Beautiful Bath

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: April 26, 2015

Bath is a beautiful place, even on an overcast day. The town sits in a little bowl of a valley, surrounded by gently rolling hills. It is known for the ancient Roman baths and for its lovely 18th-century Georgian architecture. We began our explorations by joining a little bus tour, much as we had done in London. From our seats atop the double-decker bus, we had wonderful views of the ancient streets and all Bath has to offer. We were very glad to have brought along our jackets, for the weather had turned a bit breezy and there was a definite chill in the air. 

We enjoyed the lovely view while awaiting the bus.

There are many beautiful buildings in Bath.

Our bus tour was very informative, and we tried to listen attentively to the audio headsets while also taking photos and admiring the view. The driver guided us to the rim of the bowl-shaped valley, where there is a hiking/bicycling path that begins in town. The drive was lovely. I admired the charming homes, many with beautifully tended gardens, and some with spectacular views of the town below. We learned about Bath stone, which is the pale, golden limestone of which the buildings and homes in Bath city centre were constructed. The limestone is very difficult and expensive to clean, and for that reason, a law was passed forbidding anyone to burn smoky materials in their fireplaces.

The limestone on this home has been partially cleaned.

When our tour ended, we warmed ourselves over coffee and hot chocolate in a nearby Starbucks. It was much the same as a Starbucks anywhere, though the decor was more fitting to the locale and there were several British items on the menu, including the bacon buttie. We walked around for a bit, admiring the gorgeous scenery and occasionally peeking into some interesting shops.

These old warehouses along the river in Bath
have been restored into apartments.

We found a little cafe selling Cornish pasties and decided to stop there for a bite to eat. The temperature had warmed, so we carried our food outside to a table and looked around the colorful street as we ate. Some very determined pigeons joined us. One of them almost landed on the table! We finished quickly and continued our explorations. Soon, we were admiring the Bath Abbey. There were many people hanging around in the courtyard in front of the beautiful old cathedral; one of them was strumming a guitar. Because it was Sunday, there were services being held in the Abbey, so we did not venture inside.

Who can resist a Cornish pasty?

The beautiful Abbey in Bath, UK.

Another view of Bath Abbey.