Another trip around the sun was celebrated with a weekend in the gorgeous town of Bath – a stately collection of period homes in uniform beige colours, soaked in history and Roman bathwater.
We can recommend the Albany Guest House B&B, nice rooms and a great breakfast, run by lovely people. It’s only a short walk into and around town so we resigned ourselves to dealing with the incessant drizzle and headed out to explore.
A trip to Bath obviously requires a visit to the Roman Baths that give the town their name. Donning headphones and clicking through relevant commentary at each section helped bring the history to life and I was particularly impressed by the bonus highlights from Bill Bryson, one of my favourite authors. For its popularity and being a weekend, there was still a calm atmosphere and I could get lost in my own little world as we moved around the complex…which is a lot bigger than I thought from the entrance.
Horror of horrors came when I bent down to take a photo just above the pool of steaming water and my drink bottle fell from my backpack into the water. I don’t know exactly why I was so petrified of getting in trouble for it, other than I really don’t like getting in trouble. Meanwhile they let a couple of ducks come in each day for a swim and I can’t imagine they’re great for the water quality. The caretaker came and got the bottle out, we didn’t want it back, I’m fairly sure the water is practically alive.
Somewhere we would go back to if we’re in the neighbourhood would be the Yak Yeti Yak Nepalese restaurant, down a skinny set of stairs to the basements of 3 historic townhouses. The food was divine, a friendly atmosphere and the special warm rum cocktails were just the ticket on a cold and rainy evening. I’d book a table or arrive early.
Better weather on the second day let us get out and about to take in the sights of Pulteney Bridge, lined with shops and framing the River Avon as it tumbles down the slackening steps. Around the corner and past the Parade gardens we enjoyed a Sally Lunn bun – one of those “when in Rome” treats.
Bath is a lovely town for walking if you’re interested in Georgian architecture, gardens, clean streets, and rows of houses built in an arc.
