Daytripping to Bath

Sunday 17 August 2014


There seem to be endless possibilities when it comes to taking an easy day trip from London.  We pondered Cambridge, Oxford, Brighton, York but eventually decided on Bath.  On the eve of my 31st birthday, we grabbed a quick breakfast from a coffee shop near the hotel and walked over to Paddington Station to take the 90 minute train ride to Bath.

First, and really the only, thing on our agenda for the day was to visit the famed Roman Baths.  The actual city of Bath was formed due to the natural hot springs around 70 AD.  The baths are considered some of the best preserved Roman remains in the world and the site of that iconic green water is certainly something to behold.

We followed the audio guide supplied with our ticket and were generally impressed by the labyrinth of different rooms comprising the Roman Baths.  While it has certainly be restored into a museum of sorts, it was still quite easy to picture just how the complex would have been used centuries ago.
From there, it was time for lunch and previous research had us curious about The Salamander.  Joe, being a beer connoisseur, was intrigued by their in house ales and given that it was in the centre of town, it felt like the perfect place to rest our feet and tempt our palates.  Lucky for us, Sunday roast was also on.  It was while we demolished an obscene amount of British fare that the weather decided to turn on us.  Without umbrella in hand, we tried to wait out the rain but just as soon as it would taper off, another short rainfall would drift in so we eventually threw caution to the wind and faced the soggy conditions.

We wandered up to the Circus and on to the Royal Crescent, ducking under porches and behind buildings when the rain reappeared.  Had the weather been on our side, we probably would have lingered longer and perhaps ventured into the city further.  Instead, we looped our way back, crossing the Pulteney Bridge and walking along the river before returning to the train station.
Aside from being impossibly picturesque, Bath is also known for fabulous spas.  For the life of me, I cannot figure out why I did not put two and two together and book us in for a night at a luxe hotel-spa. As we found with our day trip to Bruges, the city was lovely when the crowds thinned out and it would have been nice to spend more time getting to know Bath.

The next time I find myself in the vicinity and needing a little pampering, Bath will certainly be top of the list.

12 comments:

  1. ...I don't know if you're familiar with it, but every time I think of Bath, I think of "Northanger Abbey" (mainly the 2007 ITV adaptation) by Jane Austen!!...It's one of my favorite works by her, :-)...

    Best,
    Betty J. Ogburn (The Pumpkin's Head)

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    1. There are quite a few connections between Jane Austen & Bath. I've seen entire itineraries devoted to her and her works! It's definitely a place to visit if you're a big fan!

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  2. I went to Bath last summer when I was visiting London and I absolutely loved it. We did it on a tour and we could only stop in Bath for one or two hours but my mom, my sister and I were dying to stay longer! It's such a beautiful town and the baths are so interesting. Did you drink the water before leaving the Roman Baths?
    Your photos capture the town very well! I hope to make it back there someday.

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    1. We did not drink the water. We watched others and their expressions were enough for us ;-)

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  3. This is always on a day trip options from London and just has happened yet, maybe our next trip!

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    1. It's tough when there are so many things to do within London itself and the multitude of options for other day trips!

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  4. I visited Bath earlier this year and absolutely loved it - it's places like this that have made me fall in love so hard with England! I hope you get a chance to take that overnight spa trip one day soon: I would love to do the same one day! :)

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  5. lovely! every shot is just so pretty! a relaxing spa day is probably needed after you deliver a human being....at least, that's what I'm thinking. ;)

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  6. That stone gets me every time... Oh Jay - I was convinced it was impossible to take lovely pictures that show the size & scale of the Circus and you captured it perfectly! This might be one of your loveliest posts yet.

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  7. One thing I remember most about Bath is...AMAZING fudge at the fudge shop near the Baths. And the Bath Spa (not the historical one), is an amazing break for a couple of hours in the steam rooms and rooftop pool.
    Hey Louise!

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  8. Great pictures & advice! I just moved not too far from Bath and I'm definitely planning on making a trip there at some point. Who knew about the spa bit??

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