England Grand Tour (2021): Days 18-19: Return to Bristol & A day in Bath

Day 18: Monday

Today was probably the most low-key day of the trip. We drove from Borehamwood back to Bristol Airport, returned the rental car and completed the journey to Bruce’s flat by Uber. On arrival, we dropped our bags and set out on foot to do some food shopping. After a light lunch, Bruce signed on for work and I, quite frankly, decided to have the rest of the day off! It had been a busy weekend and I wanted a chance to catch up on my trip notes, before they fell hopelessly behind. I also wanted to save myself for a final day out on Tuesday.

Day 19: Tuesday

As Bruce would be working his usual ‘Boston hours’ from lunchtime (in the UK) onwards, my final sightseeing excursion of the trip was necessarily a solo affair. My familiar destination was one of my ‘top five’ cities in England: the gorgeous city of Bath (population 90,000). Located (currently!) in northeast Somerset and named for its Roman baths, Bath became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in its own right in 1987. This year, however, it was additionally included in the transnational World Heritage Site Great Spas of Europe. This list includes places such as Baden bei Wien (Austria) and Karlovy Vary (Czechia), both of which Bruce and I have visited.

Like Edinburgh, Bath is also famous for its Georgian architecture. Other attractions include its Abbey church and a fine assembly of museums, galleries and theatres. In a situation reminiscent of Newcastle and Durham, Bath is just a ten-minute train ride from Bristol Temple Meads. Before delving into more mainstream sights, however, my first objective on arrival was to track down the former Bath Green Park railway station, which I had seen featured in the excellent TV series The Architecture the Railways Built.

My photos begin with a few shots in Bristol …

… then continue in Bath:

Later, having returned to Bristol for my final evening away from home, I was once again well looked after as a guest: