A last-minute, irresponsible, glorious trip to Bath
I drove to Bath on a last-minute whim, and I have no regrets.
After a quick, four-day trip in the U.K. with my friend Megan, it was time to go home. She was ready to leave. I was ready to never go back. But I was scheduled back at a job that grossly undervalued its employees. As time grew closer to my departure, I kept feeling that it wasn’t my time to leave yet. I landed at Heathrow less than a week ago. Why rush back home to a job that finds you replaceable anyway?
“This is a rare opportunity. Nothing is tying you down yet and you have goals to achieve. Just fucking do it. Stay.”
So I did.
Thirty minutes before my Airbnb check-out, I canceled my flight and extended my Surprice car rental. I threw my things in the car, and after another 30-minute mental debate on where to go, I picked a point on Google Maps – Bath, Somerset – and I drove.
The Wentworth House Hotel
Bath is the largest city in the county of Somerset, and is named after the Roman-built baths that lie along the River Avon that flows through the city. Tourists come from all over the world to admire the baths, the city’s Georgian-style architecture and its literary history. (Jane Austen used to live here!)
Bath is a 2.5-hour drive west from London – perfect for a weekend getaway or even just a day off.
Before arriving, I panic-searched on Booking.com and found a double room at the Wentworth House Hotel off Bloomfield Road.
Staying at the Wentworth House feels more like staying at a close friend’s family mansion in Bear Flat, a lovely residential area just outside of the city center, with restaurants and boutiques nearby. The house is built out of classic Bath stone and inside, each room has its own quirky color and decor. It’s cozy and welcoming, and the staff are helpful, without the extra ass-kissing you see from other chained-hotel stays.
Wake up early and head to the dining room for a full English breakfast with a garden view. Outside is a spacious backyard with a heated pool for hot summer days. (I visited during COVID, so the area was off-limits.) There’s even free parking – which I’ve learned is a huge bonus in the UK.
Wentworth House Hotel
106 Bloomfield Road
Bath, BA2 2AP
+44 0122 533 9193
stay@wentworthhouse.co.uk
The walk to town takes about 20 minutes, so comfortable shoes are recommended. Buses are also available, but the area is so charming that I walked through the whole stay.
Take Holloway Road on the way to town and catch Magdalen Gardens, a beautiful, overgrown space on a hill behind St. Mary Magdalene’s Chapel, with stairs that take you to astounding views of the city.
When I got to town, I didn’t know what to do with myself. I was supposed to be on a 10-hour flight home. Instead, I was standing outside the Roman Baths, peaking through the walls as much as I can. (Entry fees were pricey. I may be spontaneous, but I’m semi-fiscally responsible.) I went with the flow and wandered in and out shops and cafes, through gardens and underpasses, and blossoming floral alleys.
The Roman Baths, Abbey Church Yard
Bath, BA1 1LZ
+44 0122 547 7785
Zizzi Italian Restaurant
I finally submitted to hunger and stopped at Zizzi, an Italian-chain restaurant off Saw Close. As soon as I sat under the shaded outside table, it started to drizzle. You know how people say Paris looks best in the rain? Bath is like that, too.
I sipped a red wine and ordered a baked burrata fondue to snack on, with a slice of honeycomb cheesecake to take back to the hotel. It was a much-needed indulgence after a day on my feet, and the wine kept me warm while enjoying the rain.
Zizzi Italian Restaurant
8 Saw Close
Bath, BA1 1EY
+44 0122 597 5959
Day 2
The next morning, I soaked in the sunlight and view from my hotel window, relaxed in bed, and planned my way back to London before walking back to town.
I stopped at Julia Davey, a bright gift shop in Bear Flat with the nicest woman working the register. We chatted a bit about Bath while I picked out gifts for friends and family.
Julia Davey
20 Wellsway
Bear Flat, Bath, BA2 2AA
+44 0122 573 8551
Once in town, I ordered a latte and croissant from Society Cafe, soaked in more sun like the lizard woman I am, then kept exploring.
Society Cafe
5 Kingsmead Square
Bath, BA1 2AB
+44 0122 544 2433
The Last Night
After a little too much sun, I found The Ale House – your typical English pub with a lovely view of the Parade Gardens and River Avon. But what was initially a quick stop for “just a beer and journaling” turned into a most unexpected evening.
I had just enough liquid courage to ask a guy at the bar for things to do on my last night in Bath. Let’s call the guy Steve.*
“Well, it’s a Sunday evening during COVID… not much to do, but drink,” he said. Touche. I ordered another pint and noticed that right by Steve’s half-eaten plate of fish and chips was a pinch of loose tobacco and rolling paper.
“I noticed you’re rolling a cigarette,” I said. “Sooo… I’m just wondering if you… by any chance… know where I could find something else… that could be rolled and smoked.”
Marijuana. I was looking for marijuana. And I don’t know how that worked, but it worked.
(Don’t risk legal action. I had some drinks and got lucky.)
Steve introduced me to some friends near my table and after more drinks, they invited me out – for more drinks. They took me to The New Inn. Lawrie Duckworth, “an American country singer,” was performing there and this crew was ready for the show. Funny enough, Duckworth was neither American nor a country singer (“hazy memories,” they claimed.), but was a great performer nonetheless.
When the pub closed, we walked to Steve’s flat. His girlfriend and flatmate were waiting, spliffs in hand. I quickly learned that spliffs were not for me. I rolled myself a normal little joint while we conversed over wine.
For the final quest of the night, my new friends said they were taking me to the best view of the city. We walked through Magdalen Gardens and came across a set of stairs that I completely missed on my first visit. After what felt like hundreds of steps later (probably less, the memory is blurry), we finally stopped at Alexandra Park. It was stunning.
It’s funny how certain places affect your mood, depending on the time of day.
In daylight, spaces like Alexandra Park and Magdalen Gardens are lush, green and vibrant. They’re perfect places to clear your head and get back in touch with nature while you lie back in the sun, breathe the fresh air and escape the town below.
In the moonlight, however, these spaces transform. The park and gardens become a refuge for rebels and misfits like myself that aren’t ready to go home just yet. They’re hidden, after-dark safe spaces for meaningful dialogue with friends or meaningful silence with lovers.
The cherry on top of this park is found ironically below it. The city of Bath shines from a distance, illuminating a remarkable view. It left me speechless in person, and it leaves me speechless now. How lucky was I – to be in this moment with this friendly, adventurous group. What a perfect ending to an imperfect, unexpected adventure.
*Names have been changed.
