After a wonderful first day in the city of Bath, our second day in Bath was also fantastic. We grabbed breakfast at a café our host recommended, which reminded us of a place in Portland. After that, it was all about a couple things we had in mind for Amelia. She is always such a good sport on our travels— cheerful and flexible and patient about all of the things that we want to do. We try to show our appreciation by finding good parks, sweet treats and indulging her interests whenever we’re traveling.We heard fantastic things about the children’s play area at the Royal Victoria Park. And it truly was a super-fun playground. There were all kinds of interesting structures, a zipline, a carousel, and lots of things for kids of all ages to do. And the walk through the park to get there was so pretty. It definitely made me think of the Jane Austen novels– I could easily picture ladies and gentlemen in their fancy clothes going for elegant strolls there.
Next, we went to the weekly local-vendor market. It is only held on Saturday mornings, and all of the vendors come from only 40 miles away or closer. We were pretty impressed with this market!
They had so much great local produce! We had some really great cider and nice cheeses. I wished that we were really shopping that day, because there were several raw milk vendors, lots of grass-fed and wild meats, and so many things that looked really delicious. They have such a great sustainable food scene– much better than what’s available to us in our neck of the woods (we can find all of those things, but you have to look quite a bit harder.)
The highlight for me was this super-fun old-timey music ensemble. Their music made the whole place feel like a party. When I asked about them, I was told this was their first time playing at the market, and everyone loved them. Lucky us!
After the market, we walked around Bath some more, enjoying the architecture on our way to a bookstore.
Even the shabbier old buildings were so beautiful to me.
But of course, most of the architecture in the popular places were more like what you’ll see below:
On the first day when we arrived in Bath, I asked Amelia what she most wanted to do here. Without hesitation, she said she wanted to learn about the Romans. Several people told us that the Roman baths would be super-crowded and we’d have to wait forever to get in on a Saturday. So, we opted to go to a cool bookshop where the staff were very helpful in finding us a great book all about Roman Britain. She has been studying it ever since!
I am thrilled that she loves history, because there is no more engaging way to learn about it than to visit places like this– and there will always be something interesting to her no matter where we go because she loves a good story.
We were told that one of the cool things to check out in Bath are the Assembly Rooms, where dances and other formal events were held in Georgian times. That took all of 15 minutes to see, but it was cool. Especially if you like chandeliers, as I do.
I had heard that there was a little café on the other side of the River Avon, and I was determined that we would spend some time sitting there. In some ways, I am a terrible tourist. All I ever really want to do is find the nearest body of water and a pretty place to sit to enjoy it. And so this was our view.
I couldn’t help wondering why, oh why there wasn’t a restaurant with seating on the inside of those pillars on the right. Now, that would be perfect! Don’t you think?
And so concluded our second day in the city of Bath. We picked up some groceries before heading back to our host. When we got home, we made him some dinner, and enjoyed sharing some of our own home made sloe wine, and stayed up late talking again. It was such a nice way to see a new place– walking around all day, then hearing more about it (and other adventures from our fascinating host) in the evening.
On our way back to Suffolk, we stopped at Bradford On Avon, which I’ll share some pictures of soon! The drive home was picturesque, and we are so thankful to get to see more of this beautiful country while we’re living here! One last photo– the view from the gas station we stopped at…Thanks for coming with us!
You’re not a terrible tourist at all! I think some of the best tourists stray off of the beaten path, just as you do, to discover the real culture of an area. Seeing the big attractions is always pretty cool, but I find that the small, and often overlooked details of a new place are where the most beautiful and interesting things lay, waiting to be enjoyed by those who slow down enough to find them. You’re pictures were beautiful! The view from the gas station is just amazing!
I just found your site about a month ago and it’s amazing. You have no idea how much your family and ours have in common… From foraging and blogging to fermenting and brewing, butchers and local eggs and daughters… and even diabetes. I spent a summer in Bath and these pictures make me miss it SO MUCH! Thankyou so much for all that you post on here!
Awesome pics. Thanks for sharing! Glad to hear that Amelia loves history too.
I live in the San Francisco Bay area, but dream of visiting England again with my hubbie and three kids. I’ve had my eye on Bath as a destination for months now! Your pictures actually made me cry. That’s longing, I think! Thanks for sharing! I just discovered your blog site today, and will be a regular follower. I’m a grain-free eater, so I will be enjoying your recipes too. I also enjoyed your thoughts on being an introvert…I can really relate! Keep up the great work!