Eight Skins locations you can visit in real life

Surprise, surprise, you can’t skateboard down Park Street


The ten year anniversary of Skins is here, and a decade later we’re still re-watching these youngsters’ journey into adulthood.

The adventures of the likes of Tony, Effy and Sid are an important part of any 90’s kid’s adolescence. The Bristol setting provides the necessary greyness needed for gritty British television, but also some really great locations.

Here are a few of the best.

Vauxhall Bridge

Taking it right back to the beginning, with Tony storming over the bridge like the cool cat he was (sort of) and arranging drug fueled mayhem.

In reality of course it’s actually a pretty grim bridge where the feeling you may or may not get stabbed is strong. You can find this particular gem if you try to go to Spike Island and then go the wrong way.

Thekla

Bristol’s favourite club on a boat appears in season 3 with everyone’s favourite psycho, Cook.

It had been rented out to a gangster for a private party and of course ended in Cook being pushed off the top deck. Nowadays that would never happen because it might interfere with pop-con, or even worse than that, Toast Tuesdays.

Cabot Tower

Everyone’s heart broke just that little bit when Cassie and Sid sat on that fabled bench, over a beautiful Bristol sunset in the very same location that Cassie had tried to take her own life.

But in 2017 Bristol it is never sunny so the view is pretty shocking and we had to sit on various coats to take this photo. You can find this bench in Brandon Hill, it’s pretty steep and don’t go at night because it’s frequented by muggers.

Abbot’s Pool

The scene of Skins’ first lesbian couples’ romantic endeavour.

Its green leafy setting and lack of urban twats makes this the perfect place for young love. As long as you don’t mind the hour and a half walk or the 45 minute extreme up hill cycle past the suspension bridge it’s probably a delightful place for a picnic. Or acid.

Pero’s Bridge

Pero’s bridge made a few appearances during the filming of Skins.

It was the scene of Jal and Chris’ first hint of love/weird intimate chat, it was the background of one of Michelle’s more moody moments, but most notably it was the scene of a lonely Tony trying to help sell Big Issues with the hilariously wealthy ‘homeless man’.

Personally I think the trivialisation of Bristol’s quite serious homeless problem was not one of Skins’ finest moments.

The stairs by St. Nicks market

You remember the scene where Sid and Tony steal Chris’ coffin and precede to have a car chase with a hearse?

Of course you do, it was so unusual and strange that not even a Bristol student has done it on their gap year.

The steps next to St Nicks where the scene of that heroic moment and are easy to find although actually quite challenging to drive a mini down.

College Green

Perhaps the most obvious of all the Bristol Skins locations is College Green.

The gang lounging on the grass after a day of skipping college or smoking a spliff talking about their extremely intense relationships is commonplace in any Skins episode.

Of course Bristol students don’t even walk on the grass because it’s gross, muddy and covered in what I hope is litter. But still. What a lovely thought.

Park Street

Oh Freddie, the day you skateboarded over the roadworks and into our hearts was a beauty.

Park Street features in other episodes, Cassie shoplifting for a poorly Chris, and characters skipping down feeling young, alive and probably high.

One of Bristol’s best attractions, with vintage shops that mean 10 years later you can still look like a bit of a dick, just like the characters in Skins.

Afternote: Do not try and take a photo with a skateboard down Park Street, it’s actually a really busy road.