonder if you get round them all in a day. Probably not with three boys in tow.

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    1. Definitely not with three boys in tow! We were exhausted after only 23. You'd have to get up early to do all 80 I think, especially as one is at Paddington. You have got me wondering now though...

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  6. That's brilliant. It looks like a really fun day, my two would love this, for the bus rides as much as the grommit spotting! There always seems to be something really fun and family friendly going on in Bristol. x

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    1. It is a great place for children. The bus journey was fun in the morning - the end of the day one seemed a bit long though.

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  7. What a fun and positive experience and fundraiser. I love it! It's great you can get out as a family and support something like this together while also making great memories.

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    1. It was a great day Devon, and you are right, I'm sure the boys will remember this day for a long time.

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  8. What a delightful post, and terrific pictures.
    I've always enjoyed visiting Bristol, although I've not been for some time. Flighty xx

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    1. Thank you Flighty. I like Bristol too, although I don't visit often now.

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  9. That looks like a fun day tracking them all around. We had a similar thing in Kansas City, but instead of Gromits there were cows all over the city. I guess we're more of a cow town:) I'm sure your boys had a wonderful time searching for them. I like that one in a suit of armor the best:)

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    1. Cow hunting in Kansas sounds like fun. Everyone seems to like that one in armour.

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  10. I love Gromit!
    I loved the art and the town, gorgeous photos!!
    Tammy xx

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  11. Sir Gromit of Bristol is my favourite of the ones that you've shown us. What a lovely treasure trail, around a very beautiful city! Just found you via your comment on my blog - lovely to meet you! My sister lives just north of Bristol so I'll be reading your blog with interest!

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    1. Thank you Caro, and thank you for visiting. Lovely to meet you too!

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  12. Looks like you had a lovely day! Pity I'm so far away, my guys would love to go find the Gromits, though they probably wouldn't have stopped till they'd found them all...

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    1. Yes, it can be quite addictive, just one more...

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  13. This looks like huge fun. I imagine the auction will be fun, too - and all for such a good cause. I don't know Bristol at all, but an old friend of mine is probably going to move there - so I should get to know it in the future!

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    1. It's well worth a visit Wendy, so you should definitely come and visit your friend when she moves.

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  14. Loved this post! But then I love Bristol - my sister lived there until recently and still works there - and I love Gromit!

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    1. Thank you Annie, I love Bristol too, although it was so very nice to get home at the end of the day. I'm not used to city living any more!

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