Bath Christmas Markets
I have been to Bath a few times now. My first visit was during my final year at university. My family and I drove down to hire costumes, for my graduation film. That’s right, my graduation film was set during regency period, and is there anywhere else that screams Regency England, like Bath? I have read Jane Austen books since I was a teenager, just like every romantic out there. I still have my favourites on the bookshelf.
Back to present day, my friends and I had a long, overdue weekend away planned. End of November is the best time to visit Bath for the Christmas markets, in my humble opinion. Though it was busy, it wasn’t as crowded as I bet it will be for December time. We arrived Friday evening and caught up on each other’s lives. We laughed back at the times when taking a week off was the norm for us, and we could fly anywhere. This trip had to be outside of work hours because none of us can afford to take time off, especially just before Christmas! Adulting can be bittersweet…
But in all honesty, a weekend in this historic place is probably all you need. We started our Saturday morning fresh and ready for sightseeing. Our first stop was at Velo Lounge for a lovely breakfast. The place has boho vibes and serves all-day brunch. I made sure I was thoroughly well-fed as I knew we’d be walking outside all day. We were blessed with the weather, it was bright and sunny, but very cold.
Velo Lounge. I ordered the spinach & feta shakshuka, with halloumi and hash brown sides. Oat matcha is my go-to brew.
Next, it was off to a place I had found via Instagram! Bath has some beautiful city streets, and every corner is so picturesque. But I thought it would be fun and a little different to start our weekend off outside the city centre. A 15-minute car journey took us to Prior Park Landscape Garden.
Ralph Allen was the key mind behind this place. The businessman had accumulated a lot of wealth and wanted to show this off with an impressive garden and mansion, both built in the mid-18th century. Over the years, the landscape garden developed further and in 1993, it joined the National Trust.
My friends and I arrived there around 11:30AM and we were surprised to find it hardly busy. For a Saturday, we had the place mostly to ourselves. Although, the garden itself isn’t massive (probably takes 30 minutes to walk the whole area) and the mansion is a privately owned school, so you cannot enter the property. Charging £9 a ticket was a little cheeky in my opinion, especially because parking isn’t allowed on the trust site. We parked further uphill in a residential area (adding an extra 10-minute walk). You probably won’t spend longer than an hour here, but the historical relevancy is still worthy of a visit. The Palladian bridge is only one of four surviving bridges of its kind, left in England. You will walk past the lakes, listening to the wildlife, and appreciating the imagination it took Ralph Allen, to create such a place. It is breathtaking and you’ll have a fantastic view of Bath city, when you first enter the landscape garden.
The view of Bath city, right at the beginning of the walk.
It was certainly a cold winter’s day, but fortunately, I had bought a new pair of Dubarry boots and did they save me! I was perfectly toasty in them, paired with Barbour lightweight jacket. Your clothing can really make or break a winter’s walk – and over the years, there are just some brands I can rely on to weather any weather. My friends were not as fortunate, and when none of could stand the icy cold air anymore, we dashed back to the car and headed for the city centre.
Dubarry Boots - a must-have in your countrywear wardrobe.
Bath is always beautiful and this time of year, it’s no exception. The Christmas market is flooded with crowds, and you can expect most things to be overpriced – but hey, it’s the season we expect to see price markups! But don’t let that deter you, it certainly didn’t for us. You can wander through the winding streets and admire the beautiful stonework that make up its architecture. We concluded our Saturday with visiting the iconic spots of the city, which I have shared in the video below.
Our evening was spent watching Disney film classics and sharing stories on what we’ve been up to. A perfect way to round-off a catch-up with old friends. Let’s hope we don’t wait another year before our next reunion!
More info on Prior Park Landscape Garden can be found here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/bath-bristol/prior-park-landscape-garden
