I'm Grace, a current Resident Assistant on Frenchay Campus

I've put together this article in the hope to help you after you've made the big move to Bristol. 

This article is aimed for those moving to Wallscourt.

It's time to get your bearings and explore. You will have many questions when trying to grasp the area, so below I have presented answers to frequently asked questions. 

FAQs:

1. Where’s the nearest place to do a ‘Big’ food shop? 

Abbeywood Retail Park has an Asda, Sainsburys and Lidl.

Take a 10-15 minute stroll to the supermarket and pick up all your necessities.

Or you could bike there? We have bike shelters in many courtyards and areas spread across campus, where you can safely store your bike. Don't have a bike? No problem, UWE Bristol Sport allows you to loan a bike up to 2 weeks completely free! Borrowing a bike can be arranged at the Centre for Sport reception.

To familiarise yourself with the area and explore, I recommend looking at these cycle routes: Cycle Routes near Wallscourt

You can also get a supermarket delivery straight to your doorstep.

2. Where’s the nearest place to grab a few groceries? 

Maybe you've ran out of butter? Well, thankfully you can just nip out to the shops located on campus.  The Student's Union shop (F-Block) is the nearest to your accommodation and stocks all the essentials. These convenient stops stock groceries, health and beauty products, stationary, cards and stamps. These shops are also perfect for little lunch stops between classes to pick up a meal deal or even the warm, fresh hot dogs!

Morrisons Daily is located in the courtyard between blocks E, F and N and is a one stop shop on campus selling fresh and chilled food, including sandwiches, fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, ready meals and other groceries.  They are open seven days a week, early to late!

For more information about opening times of these shops go to: https://www.uwe.ac.uk/life/campus-and-facilities/frenchay-campus/bars-cafes-and-shops

In between Campus and the large supermarkets, there is a Co-operative shop in Cheswick Village. The Co-operative provides similar items to the shops on campus. The Co-operative is roughly a 10 minute walk from Wallscourt.

You could also pop to Jimmy Deane's Fruit and Veg Store in D block, here you can pick up a range of fresh fruit and veg from local suppliers. Organic and Fairtrade goods are sourced where possible.

3. Nearest place to post a letter/parcel?

There is a post box at the Student Union Shop in F Block and also, a post box off-campus near the East Entrance as the road bears round to A4174. 

If you have a parcel you can send one from the Printworks situated on campus (check if it's open here).

Inside the Co-operative at Cheswick Village, is a post office. Here you can send any sized letter/parcel.  

4. Where do I collect my post? 

Wallscourt residents collect parcels from Wallscourt Park Customer Services. UWE provides a complimentary courtesy service to ensure the safe/secure receipt of your parcels if you're not in or able to meet your parcel courier yourself.

When you have received your email from us, please come and collect your parcel from Wallscourt . We are open every day between 11:00 and 17:00. Find out more about post and parcels here.

When ordering and purchasing items you need to provide the following to the company:

• Your full name and student ID number
• House/flat and room number/letter
• UWE Frenchay Campus
• Coldharbour Lane
• Bristol
• Postcode: BS16 1ZU (houses) or 1ZX (flats).

Providing this will ensure that your parcel arrives safely and can be logged through fast so that you can retrieve your parcel in good time.

For letters, these can be collected from your post boxes. Royal Mail will deliver post directly to the post boxes (depending on accommodation, your post box could be attached to your house door or will be outside in front of your flat block). 

• Your post box is the same number as your house/flat & is shared with your whole house/flat
• Each postbox is secured with a coded padlock: go to Wallscourt Customer Services to get your code.
• Please check your post box regularly and ensure that the padlock is secured afterwards.

5. Nearest Gym?

There is a gym in Wallscourt Park called Wallscourt Farm gym. However, just yards away is another gym on Frenchay Campus. This other gym is situated in the Student Village just behind Mendip Court, and is named the Centre for Sport. 

Wallscourt gym has:

• High-quality Life Fitness resistance machines
• Cardiovascular and resistance stations
• Free weight section
• Changing rooms with lockers and showers.

You are required to have a gym membership to join, and you can register to join at any point during your degree. Once you register you are able to access both gyms. The gyms hold a variety of facilities and machines, along with offering personal training or fitness plans.

You can also access areas of the Centre for Sport by joining the MOVE programme. This programme holds a variety of classes/courses, including a 6-week Rock-climbing course here. Otherwise, other classes are held in the activity studio at the Student's Union (less than a 2 minute walk from Wallscourt).

6. Nearest place to grab a bite to eat on campus?

On Campus:There are so many places on campus offering great places to eat at. Here's a list of them all and what they serve:

• OneZone (E Block): Centred in the heart of Frenchay Campus, the restaurant is easy to navigate to. This is the award winning main campus restaurant which provides a full range of hot meals, meal deals, salad bar, cultural food counters, hot and cold drinks, snacks and cakes.
• The Grill (B Block): Enjoy delicious recipes consisting of marinated chicken in forms of wraps, burgers, and fired strips. All meals are bursting with flavour, kicking with a zing. You can even marinate your chicken and sides with the sauces available.
• Subway (Q Block): At Subway, your favourite subs are prepared right before your eyes. The perks of Subway is that you can eat fresh and healthy without even realising.
• Bristas (Northavon House): Relax on your own or come together to socialise, while enjoying a speciality tea or coffee and a range of hot and cold meals.
• Street Café Bar (S Block): The menu offers dishes such as succulent pulled pork, burgers with real potato chips, traditional handmade flatbread pizzas and freshly prepared Tascas. Also offering great vegan options.
• Atrium Café (Bristol Business School): A café with outside seating serving a full hot food menu, sandwiches, snacks and speciality hot and cold drinks.
• Our on-campus pizza truck Del Vecchio is parked outside Brecon Court, on the main road through the Student Village.  You can order in person or via WhatsApp, and the best news is that they deliver!
• Vending Machines: There are many of these located throughout campus, here's a full list of where you can find them: UWE Frenchay Campus Map of Catering Outlets - Vending Machines

Off Campus:As I mentioned above, Cheswick is a village close to Frenchay Campus. In the village there is a Co-operative, where you can pick up meal-deals and snacks. There is also a Fish and Chips shop, Cod and Caper and Chinese, Hao Wei, where you can eat in or get a delivery to campus.

At Abbeywood Retail Park (where ASDA is located) there is a Costa plus Subway, Nandos, Bella Italia, Frankie & Bennies and McDonalds.

7. Where to go for a caffeine fix?

On Campus:

• Costa Coffee (R Block): So whether you want to wake yourself up with one of their short drinks or relax over a tall drink they've got a coffee to suit you. A café with outside seating serving a wide selection of sandwiches and snacks to enjoy on the go.
• Starbucks (E Block): Enjoy a selection of freshly brewed Starbucks coffee, Tazo Teas, Hot Chocolate while having a freshly prepared pastry.
• Also, as mentioned above, Bristas and the Atrium Café, serve lovely hot drinks.

Off Campus:

• Boston Tea Party (Cheswick Village) - You can pick up tea, coffee and brunch here.
• Grounded (Middle of Fishponds): This place serves quick bites, Italian, Spanish and a variety of coffees! Very lovely staff here. I occasionally come to study whilst enjoying a drink and cake to keep me going! In addition, they arrange events – my flat mates and I have attend a quiz night here, the atmosphere was great! And, at these events they provide deals on cocktails and huge, homemade pizzas!
• Porto Lounge (Top of Fishponds)– all day breakfast: OH MY GOSH, I cannot rave about this cosy restaurant enough! This restaurant is located at the top of Fishponds road, on the corner which allows you to people watch from the windows. Definitely the perfect place to take a moment just to watch the world go by. Not to mention the food is a perfect hangover cure. Waking up and needing a full breakfast? Head to Porto Lounge paying £7 to full you stomach with a scrumptious breakfast! They even do American pancakes!
• Coffee #1 (Top of Fishponds)
• Greggs (Top of Fishponds)

8. Nearest place to chill?

For a change of scenery from your new room it can be really nice to relax with your friends in different and new environments. I recommend meeting at the Students Union  where there are super comfy booths to chill alone or with friends. You can study here, grab food and drinks, even play a game of pool or play on the Nintendo Switch.

You could also go to the Farmhouse (Student Centre) which is located just behind Wallscourt's customer service desk.  The Student Centre is yours. There's a large lounge with sofas and bean bags, two meeting rooms for groups and a large meeting room with a screen.

There's also a kitchen on the ground floor equipped with a microwave and crockery, so you can make yourself a drink or heat up something to eat.

So whether you want to chill out, find somewhere to read a book, meet friends, have a society meeting or host a games or film night, there's a space for you.

9. Nearest train station?

The nearest train stations to UWE Bristol's Frenchay Campus are Filton Abbeywood (0.9 miles) and Bristol Parkway (1.4 miles). If you are travelling by bus, the Megabus and National Express services stop on campus.

10. How do I get to and from the city?

Bus: Metrobus numbers m1 and m3 will both take 15-20 minutes depending on traffic. They run almost 24/7, so are perfect transport for getting back to campus from city nights out! You can also reach the city on the 48A (longer route via Fishponds) and 70/71 (longer route via Gloucester Road).

Here are bus timetables for all of these:

• m1 Bus Timetables
• m3 Bus Timetables
• 48A Bus Timetables
• 70/71 Bus Timetables

Cycle: Below is a link again to the cycle routes, the route from Frenchay Campus to the City Centre is coloured green. You arrive just outside Cabot Circus. Bicycle Route from Frenchay Campus to City Centre

Walk: Take the scenic approach and walk through Stoke Park, admiring the massive yellow house. Then end up in Eastville Park and watch the swans swim in the large pond as you end up up at the bottom of Fishponds road which will lead you City Centre just outside Cabot Circus.

Car (or other motor vehicle): Driving to the city will take a little longer than on the bus as there are bus lanes where the bus can skip traffic. There are a variety of places to park, personally I recommend parking at Cabot Circus as this is easy to get to and have many parking spaces available. All car parks in the city require payment.

11. How to get to Cribbs Causeway?

Cribbs Causeway, affectionately known as 'The Mall' to Bristolians is an indoor shopping centre and retail park. Pefect for some retail therapy.

Bus: The m1 goes to Cribbs Causeway, it can take 20-30 minutes to arrive here from UWE Frenchay Bus stop depending on traffic. The end destination is Cribbs Causeway, and it will appear on the Bus so that you know which one to get onto. Here's the timetable for the m1: m1 Bus Timetables

You can arrive there by car (or other motor vehicle), there is free parking at Cribbs Causeway.

There is plenty of free cycle parking there too, with segregated bike paths to get you there.

P.S The best time to visit Cribbs Causeway is during the Winter where they have the cutest Winter Wonderland and ice rink!

12. Nearest place to get some fresh air?

On Campus:

• Wallscourt Park farmhouse lawn: a quiet greenery area to have a picnic, read or study.
• Quantock banking: Behind Quantock Court (Student Village) there is a huge green space with a stream flowing through. The ducks an often be found here. There are also BBQ stoves accessible, when its sunny its a great place to chill with your friends and munch on some burgers and kebabs!
• In E block, there are benches outside by OneZone enabling you to could grab a bite to eat and relax outside.
• Community Garden (behind the SU) - The Community Garden provides a regular opportunity for both experienced and new gardeners to get involved in their green campus and grow their own fruit and vegetables for free. By producing our own fruit and veg we are minimising our environmental impact and reducing food miles (and eating really tasty food, of course). The garden is situated in a beautiful and quiet corner of the campus, allowing you to take a well-needed break from the fast-paced, noisy, environment that can accompany student life.

Off Campus:

• Stoke Park: You must have seen that massive Yellow Mansion in the distance on the motorway before?! Well, this is Stoke Park. Last year, my housemate and I took a picnic and revised all day here, it was so peaceful and revising in a different setting can be so beneficial! Trust me! 
• Snuff Mills & Oldbury Court: This is a nature reserve that leads onto endless trails and beautiful scenery.  Snuff Mills is literally a 5 minute walk from Glenside campus. 
• Eastville Park - You may recognise this park if you have attended one of Bristol's festivals, AKA Love Saves the Day or Toyko World? This open, wide park is the perfect escape from the city. To take a run, do a workout outside for a change, or even just to relax on the grass. 

13. Where can I do my laundry?

When you move into halls, you will be notified where you will be able to do your laundry. There are designated areas depending on where you are living. 

In Wallscourt Park there are laundry rooms in a couple of places; one is next to the customer service desk, the other opposite the entrance to Block 2 flats.

When learning to use the machines, there are instructions provided on the walls inside the laundry rooms. You are required to download an app named 'Circuit Laundry' in order to directly pay for your laundry and select the temperature and type of wash you want. 

14. Where’s the nearest area to explore? 

FishpondsIn my second year I lived in Fishponds which is a quaint town of North Bristol. Take a browse through the streets filled with cosy restaurants, cute and main stream shops, and beauty salons.

You can walk to Fishponds from Campus, cut through stoke park, pass Glenside Campus. Arrive at the top of Fishponds then walk down the bustling town.

To get to Fishponds by public transport: The bus 48A runs from Frenchay campus to city centre and vice versa - via Glenside campus and Fishponds! Buses run every 10 minutes so you won't be waiting around!

Some of what Fishponds has to offer....

• The Cross Hands - Local pub serving 'not your average pub grub' and Sunday lunches. They also have weekly quiz nights and live music. 
• Wetherspoons - The Vank Dyck Forum - A student favourite! 
• The Old Post Office - Another local pub with pub quiz every Sunday  
• La Piazza 1 - If you fancy going out for a meal La Piazza 1 has an amazing Italian menu. 
• Everyday Thai - This restaurant does delicious Thai food, you can sit in or takeaway 
• Coco's Desserts - If you venture through Fishponds into Easton, you can dine at Cocos, one of the many dessert parlors in this area, they do delicious ice creams, waffles and cookie doughs 

Gloucester RoadGloucester Road (and Stokes Croft) is probably best known for being Bristol’s Independent District. It is the go-to place to support local business in Bristol. This means there’s loads of things places to shop and things to do all in one place.

Gloucester Road is a hotspot for detailed and brightly coloured Street Art that would make for a perfect Instagram. And of course make sure that you catch sight of the Banksy piece that is on the wall by the Canteen Café and Bar at 80 Stokes Croft.

Some Gloucester Road highlights...

• The Canteen - This bar cafe has free live music every day of the week. Their food is delicious and all local produced and in season.
• Charity Shop Crawl - There are loads of charity shops on Gloucester road, so get shopping and grab some bargains.
• Colmado - Treat yourself to some delicious Spanish food at this deli - from charcuterie to churros its got it all.
• Crafty Egg -  The best brunch spot, every egg dish you could think of
• Eat a Pitta - Need a snack on the go - this place does amazing fresh falafel with delicious salads
• The Full Moon - This bar/hostel right about the bottom of town is a great pub/bar to spend the day or night with friends. They also do great pizzas.

If you're coming from Frenchay Campus, there are a couple of bus routes that you can take to get to Gloucester Road.

The number 70 , 71 and 72 first buses all come down Gloucester Road. Here is a link to the bus times:

• 70/71 Bus Timetables

On the other hand, if you fancy more of a walk. You could get the m1 or m3 metro buses to Cabot Circus and walk up through Stokes Croft. The walk only takes about 15 minutes and means you won't be on the bus for that long. Here is a link to those bus times:

• m1 Bus Timetables
• m3 Bus Timetables

15. What happens if I have a problem?

When there is a fault with an item in your flat (e.g. your heater in your room isn't working), you are required to fill in a repairs request form: Repairs Request Form 

Then maintenance will be signalled to come and fix the problem. 

Please be aware maintenance do not work weekends, however in an emergency they will be called out to fix a problem if necessary. 

If you have any other issues, you can contact Accommodation Services  where you can speak to an Accommodation Manager, who will be able to advise you on your problem or signpost you to other services that you can take advantage of,  you could also talk to your Resident Assistants. 

16. Car parking?

If you are living on Frenchay campus, you cannot park on campus. 

When you move into halls, you will be able to park exactly outside of your new accommodation and transfer all of your belongings into your new home! There will be staff and student ambassadors available to help and direct you to the correct places.

If having a car whilst living at halls is important to you, you could look online for possibilities of renting out a car space or garage for the year through external companies.

For family and friends visiting during your academic year, they can park in the visitors car park. Parking is free from 5pm and on weekend, otherwise you must pay and display. 

17. What if I want food delivered ?

There are a variety of restaurants and take-aways that deliver to campus. Here are three of the most popular services.

• Just Eat  
• Uber Eats 
• Deliveroo

I hope this article is useful to you and that you have the best year living at Wallscourt Park halls. Good luck!