Want aquatic activities for pocket-sized pirates? Juliette Phillips straps on her eye patch and goes in search of Bristol’s hidden treasures
The springtime date when the Spyglass Barbecue and Grill – a converted, permanently moored barge offering sublime waterfront views and menus that read like a paean to the sunshine flavours of the Mediterranean – lowers the gangplank for another season in the sun always gives cause for celebration in Bristol. And while mini diners have never been overlooked at this upmarket barbecue/tapas-themed hotspot (scrumptious scoff for mini-foodies, highchairs, cushions and snuggle-up blankets are always available), summer 2010 brings a raft of singularly special Spyglass surprises to the child- and family-friendly menu.
The recent introduction of the Spyglass Pirate Club has already proved to be a great success, with options including a mini Spyglass burger, grilled chicken fillets, fish fingers or tortillas available for ÂŁ2.50. Upgrade to a full-on feast (including garlic bread, fries, salad and ice cream) for ÂŁ3.95 and a Pirate Set and colouring placemat come as standard as part of the deal.
But the spectacular seafaring fun doesn’t end there. Should such madcap maritime motivations inspire your little landlubbers, Spyglass Pirate Trips (conceived in conjunction with the Bristol Ferry Boat Company) might well be the most unique party-on option for young Bristol-based revellers this summer. Gather together a gang of 20 mini mariners aged from around five years upwards (plus one adult for every five children on board) and set sail on a 45-minute boat trip around the harbour, with take-home Pirate Sets (including a sword, hook and eye patch) for all handed out before your voyage begins.
Back on the Spyglass shore, there’s yet more bounty – including a Spyglass Pirate Feast and more pirate-themed activities – awaiting all Jolly Rogers, with a Spyglass mezze dish and soft drink available for grown-up buccaneers. The cost? A veritable bargain at £12 per person.
Gripped by the swashbuckling bug? Bristol’s very own Pirate Pete is a legendary character around these parts. Join him at 2pm every Saturday and Sunday throughout the year for a fun and informative hour-long stroll around the city’s quays, taking in Blackbeard’s Lair, the Smugglers’ Cave and the Matthew Shipyard, and discovering Bristol’s turbulent 17th- and 18th-century piracy history as you go. Tickets cost £6 for adults and £3.50 for children; family groups (two adults, two children) pay just £15. Scallywags, meanwhile, will be forced to walk the plank.
Spyglass, Welsh Back, BS1 4SB, 0117 927 7050, spyglassbristol.co.uk; Bristol Ferry Boat Company, bristolferry.com; Pirate Pete’s Pirate Walks, piratewalks.co.uk