Greetings
We ended up with an extra day in Bath and I wondered if we would be able to take a longish (no more than 10 miles) walk to a nearby village. It might be fun to grab something to eat there and then train/bus/taxi back or even walk.
Any recommendations--seems like a nice way to see the countryside.
Thanks
Terri
www.nationaltrust.org.uk has several walking itineraries. Click Visit, then Bath & Bristol, then countryside. I remember one Bath Skyland that gives a view high above Bath. It is a 6 mile circular walk. There is one hike that is shorter that will take you directly to the view, There are others on this site, plus maps. The are some Heritage Houses that have cafes where you can have lunch.
I’ve always wanted to walk from Bath to Bradford-on-Avon along the canal tow path.
https://www.booksandtravel.page/canal-walk-bath-spa-to-bradford-on-avon/
I’ve walked to the lock where the website starts the walk but haven’t had time to go further.
have a look here https://visitbath.co.uk/things-to-do/sports-and-active/walking
I would agree with Pam. The K and A canal would be my first choice, you get views of Bath you have never seen before.
Or go the other way on the Canal, down to Bristol.
Easy walking, no map needed, or walking experience, what's not to like.
Lots of places you can stop if you need to and hop on a bus back into Bath.
I've walked the Canal all the way from Reading (and London via the Thames) over many days as day trips by transit from London. With some planning you could thus do any stretch of the canal. For instance there is the Caen Hill flight of 29 locks straight up a hillside at Devizes- a true boaters challenge and a spectacular sight; or the Crofton Beam Engine Museum near Marlborough, Wiltshire- stationary steam engines which pumped water into the canal - they are in steam several days a year.
A walk that I’ve done a few times is following the River Avon out of Bath to Saltford. This is a pretty waterfront village with a couple of pubs. You then cross the river and head up to Kelston where there is a nice cafe at the Bath Soft Cheese farm. You can then carry on uphill (steep!) to Kelston Round Hill and on to Lansdown Racecourse for some great views over Bath and Bristol. Walk downhill back to Bath past Beckford Tower stopping at the Hare and Hounds pub which has amazing views from the back.
There are lots of walking routes online.
Thanks for these great ideas!
I've always found it sensible in doing something like this to take transport to the end of the walk and walk back, so that you are not constrained by timetables getting to the end. Although in this case there's a reasonable service from Bradford-on-Avon back to Bath and plenty to do to kill time there if you have a wait.
I'm not sure going the other way towards Bristol will work. It's not a canal but the River Avon so whilst there is a path I don't think it's in great condition, it does divert on to roads at one point, the approach into Bristol is a bit dull and it's further (wonderful though Bristol is when you get there). There is a cycle path on an old railway line all the way from Bath to Bristol but it doesn't have great views and obviously there will be plenty of cycles. (There will on the canal towpath as well but more manageable there).
The Bath to Bristol walk does follow the river- this is the walk website- http://www.riveravontrail.org.uk/
The River was always part of the Kennett and Avon route. The whole point of the canal ), was to link to Bristol, and the river as you now see it is in it's canalised form (originally known as the Bristol Avon Navigation, built 1725-1727. The Canal section followed several decades later, but in the 19th century the K and A Canal Company controlled both River Navigations (the Kennett, at the Reading End, being the other, built 1718 to 1723) and the Canal section itself. As such the Bristol Avon Navigation was built with a towpath throughout- the current walk.
There is also a poetry trail along the River- https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1Z7PbNZiKlgMn1hTso3HdA1WEs0M&ll=51.41643850484056%2C-2.4848346500000007&z=12
Journey along the River Avon with riverside-inspired poems from some of Bristol and Bath’s best-loved poets. Six enchanting poems will be displayed along the beautiful rivers edge between Bristol and Bath, alongside illustrations from Katharina Nyilas (www.katharinaillustration.com), to transport you into the rhythmic world of life among the reeds.
I wouldn’t recommend walking all the way to Bristol along the river. You can do a nice circular walk back to Bath taking in some countryside.
Another really easy walk is from Keynsham to Bath along the river. Get the train to Keynsham then start the walk at the Lock Keepers pub which is only about 5 minutes from the station. Again, you can’t get lost on this walk.
