Today, I did a walking tour of Bath and a Mad Max tour of Stonehenge and Lacock.
First, I had breakfast at the b&b and taking my time since the free walking tour around Bath started at 10:30. I had what is commonly called in North America bagel and lox. It was a NY style bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon from Scotland. It tastes like the same back home.
After breakfast I had some time to spare so I headed over to the train station to buy my ticket to Oxford tomorrow (£19.60) to save time and will be less hurried tomorrow morning. Next, I just walked around the abbey and went to see the TI (tourist information). By 10:30, there were a lot of people standing around the abbey churchyard waiting for the free tour. This tour last about 2 hours ( but today it took 2.5 hrs) and is totally free as they don't take tips. These tours are put on by volunteers. There were about 60 people in the churchyard and three guides. So we split into three groups. First our guide talked about the history of the discovery of the hot water spouting from the ground, to when the Romans contained it and built an area around it, and then the English claimed the land again and eventually claimed the water to have healing capabilities. The British have such a long history....
Anyways, we also got a lesson on the abbey and the architecture. We went into a part of the pump room to see a bath that was closed down in the 1970s due to contaminants. It still have hot water raising in it. Since then, the people just built more new baths by pumping water below the contaminants.
After the pump house, the guide took us to another spa and pump house, then to Beau Nash's house. Our guide mentioned that Bath had very good city planning back then. We headed to Queen's .Square, walked up to Gay Street (with a Jane Austen reference in mind; forgot from what book, either North Hanger Abbey or Persuasion), passing Jane Austin Centre up to King's Circle and then to Royal Crescent, where they filmed 'Duchesses' and where John Cleese lives. After we went to see the Assembly Room and then headed down towards the Abbey. We didn't have time to see where Jane Austen lives, but we got a lot of history on architecture by the River Avon (I won't bored you with that, but I took a lot of pictures).
By the time that the tour end, it was already 13:00 and the Mad Max tour was about to start. So no lunch for me but I did swear I put a granola bar in my bag which I didn't find until this tour was over. For the Mad Max tour, we headed to Stonehenge first and then to Lacock. Stonehenge is about an hour away from Bath. It costs £7.80 for adults and is free during summer solstice. Stonehenge has a lot of history but the site isn't that spectacular in my opinion. It's something you can see once and say you have done it. We had an hour at Stonehenge, and I think everyone was back at the bus before then.
After we went to Lacock, a small village where lots of films were filmed there, including Harry Potter.
We didn't have time to see Lacock Manor since it was a half day tour, but scenes from Harry Potter was filmed there including some of Hogswart's halls, the potion room, etc. We did walk around Lacock village and was Prof. Slughorn's house, Godric's Halloween (Harry Potter's house), and the graveyard from part 1 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Harrows. There were a lot of things to see and learn. Also, the abbey was also where Camilla Parker Bowes' daughter wed. There's a photo album in the abbey of it.
After a walk around Lacock, we hopped back on the bus and made our way back to Bath. I have learned so much today especially about the history surrounding Bath that I can't possible write everything down on this blog, but I will be happy to tell it person. Once we got back to Bath, I was starving. I headed over to Sally Lunn's, which is the oldest house in Bath, to have afternoon tea at 17:30. A big mistake since I'm still full and will not be having dinner now. Anyways, I had the Sally Lunn cream tea which came with its famous Sally Lunn's bun, half of it since it was big, and clothed cream and strawberry jam and tea (£6.18).
Then, I walked around Bath some more and went to see Jane Austen's house and around Henrietta's park to try to get hungry but no. So I made my way back to the b&b to pack up for tomorrow and finishing up my blog and journal.
If you are ever in Bath, I recommend the free walking tour. You learned a lot.
Tomorrow's agenda: I'm heading to Oxford to see Blemheim Palace and then up to Stratford Upon Avon to stay for two nights. I hope I can see Blemheim Palace since I have to drop my bag somewhere to store.
- "Stonehenge has a lot of history but the site isn't that spectacular in my opinion. It's something you can see once and say you have done it."
ReplyDeleteI think that years of wear and tear by tourists probably made the site not as "spectacular" as it could be, but as part of a larger historic site, I would probably love it lots anyway. :/
- It is cool that they offer free tours!
- Ahhhh Harry Potter locations! Does it look the same as the movies?
- Do you eat all of your meals alone? Have you met a lot of new people? Any potential husbands? ;)
The site is mostly roped off so you can only see it from a far. It's not like we can touch the stones or stand underneath it.
ReplyDeleteI think I have to watch the movies to see it. I don't remember what the scenes actually look like.
I'm eating all my meals alone. I've met people on the tours. Lots of Chinese students were on the Stonehenge tour. I'm sure I'll meet people when I'm doing the contiki tour next week.