Bathtime.

On Thursday, because we couldn't go anywhere exciting we went to Bath in Somerset. It's not abroad but neither of us had been there before; it's old and it's very pretty. All the buildings are made out of 'Bath Stone', a rich, orange-hued limestone quarried from the Mendip Hills nearby.

It was very fashionable in the 18th Century when the Prince of Wales and his courtiers came there to take the health giving waters and to bathe in the hot springs.

The money this brought to the town produced some broad expansive terraces of elegant Regency houses for the wealthy tourists;

It's a world heritage site and jealously protects its image. All the new buildings and stores have to be built of the same Bath Stone to fit in.

There's an ancient cathedral;

And the local authority has blown many millions of pounds of the peoples money on renovating the old baths so that wealthy visitors can indulge themselves; here they are enjoying the rooftop pool;

 

 

 

The town was always aimed at the wealthy - here's a mock up of a sedan chair outside one of the museums - to carry people from their hotel to the baths;

 

 



 

 

 

There are plenty of museums trying to get our money, I'm not a fan of Jane Austen but lots of people are;

 



 

 



This is the statue outside the Cathedral celebrating the local mineral waters;

 

 

                                                       



 

 

 And this is me filling my Tesco's bottle with some free mineral water from the hot spring.;

 

 



It smelt strongly of bad eggs from all the sulphur in the water and it was really hot - it kept warm in my rucksack for about two hours after I filled it which was a bit spooky.

This is the famous weir that runs through the centre of town;

I wasn't so impressed until I went to the Roman Baths but that's a story for tomorrow.

Click on any picture for a slideshow.
Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)

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