I was inspired to do this route when it came to public attention through the Bristol Civic Society a few years ago. It is based upon the 300 year old Konigsberg Bridge problem, a mathematical exercise to determine whether it's possible to cross every bridge in a city only once, starting and finishing at the same place. Although proven by Euler to be impossible in Konigsberg 300 years ago, a Bristol academic devised a route successfully in Bristol.
So when my local church in North Bristol chose to run a charity campaign to raise money for aid in the Middle East, and based it upon the Bristol 45 Bridges, I knew I had to take it on. To be true to the campaign, I started and finished on the church steps at St Peters in Henleaze. This added around 5km to the total distance as I joined the official loop on the Downs, between bridges #38 and #39. I took two timing watches - my main one measured the full route (52km) and my second one I used for the purposes of FKT, starting and stopping it whilst joining and leaving the route. I carried this second one in my small rucsac which I fear may have caused it to lose some accuracy. Although the route looks spot on, the total distance covered appears a little light as my main watch suggest 47km for the route. Despite many days of inclement weather, the day was fine and I set off at dawn. Most of the route went to plan. The first exception was the locked gates at Underfall Yard, so I took the road to loop around instead of the official shortcut. I had planned for Bridge #12 to be closed and having approached it along the official route I then detoured back to the Bath Road to pick up the route again at Bridge #13. Unexpectedly Bridge #20 was also shut (it had been open during a cycle recce a couple of weeks earlier!) so I continued on the Feeder Road and crossed Bridge #21 twice. Likewise Bridge #23 (affectionately known as the Banana Bridge) was undergoing repair as was Bridge #30, so I made sensible adjustments to be as faithful to the official route as possible without trimming any distance.
I took all my own water and snacks with me, and judged it perfectly. The day was dry and cool, so really ideal. I would like to do it again at some point, but with significantly more training! It really is a super route - I have lived in Bristol for 13 years and this route has taken me to places I didn't know existed as well as through the vibrant parts around the harbourside. Many people from church who undertook parts of the route in order to raise many for the aforementioned campaign thoroughly enjoyed it and it gives a great excuse to get out and enjoy the city from a different perspective!