Twelve brave walkers headed out to Yatton Railway Station for our planned trip to Bath. It was raining cats and dogs but as this was our second attempt at walking around Bath, we decided to stick with it (the first having been abandoned because of a scheduled rail strike). We completed the outbound trip safely and arrived with a full complement. For some this was the first time for a long time that they had been on a train and was really quite exciting! The rain in Bath paused for our arrival and we struck up towards the Kennet and Avon Canal and Bath Deep Lock. Soon we were trudging along the towpath through more rain and muddy puddles, but a lovely environment, so good for the soul.

At Sydney Gardens we turned off and walked down towards the Holbourne Museum where a welcome coffee stop enticed us inside to dry off. Some of us checked out the forthcoming exhibitions and history of the place, and then we departed for Pulteney Street and ambled along looking at various points of interest, through intermittent rain. Crossing Pulteney Bridge, we turned right up through Broad Street, which is very narrow and boasts the oldest Pub In Bath, The Saracens Head, dating from 1713. Thence on to The Slug and Lettuce for lunch. The name amuses me but for some, not so!!

We had an enjoyable lunch and it was perfect for the occasion. Dried out, fed and “watered”, we proceeded on up through the alleyways to see the Bath Assembly Rooms, which is now in the hands of the National Trust and not currently open to the public. From there to The Circus which is a beautiful Georgian construction inspired apparently by The Colosseum in Rome. And then on to the Royal Crescent, the first of its kind in Europe. As we walked along admiring the glorious location, we saw two Rolls Royces, bedecked with cocktail cabinet, and gold trimmings. Extraordinary wealth!

We proceeded back down through Royal Victoria Park towards the centre of town, and stopped to investigate the small open air museum which is The Georgian Garden, a classic example of a town garden of its day. On through Queen Square to witness the place where an inebriant driver fell into the well which surrounds every Georgian House to provide access to the kitchens and staff quarters. We came close to losing a few over-curious pensioners over the edge too, but fortunately disaster was finally averted. Just beyond the Theatre Royal we re-grouped and decided to head straight for the Railway Station for our return home, giving ourselves a more leisurely option than the pre-planned jaunt along the river for the last stretch of our walk.

And home on the slow train to Yatton. It had been a good day out I think.
 
Report by Veronica Hobbs
Photos by Jeff Eastmond