Having a bath in Priory Park

You know you're getting old when the first thing you do after booking your weekend away is to look up what National Trust sites are near by. I did this unthinkingly last week when arranging a trip to Bath before realising that it's the kind of thing I've mocked my poor mum about for years. Oh well - you have to embrace whatever makes you happy etc. etc. along with all the other whimsical lifestyle blogger-like phrases that I'm supposed to regularly reel off and don't. Wisdom of this kind sadly is not my forte.

My mature research lead me to the Priory Park landscape gardens, just outside of central Bath where we were staying. When I say 'just outside', this was what the internet and Google Maps helpfully told me. What neither told me (the research was not extensive), was that this 40 minute walk was up one of the steepest hills in the country and would not, unless you have recently been in triathlon training, take 40 minutes.

The walk was almost as beautiful as the Park itself, though less stately. It took us through a warren of narrow cobbled streets lined with sand stone houses, ancient walls, views over the whole of bath and glimpses of people's villas over high, ivy entwined gates. Bath this time around was far more magical than I had remembered. I think this is in part down to having previously been both drunk and in the city centre. The city centre is, of course gorgeous. However, I would recommend doing as we did and spending at least a whole day on the outskirts instead.

We arrived somewhat breathless but feeling pretty smug and looking forwards to rewarding ourselves later with a hearty lunch. We paid our National Trust entry of a steep (get it) £6 each and wandered into the park.  Look how beautiful it is!

Dress £95 Pyrus, same shape here, Boots down to £75: Ash, on sale here, Tote £1,550: Prada, similar here

The Palladian bridge was my favourite bit, especially the 18th century graffiti on the pillars. The house itself is now a school so you can't go up there but the view of it from the gardens was enough for us on the sunny day we had. (Google maps having failed to warn me of the hill, Google weather overcompensated by telling me it would rain all day. It didn't)

After our garden promenade, we wandered back down the hill and along the canal to a sunny lunch spot. Sadly the pub we ended up in (The George) was nothing to write home about so I won't here. It was pretty refreshing to have a Saturday away where the walking was the highlight rather than the eating so I decided to embrace that as a good thing.

On the Sunday we went back to the Bath Spa. I've been a fair few times and always loved it - it's just so great to be able to properly relax in those steam rooms and swim in the roof pool for just £25 each. Check out their website if you've not been before.

 Loving 19th century graffiti on sand stone. So romantic... 
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