A stroll? Ramble? Wander? Around Bath

Near Bath, on the Kennet and Avon Canal system there are aqueducts carrying the canal over the river. Also, restored tunnels.
We spoke often about renting bikes and riding the towpath. Recently we found a piece of literature that describes the ride as one of the most scenic in Britain.  The bike rental company is also a narrow boat rental company.
Bikes rent for £15/day, not expensive, but if we only want them for a couple hours 🤔🤷‍♀️
Bruce is enthusiastic about a narrow boat vacation some day. Jan is doubtful.
Meg’s a little nervous for her knee if we ride bikes. The knee has swollen up more this week.
We decided we’d get to the Roman Baths soon after they opened to avoid the line that develops each day. Then we’d give the bike ride a try.

The Baths are wonderful. The museum well set up. You get an audio device with admission. Some spots have commentary by Bill Bryson, a bonus as far as Meg & I are concerned. I tried the spa water. I’ve had worse.

Like every museum and attraction everywhere, the exit is through the gift shop. But I took the alternative route through the Pump Room. There the water costs 50p.
Exiting the Baths, we went right across the square into the Abbey, an awe-inspiring space. We’ve been in many churches this week—about five years worth at my normal rate—and memorial stones are common here, but this one wins the award. Just about every bit of floor and wall is covered.






















We made a quick stop in a market for lunch supplies, and in the apartment to refresh and regear. Then we strode our for the canal.
The rental office seemed halfway to out of business, school holidays over now, but plenty of bikes sat outside. The office woman was on quite a long phone call. Finally we were able to learn the bikes were all dedicated to a led tour—none available for us, unless we wanted to sign up for an afternoon tour about three hours later for £25/each. 😕
No thanks.
We walked off down the canal. This section in Bath is lock after lock. We watched a boat go through one, and I helped push a gate open and closed.

The boaters often operate the locks themselves. The man I talked with said when the gates are ready to open “they give a kind of sigh, like a women letting you in.”
I gestured across the canal where someone leaned against the bar & said I thought that was because when it was ready it would open easily.
He agreed, “yes, a little gentle pressure. Also like with a woman.”

We found a park bench by the river and ate lunch. Then walked upstream back to Pulteney Bridge.
This bridge is really cool, because both sides are lined with buildings, and all the buildings have shops.

One shop is a craft beer store. We went in and had good chats with a couple employees, and were able to buy some halfs to drink on site.
Meg asked about good free houses in the area. One was diagonally across the roadway on the riverbank: The Boater. We went in and had a couple more ales. These two spots provided the most choices of American styles we’ve seen yet.
In The Boater we made a plan and mapped a route. Then we set out.
We walked the riverside to Green Park Station. It had a terrific iron train shed.

A little farther along the river we angled up hill into Royal Victoria Park. We walked through the botanical garden, then around the backside of the Royal Crescent, through the middle of the Circus, and downhill back to our lodgings on Broad Street.
In a post on Facebook I called it nine miles, but Jan’s Apple Watch indicates little more than seven.
At dinner time we googled up the best meat pies in Bath, and went for a pie and pint at The Raven. A TripAdvisor review calls it “everything you want in a boozer.”  I can’t disagree.
One final note on Bath: a fifth of Jameson is only £13 in the market, and was more than half gone by the time I want to bed. 😎🥃 Cheers.