A Day in Bath, UK
AS you enter the city of Bath by road, there are helpful signs telling you how many parks are left where. Despite being the middle of the week in mid-Autumn, this city was pumping with tourists, so we had to curve around the city to a less-popular carpark. But the busyness didn’t surprise or bother me; it’s one of the must-see cities in England.
As my (now fiancé!) Haavard marvelled at the buildings for the first time (I last visited in 2019) Mum was cut off by a lorry as we tried to turn into our underground parking beneath the Morrisons supermarket chain (not lost on me, I still have a bag!). She got cross like she would at home (I’ll skip the Australian traffic profanities here) but I was relieved to hear after a couple of weeks driving in the UK, she still had her Aussie road-raging in tact (love you Mum!).
The elevator corridor led us out onto the street, it seemed fitting the first thing we saw was a classic phone box. This one was spectacularly wild and full of colour:
A new lease on life …
Telephone box usage in England has dropped by almost 100% in the past decade due to mobile phones, so instead of destroying these icons, they have been repurposed into all sorts of things – like defibrillators, ATMs, community libraries, little artist stalls, and growing installations like this!
It was late morning, so all the shops were open and the streets were filling with tourists. We thought of entering the Roman Baths, but decided against it (yes, the second time I’ve visited, and not gone inside the Baths!) because of the queue and wanting to see more of the city in our brief hours there. We followed our noses down a side street opposite the landmark instead, to the most spectacular old-fashioned, ‘Fudge Kitchen’.
We were greeted by a cheery attendant and fudge-maker-extraordinaire, who was most happy to pose for a couple of photos and explain the process of creating these yummy treats. We sampled a delectable selection, but I can still taste the apple and cinnamon melting in my mouth. It was the best fudge I’ve ever had in my life.
We stopped for brunch around the corner in the square, in good company with the Roman Baths as a backdrop, and a talented busker playing peaceful tunes. The sun was out so we soaked it up like reptiles (after 24 hours on a plane!), and drank in the moment of being in a different country. One of my favourite things about the UK and Europe are these squares lined with restaurants and outdoor dining, because it just feels incredibly social, cheery and designed for gathering; you’re able to people-watch and absorb what’s happening around you. There was such a distinct and beautiful, visual layer to all of the history here, and it always makes me wonder about the stories of those who came before.
We’d looked at the forecast and saw a high chance of rain, so we finished up our meal and set off to finish some gift shopping. Tucked away in the Guildhall Market, we found a shop selling Bridgerton tea (which I sadly left behind in Norway) and Bath Leather Goods, where Mum and I bought Dad and Haavard keyrings with shotgun cartridges pressed in. If you’re looking for some great little gifts, this was a fantastic spot!
From here, we made our way up to The Circus and Royal Crescent with stormy clouds looming behind. This is where I started to find my eye, and capture some of my favourite photos of the day! I especially love the colours in the buildings, the front doors, and shop signs. Absolute architectural heaven!
And then we reached the top of the hill. There are places that just make my heart beat faster (and no, not just because of the hill thanks!) because you almost can’t believe you’re surrounded by something so beautiful, that just keeps going. There’s a different beauty in Australia (so don’t come after me with torches and pitch-forks) but here, there’s unparalleled magnificence in the old architecture, in such abundance, that your jaw literally drops. At home, there are beautiful places and houses, yes––tucked away in special places or crown-jewel streets. In the UK and Europe, there’s such a concentration of it, it’s a house photographer’s dream.
THE CIRCUS
Then, as we walked to the Royal Crescent the clouds broke – bucketed – and we had to run for cover.
When there was a quick reprieve in the downpour, we jogged down the rest of the street to snap a quick photos – not 100% clear due to that hand shake and not having time to change my shutter speed, but it’s a little bit iconic with the couple in the umbrellas nonetheless!
THE ROYAL CRESCENT
Without umbrellas, this lasted about 60 seconds before we sought proper refuge in a cafe (by a fireplace!). It was actually the same cafe Mum and I visited in 2019, though the weather was very different then (I had an Aperol Spritz outside that day, not a hot cup of tea in the basement!).
Then we admired some gorgeous shops, houses and streets on our stroll back to the car:
AND FINALLY:
The Black Fox
This was my last capture for the day, right at the end, and it was one of my favourites for the day! Such character. I wish we’d had time to go inside!
Thank you so much for reading!
