Bath in May 2023

Visited Bath as a day trip. Don't miss Bath Abbey and the Roman Baths-i believe you can have a spa day at the adjacent facility.

Definitely take the free walking tour by the tourism board. It used to start around 10am and the guide takes you past all the famous Austen and Georgian spots.

We're going to Bath too in May 2023! While we haven't stayed there yet, I've been very impressed with Peter Moore, the owner of the centrally-located Marlborough House, which is in the RS book. His website is: https://www.marlborough-house.net/ , but the email address is different: [email protected] He's been wonderful to work with--we have accessibility issues, so usually there's a lot of back- and forthing. With Peter, very prompt replies to inquiries, traffic and rental car suggestions, and other tidbits, including making dinner reservations well in advance. And this gem--"always mention Rick in the first instance even when making dinner reservations - it can open doors or get you a table." Booking direct, with the RS mention, it's a daily rate of 145 pounds a night (for the Bamboo room; didn't ask about others). With a cash payment, that drops to 140/night, inclusive of taxes and breakfast.

I love Bath!! I’ve been a number of times, spending 3-6 nights each time.

Random thoughts:

Birding- From the central area, cross one of the bridges either Pulteney or the bridge on North Parade and then drop down to the path along the River Avon. Walk south toward the Kennet and Avon Canal and look across to St John Roman Catholic Church. A nesting box for Peregrine Falcons is maintained in the spire here by the Hawk and Owl Trust. The day I saw them some birders were out with a scope. There are also webcams maintained by the Hawk and Owl trust so you can start checking next spring to see if they’re nesting.

Gardens - If you are good for an uphill walk, Prior Park is interesting with it’s Palladian Garden feature. There was a bus up to it but I just walked. There is also a circuit walk with views of Bath from up in that area but I didn’t track it down.

Do skip the Jane Austen Centre. It’s awful even for a JA fan.

Look to see if there is any special exhibition going on at the Holburne Museum. I saw a wonderful Canaletto exhibit there a number of years ago.

I’ve used Mad Max several times for day trips but not since Covid. I found them reliable and with quite good driver-guides.

The nearby American Museum is set in a woodland and might be good for birding. The day I went it was pouring rain so no outdoor time. Pre-Covid they had a shuttle bus from the area where tours pick up and drop off by the Parade Gardens. It’s a slightly odd museum. Not exactly the things I would choose to represent the US to another country BUT I live in the West and the exhibits seemed pretty East Coast-centric. No idea what their hours might be now.

I’ve not been to the art festival but I have been there for opening weekend of the Jane Austen Festival in the fall while it was busy it was not busier than other times I’d visited. If you are going to avoid any days, I’d avoid Friday and Saturday. Many lodging venues have minimum day stays over the weekends but with your amount of time you should be OK anyway.

Editing to add: Note to self…read the thread being linked before you reply to avoid repetition. At least I’m consistent, hahaha!!

Bath will always have visitors so I would think the Arts Festival won’t make much difference.

An easy day trip is to take the train SE to Salisbury and then the shuttle bus to Stonehenge. On return to Salisbury - walk down to the magnificent Cathedral before returning to the station for the train back.

Another easy day trip by train is to Cardiff. If you want to see the Museum of Welsh History at St.Fagans - you will need bus 32. It takes around 25 minutes for this bus to reach St.Fagans Museum (located in a village on the west side of Cardiff). Entry is free and it takes half a day to see everything. Also consider taking a local train for a 20 minute ride from Cardiff to Caerphilly Castle = a huge medieval fortress surrounded by a moat - though the town is a dump. On the way back, you could get off at Lisvane and take a walk in Cefn-Onn Park which will look wonderful in May. (Trains are every 15 minutes - less on Sundays).

Having said that, you could just wander around Cardiff and see the Castle (about a 14 minute walk from the Central station) and then perhaps head to the National Museum of Wales. Also take a bus for the short journey down to the waterfront (Cardiff Bay) or take a ferry from Bute Park (west side of castle) down the river to the bay.

From Bath, trains to both Salisbury and Cardiff are hourly and the journey takes around 1 hour. Google the places mentioned.

If you want another train ride from Bath, consider taking the slow line down to the seaside at Weymouth. (These trains are every other hour & it takes around 2 hours and costs about £21 (without a Railcard discount).

We stayed at the Brooks Guesthouse a great B&B close to city center. They have a fantastic breakfast.

Don't miss dining at The Scallop Shell restaurant for the very best fish and chips in Britain.

We did a day trip to Glastonbury, Wells and Chedar Gorge. Also, you could visit some castles on the border with Wales, even take the train to Cardiff and do Cardiff Castle more.

UPDATE: It looks like we're now aiming for the end of May, arriving May 23rd. United Airlines rates are cheapest on Mondays (we have a voucher from 2020), and the hotel rates drop a bit after the festival. Many of the things we want to see or do are closed on that Tuesday, so it will be a good day to settle in and cope with lag.

We'll book the falconry for Thursday and Mad Max for Cotswolds on Friday, Those are the only things we need to reserve so far. If it rains those days, hopefully we can rebook for later in the trip (availability permitting).

So lodging is the major remaining issue. That's been discussed here at RS repeatedly, but we'd still welcome any comments on the issue. We've either never lived somewhere withlocal mass transit or never had reason to use it. Our US travel has either been in our own car or a rental. It doesn't occur to us to include city bus systems as an option. The 'Visit Bath' web site reminded us they have a bus system, that we can select lodging that doesn't have to be within easy walking distance of what we want to see, and that we have short-trip options other than cabs. It looks like there are some good multi-day options. We'll print the routes and take those into account when booking a hotel.

If you plan to do a few days out by train you should have a look at the Freedom of Severn and Solent Rover
This covers a large area from Malvern in the north, Cardiff in the west and Weymouth and Portsmouth on the south coast
There is a version any 3 days in 7 at £68.50 or £45.20 with Railcard discount
The 8 days in 15 gives better value at £88.50 or £58.40 with Railcard
There are some time restrictions when it can be used
Full details on www.Nationalrail.co.uk under Tickets and Saving

Roger, I appreciate the suggestion but I think we're already biting off enough new experiences without adding train travel to the mix. Besides, we REALLY don't enjoy changing hotels. I thought about trying the train for a trip to Bristol but it looks like the bus stations are much closer to the SS Great Britian, etc.

We decided long ago there's no way to see everything at a destination, and trying is more stressful than we want when on vacation. Short list so far includes Mayor's Guides tour, Cotswolds, falconry, baths, abbey, 1 Royal Crescent and other open period homes we can find, the comedy and / or ghost walking tours, at least one day in Bristol, and an afternoon or two birding. We'll probably add another day trip to be determined.

Train travel has been suggested by us Brits because it is usually much quicker than travelling by bus on roads which are often congested. I once drove from Bath to Bristol and the journey was pretty horrendous due to traffic jams. On another occasion I got stuck for 20 minutes in a jam whilst trying to leave Bath to go eastward.

If you do go from Bath to Bristol by train, you are more likely to find a London train will have more room than a non London train. You can see the type of trains used from London (Paddington) to Bath & Bristol (as well as other places out west) in this video of a journey from London to Bath. Train travel is no big deal and for local journeys such as to Bristol, Cardiff or Salisbury, you can simply pay on the day at Bath station. (Longer trips such as London are cheaper when pre-booked).

This site is good for finding bus services or how to get around:> https://www.traveline.info

If you take the train to Bristol you can take the water bus by the station down to the floating harbour where S S Great Britain is

I want to encourage you not to discount train travel as an option. It is only new the first time you do it, then you will be experienced. I will often watch you tube “how to” videos about the transportation options in a new place prior to going to get familiar with the process. Rick Steves travel skills videos also show how to ride trains.

You can do this, don’t sell yourself short.

I'll just chime in with the others on train travel. This is a good place to try a day trip. You speak English, they speak English...so it is easy to ask for help. You won't have any bags to hassle with, all you'll have to do is find the right track. You can ask the conductor before you get on the train to reassure yourselves. The stops will be announced. You can buy a physical ticket at the Bath Spa train station quite easily.

Now, you must understand that I've never lived anywhere there is public transport. I drive everywhere. Living in the Inland Northwest, I'd never consider a train for any kind of transport NOR would I consider getting on a long-distance bus in the US. Because I've taken so many RS tours I'm now fairly confident on public transport in Europe. It's definitely a learning curve but England is a very easy place to start.

You don't have to make a decision right now but here is a map of the Bath Train station. There are only 2 tracks so you've got Platform 1 and Platform 2. You'll come in on the Dorchester Road side at the bottom of the plan.

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations-and-destinations/stations-made-easy/bath-spa-station-plan

The big irony is that I work for a company that manufactures, installs, manages, and ensures the safe operation of mass transit and freight rail systems globally, a company headquartered in London, and has British Rail as a major customer. Our South Carolina USA plant manufactures components for safety systems in a town so small even the nearest bus system only comes through once a week. I've toyed with driving two hours to Charlotte NC to ride their transit (another system we installed) but that hasn't happened so far.

Well, we took a look at the Bath-Bristol train schedule. I don't know what we were expecting but it wasn't trains leaving as frequently as every half hour or so, or a travel time of around 15 minutes. Maybe I was influenced by airline schedules, with relatively few flights with hours between them, and we don't the hassle of having to meet a rigid departure time. Again, we have absolutely no basis for comparison. I'll have to reconsider the whole concept.

We just have so many ingrained practices and habits from having a car on all previous travel, and places to park it adjacent to what we came to see. There's so much we aren't aware of. Take the water bus, for example. It never occurred to me to string together multiple forms of transportation. In my head, it's all either drive or walk.

That's why we came here, I guess!

I don't quite know how you feel in the post immediately above. I can't tell if you expected every half hour and a travel time of 15 minutes or you were surprised to find that.

Also don't know where you were looking for your answer.

I will say that Bristol Temple Meads, the main Bristol station but not the only one, to Bath Spa is at xx:21 or xx:22, another at xx:30 and a third at xx:00 all day long (except Sundays when things change), and they all only take 11 or 12 minutes.

Off-Peak Single is £8.70 pp, £8.80 return so the round trip is only 10p more than the one way.

Another vote for Brooks Guesthouse in Bath. As stated, great location, great breakfast, good value. We also rented a car at Heathrow and drove to Bath, and have always regretted that decision. A good decision next time for us would be a bus or train and rent a car to see the Cotswolds. Have a great time.

I find that very interesting Charlie - that you work in a provider for transport systems. One of the great things about travel is how things are done differently in different parts of the world - often depending on population density. Bath for example, was mainly built in the 1700 to early 1800’s in completely different time without cars. I know that if I drive into Bath, that finding parking can be difficult so if I use my car, I will normally park on the outskirts in something called a ‘Park & Ride’. Here people leave their cars and then pay for a short bus (double deckers are used) into the centre of the city. This is common in lots of cities in the UK. (Look out for the buses arriving in Bath from the P&R's). Many of the streets in the centre of Bath are traffic free.

Should you go to Bristol and visit the ‘Great Britain’ (world’s first iron hulled screw driven steamship) designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, you will see his Clifton suspension bridge over the gorge just to the west. Look out for the reconstruction of the ‘Matthew’ - which took Cabot on his voyages from Bristol to discover the east coast of N America. It was IKB who built the Great Western Railway - hence why you saw GWR on those trains if you watched the video. If you were to take the train from Bath to London (trains are usually every 30 minutes & fares tend to be cheaper on Saturdays) for a day out, you will be travelling much of the way at about 124 mph on IKB’s original route. Bath to London (Paddington) can be purchased around 10 weeks out for £21.50 each way for pre-booked specific trains. Journey takes 1 hour 23 minutes. Pay on the day for any train is more expensive for this route.

If you were to go by train from Bath to Cardiff, you will go through the Severn Tunnel = world’s first under sea railway tunnel. Another of IKB’s works to take the GWR into south Wales.

Train frequency is greater in Britain than in the US and passenger services have priority over freight trains. Trains normally run bang on time.

Just to add a bit of historic information. The line from Paddington to Bristol, and beyond, was originally built by Brunel with a Broad Gauge of just over 7 feet this meant it had to be built straighter than other lines. It was then converted to mixed gauge before being made the Standard Gauge of 4 feet 8 1/2 inches

Nigel, I was pleasantly surprised by both how often the trains ran and how short the trips are. My apologies if my post did not convey that. I looked at the GWR web site yesterday; the schedule and rates you posted match what I saw then. Again, sorry for any confusion.

par.pas.75, we absolutely ruled out renting a car from the beginning of planning this trip. There is no way we going to be able to override a combined 90 years of driving experience for over a week. It's guaranteed our habits would have one of us on the wrong side of the road early and often. It's going to be tough enough to remember which direction to look when crossing the street and which side of paths and walkways is the norm.

Thanks to everyone who has commented so far.

I am seeing trains ex Temple Meads at xx 45 too

Bristol Temple Meads is the city centre station. To get some idea of the number of trains and where they go - click the link that follows.
In the location box, you can put any station but I suggest you start with Bristol Temple Meads. You can see hour by hour the comings and goings & platform numbers. If you click on any train, you will usually get a picture of the train that is operating that service along with all the calling points.https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/

I'll chime in with how easy the trains are. The UK was my first visit to Europe and I thought how wonderful the trains were even when they were late for "leaves on the tracks."

Then I went to Spain and France and realized trains could be even better.

The trains are better in France & Spain because they built lots of brand new lines and only went on the old tracks to get into cities. The population density is less in France & Spain compared to Britain and the land prices are generally lower. A new high speed line is currently being built from London to Birmingham and it will then continue to the north. Trains will travel at around 200mph.

The train from Bath to Bristol is very quick and easy. When you arrive at Bristol Temple Meads I’d advise taking the number 8 bus (or you could get a taxi if you can’t face the bus) up to Clifton Village. It’s high on a hill and is very pretty (a bit like Bath) and you can see the famous suspension bridge. From there it’s an easy walk down to the Harbourside as long as you don’t mind a bit of a walk where the SS Great Britain is as well as some working boat yards, restaurants, cafes and arts centres.

We were in Bath in September. We used Celtic Horizons for a Cotswolds private driving tour. Highly recommend them. We used bathprivatecarhire.com for a ride from Heathrow to Bath. They were great too and also do tours.

We stayed at the Bath House, a little B&B maybe an 8 minute walk from the city center. High marks for there as well

We spent 4 nights in Bath in late September and took a Mad Max tour. I highly recommend them. Be sure to book your desired tour a couple of weeks in advance. I waited too long and there were only 3 tickets available for the tour we wanted, and there were 4 of us. Thankfully someone was willing to do something else that day.

I don’t use public transportation at home, but I do while traveling. The trains in England are easy and Nigel (upthread) is very knowledgeable about them. The train station and bus station in Bath are next door to each other. Like someone else said, it’s easy to communicate and get help because there isn’t a language barrier.

Sorry, y'all, sometimes I still have to do that 'Work' thing. I have replies and a couple more questions but it will be this weekend before i can get them posted. Please don't give up on me yet, and thanks for everything so far.

Could I get some feedback on a tentative schedule? Too ambitious? Nothing is in stone; we may add one or two more days.

1,2 Flight, bus to Bath
3 Mayor's Honorary Guides Bath Tour, Roman Baths Tour, Roman Abby and Tower, Bizarre Bath Comedy Tour
4 Mad Max Cotswolds - 60 early book special
5 West of England Falconry, #1 Royal Crescent House, Herschel Astronomy Museum, Bath Ghosts Tour
6 SS Great Britian Ship Tour, ?other Bristol stuff?
7 Revisits or make-ups
8 Bus to Heathrow, flight

Some asked what homes or castles we have planned already. What's shown above is what we've got so far.

I notice many of the suggested hotels and B&Bs front on Monmouth Pl. That looks like a major throughfare. Is there much issue with traffic noise at night? I'm particularly concerned if we wind up in a room on the street-side of the building.

Thanks!

I would make sure I was in London the night before my flight. I have no tolerance for risk about getting to the airport. I suppose if you have a late flight, it could be okay, but I would still rather be in London, or maybe even at an airport hotel.

Last time I was there, we had a 1pm flight, so took the tube from our London hotel to the airport. But I wouldn't want to have to take a bus or train from Bath to the airport on the day of my flight.

Oh dear Lord.

I live in LA where the automobile rules. If LA ever established a well managed public transport option ….forget the Metro which is Now a haven for homeless.

Have never understood why the first Metro line didn’t go from Union Station to Santa Monica. Really? Tourists come to LA to see Hollywood, Universal Studios, the Rose Parade ( in Pasadena where the Metro does go ) and the Pacific Ocean. Poorest planning ever.

Been going to London since 1972. Trains are a lovely way to travel. Trained to Durham and York.
Love using the London Underground.

Clear your habits about using an automobile as a means of transport. Europe is all about trains and busses. Its grand.

And do you think you can drive in Venice, Italy?

"Clear your habits about using an automobile as a means of transport. Europe is all about trains and busses. Its grand.
And do you think you can drive in Venice, Italy?"

I'm sure it is grand, but it's completely new to me. That's why I'm asking for instructions, to get my head wrapped around it as much as possible before we're on the ground.

I have no plans to ever visit Venice. I'm not sure how it became part of the conversation.