Having felt a little frazzled over the last few weeks due to one thing or another…(not all bad mind, my boyfriend and I actually had a lot to celebrate) a long weekend escape to the Somerset city of Bath was spontaneously booked.
We stayed at a gorgeous inn called ‘The Hunter’s Rest’ just outside of Bath and only 9 miles to Bristol in Clutton Village -A very quaint, country pub / lodging that was the perfect retreat.
The surroundings and local feel reminded me so much of Midsomer Murders and anyone who knows me well in real life will know just how much I love that programme. (Not at all ashamed to admit). It reminds me of sleepovers at my Nana’s when I was younger and tucking into a box of chocolates that my Papa had sneakily stowed away whilst trying to suss out whodunnit.
With a country, kitsch interior vibe and a beautiful traditional bathroom complete with claw-foot bath and tiny floor level windows, the inn really was a dream for a countryside lover like myself.
Before we embarked on the 4-hour road-trip which even has its own playlist which you can find here, I did a little research reading blogs and watching my favourite vloggers The Michalaks, who often visit the city and know it well.
With a packed Wunderlist and a little room left for spontaneity, all that was left was the wing and a prayer of a few sunny, crisp Spring days…which of course didn’t happen!
On that note, a visit inside the beautiful Bath Abbey is also recommended, it is such a bright and happy church and I felt compelled to make a donation and light a candle in memory of my grandparents who I mentioned earlier.
As the weather changed in typical springtime style from windy and overcast, to extremely rainy, windy and overcast, we made our way towards the Circus and the infamous Crescent to the No.1 The Royal Crescent museum. I love period history and especially loved seeing The Georgian era home which costs £10 to visit, set up as it would have looked. I have to say the volunteers situated in each room which includes everything from the servants quarters, to the lady’s bedroom are all very sweet and knowledgeable. I wish we could have spent more time around the Victoria park and crescent hilltop area, but the weather was just far too nasty to hang around.
Wherever I go, food is always at the forefront of my agenda and seeking out new and interesting places is one of my favourite past times. As part of our trip was a special occasion I booked afternoon tea for 2 at The Pump Rooms which on-looks the roman baths.
The dining hall is dominated by a beautiful chandelier and a pianist sets the mood as you eat. I have to admit, I wasn’t as impressed with the surroundings as I thought I would have been, of course, it was lovely and the food truly scrumptious but not only did the pump house not process my booking (which could have ended very embarrassingly), the atmosphere was very busy and the room didn’t have the ambience I was hoping for. Alas, at £25 each this was just one of those occasions where expectations overruled reality, but 10/10 for the macaroons and scones.
We also walked past a few very interesting places, safe to say the food scene in Bath is thriving. We found a Lebanese restaurant called Comptoir Libanais which can I just say, is decked out to my taste through and through, everything from the mosiac tiles to the morrocan silver teapots stuffed with flowers. The food is pretty ah-mazing, if you go try the Batata Harra, spiced fries with coriander and garlic – also and the home-made lemonade? DELICIOUS!
I also recommend Dough just outside of Bath market hall for pizza and Absurd Bird for drinks, the fried chicken looked pretty delicious too. And finally, how can any blog post dedicated to Bath not mention the infamous Sally Lunn’s buns!? Something of an enigma, the infamous eating house is one of oldest buildings in Bath and the buns? They’re kind of like a toasted tea-cake that can be eaten sweet or savoury – I had the cinnamon and chocolate butter variants complimented with a Jane Austen coffee. How delightful!
