Leisure

BATH

Bath Boating Station Forester Rd. Tel: (01225) 312900 Boat hire for those lazy summer afternoons.

Bath Central Library 19 The Podium, Northgate St. Tel: (01225) 787 400 Well-stocked public library, with some archival material for reference only. Bath Tourist Information Centre

Abbey Chambers Abbey Church Yard. Tel: 0906 711 2000. A one-stop shop for Bath info. Open Mon-Sat 9.30am-5pm Mon-Sat, Sun 10am-4pm.

The Building of Bath Museum Countess of Huntingdon's Chapel, The Vineyards, The Paragon. Tel: (01225) 333895. If you're serious about trying to understand Bath, and how it got here, then this place, alongside the Roman Baths, is a must-see. Using models, maps, paintings, reconstructions and interactive electronics, it looks in detail at why Bath was built, and how it was done.

Gala Bingo Sawclose. Tel: (01225) 465424 What better way to fritter away your student loan than an evening of bingo action? Fully-licensed premises with the chance to double your pennies.

Jane Austen Centre 40 Gay St, Queens Square. Tel: (01225) 443000. Just doors up from where Austen lived, this house is an accurate portrayal of how she would have spent her days. They also operate walking tours of Bath, pointing out key places in the novelist's life.

Museum of Costume & Assembly Rooms Bennett St. Tel: (01225) 477789.One of the world's finest collections of fashionable dress and accessories, from the 18th century to the present day. As long as there aren't any functions going on, your ticket also gets you into the splendid Assembly Rooms, where the creme de la creme got together in days of yore.

Virtual Realm Second Floor, above Baty's, The Old Post Office, 2 York Buildings, George St. Tel: (01225) 447466.The south west's premier gaming centre and internet cafe, with 32 top-spec computers networked together, playing the best computer games available - kill your mates over a coffee. Games include Counterstrike, Quake 3, C&C Generals and Battlefield 1942. Prices range from £1-£3 per hour.

BRISTOL

The Architecture Centre Narrow Quay. Tel: (0117) 922 1540 This place was set up to promote architecture and excellence in the built environment, and there's always something interesting going on here. Regularly changing exhibitions, workshops and talks, and plenty of food for thought and arguments about the way we live. Great gift/toy/jewellery shop, too.

Ashton Court Long Ashton (just over Clifton Suspension Bridge). Tel: (0117) 963 9174 One of Bristol's largest expanse of parkland, home to an 18-hole pitch 'n putt, the internationally-renowned August balloon fiesta and the annual must-go Ashton Court Festival.

At-Bristol Harbourside. Tel: 0845 345 1235. Massively popular location in the Bristol leisure scene, featuring three main attractions: IMAX, a giant-screen cinema delivering a variety of larger-than-life celluloid experiences, most in 3D; Explore, the hugely impressive hands-on science experience with a constantly rotating range of must-see exhibits; and Wildwalk, a walk-through rainforest with free-flying birds and butterflies and 75,000 more creatures.

Blaise Castle House Museum Henbury Rd, Henbury. Tel: (0117) 903 9818 Wonderful museum of domestic life in bygone Bristol.

Bowlplex Aspects Leisure Complex, Longwell Green. Tel: (0117) 961 0000. Premier bowling (24 lanes), 11 American pool tables, dancefloor with DJs on Fri and Sat nights, bar till 1.30am Mon-Sat (12.30am Sun) and fast-food fodder at the Stadium Grill. NUS card gets you student rate.

Bristol Central Library College Green. Tel: (0117) 903 7200 Newly-refurbished library offering a large archive section, with journals, manuscripts and a comprehensive local history section.

Bristol City Museum & Art Gallery Queens Rd, Clifton. Tel: (0117) 922 3571.Impress mater and pater with your love of culture by bringing them to this fascinating museum with its displays in Egyptology, archaeology, natural history, fine art and Chinese and Japanese ceramics.

Bristol Ferryboat Co Welsh Back. Tel: (0117) 927 3416.Wonderfully laidback solution to tiresome gridlocked roads, via either 40-min/1hr round trips, or single hop-on-and-off jaunts. Boats can be chartered, with commentary, or else you can plump for the booze cruise option. Stops convenient for City of Bristol College and Bower Ashton. See also Transport & Travel.

Bristol Ice Rink Frogmore St. Tel: (0117) 929 2148.Costs £3.50 to get your skates on with an NUS card. Take your non-student mates along for approx £5, depending on the session. Look out for the disco nights on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Bristol Industrial Museum Princes Wharf, Wapping Rd, City Docks. Tel: (0117) 925 1470 Stunning location in the centre of Bristol's historic docks, tracing the city's maritime and transport history. Now includes a gallery complete with information and artefacts from the transatlantic slave trade. Open Saturday to Wednesday 10am-5pm. Admission free.

Bristol Library Service Tel: (0117) 903 7200.Offers books, free internet access, study space and much more, from 26 libraries across the city.

Bristol Packet Boat Trips Wapping Wharf, Gas Ferry Rd. Tel: (0117) 926 8157. Great selection of daily boat trips - call for details. Also available for private hire.

Bristol Tourist Information Centre The Annexe, Wildscreen Walk, Harbourside. Tel: 0906 711 2191 (calls charged at 50p per min). The one-stop shop for planning Bristol shenanigans, with free (apart from the phone line) advice and information, accommodation bookings, exclusive short break offers, events, tickets, maps and guidebooks.

Bristol Zoo Guthrie Rd, Clifton. Tel: (0117) 973 8951. One of the UK's foremost centres for species conservation and education, with a long history of campaigning initiatives. Great monkey enclosures and reptile house, and the gardens are always worth a visit in their own right, should you be able to take your eyes off the penguin and seal coasts with their underwater walkways. NUS discount on offer.

British Empire & Commonwealth Museum Station Approach, Temple Meads. Tel: (0117) 925 4980. Award-winning national museum presenting the 500-year history of the rise and fall of Britain's overseas empire. Open 10am-5pm, every day except Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Circus Maniacs Office 8a, Kingswood Foundation, Britannia Road, Kingswood. Tel: (0117) 947 7042. Evening classes to learn all the fun of the circus: acrobatics, tightwire, trapeze, trampolining, juggling, and the increasingly popular 'poi and fire'. If you give up your degree, you can train here full-time. Student discounts available.

The Dance Experience Tel: (0117) 950 0084. Masses of expertise, with a vast and popular range of partner dances (14 at the last count) to show for it. Venues around Bristol include Bristol Dance Centre in Hotwells and Cotham's Elmgrove Centre. They do it all - salsa, swing, tango, mambo, cha cha cha, samba, rumba, etc. New beginners courses start in September - call for details.

Gala Bingo Fishponds Rd. Tel: (0117) 965 3662 See Bath listing.

Hollywood Bowl Avonmeads. Tel: (0117) 977 1777 Boasts 26 bowling lanes with computerised scoring, cafe and fully-licensed bar, latest videos and games and party packages.

Le Roc: Jive Classes Folk House, Park St. Tel: (0117) 952 0957. Elmgrove Centre, Elmgrove Rd, Redland, Bristol. Tel: (0117) 902 1079. Web: www.elmgrove-leroc.co.uk Brilliantly sociable pursuit, as you've no need to bring a partner, and new beginners are welcome any week (alongside the intermediates and improvers classes). Not an ongoing course, and the price is a bargainous £4.

Make Your Mark 97 Whiteladies Rd, Clifton, Bristol. Tel: (0117) 974 4257. Terrifically innovative place, where you get to create personal works of art in a friendly atmosphere. Popular with parties (there's a caff, and you can BYO tipple) and perfect for presents.

Megabowl Brunel Way, Ashton Gate. Tel: (0117) 953 8538. Bowlerama: ten-pin bowling alleys plus arcades and pool rooms. Also a diner and licensed bar for a complete night out. Student specials available.

Red Lodge Park Row, Bristol. Tel: (0117) 921 1360 Fabulously preserved townhouse, complete with period furniture and art. Get a glimpse of bygone Bristol.

OUT OF TOWN

Westonbirt Arboretum Tetbury, Glos. Tel: (01666) 880220. England's national arboretum has trees from across the world, and 18 miles of paths in 600 acres of beautiful land. Open 365 days a year, 10am-dusk or 8pm. Michaelmas term is the time to visit - the autumn colours are the arboretum's highlight.

Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust Slimbridge, Glos. Tel: (01453) 890333. One of the best days out that the west has to offer. See, feed and learn about wetland birds, and help the WWT conserve wetland habitats. It's in a very pleasant setting beside the river Severn, with 50 hectares of landscaped grounds and vast numbers of ducks, geese and swans all doing their seasonal thing, There are hides in the grounds for you to spy on the birds, and don't miss the tropical house. Very nice visitor centre, plus decent cafe/restaurant and shop.

Student Guide - Bristol and Bath's best guide to all you need around town, plus tons of free vouchers. To order your copy ring 0117 942 8491. Only £2.95.