A hot spring in your step – Bath walking short break
Price (from)
Difficulty
Tour information
Take a self-guided walking tour through the historic city of Bath. Explore the elegant terraces, parades, crescents and squares that make this one of Britain’s finest Georgian cities.
- The hotel for this tour is based in Bath.
- The total minimum distance of this short walking break in Bath is 40km/25 miles.
- The total maximum distance of this short walking break in Bath is 57 km/36 miles.
Included/Excluded
- Bed and Breakfast Accommodation
- Luggage Transfers
- Fully comprehensive tour pack with colour coded routes on local maps
- Smartphone App with GPS
- Emergency Telephone Assistance
- Meals except breakfast
- Transport to and from the Cotswolds
Itinerary
Settle into your hotel before exploring the local area. Shops and restaurants abound and the atmosphere from the buskers and street theatre is incredible.
Set off on the Bath City Trail. This is a winding walk around the majority of this fascinating city’s great sites with the opportunity to visit some of the buildings, museums and collections that vividly illustrate its many layers of history.
Unfortunately geography rarely coincides with chronology so the story tends to jump about from time to time. The route concentrates on the heritage and only touches briefly on the main shopping areas so, if you’re looking to further exercise your credit cards, you will need to make some short detours.
Leave Bath through Batheaston passing the fascinating facade of the house where the Woods family lived; they were largely responsible for putting the town on the map in the 18th century. Climb to the Iron Age fort on Solsbury Hill, immortalised in the song by Peter Gabriel and cross the valley of the Lam Brook through the villages of Upper Swainswick and Woolley then climb the 156 steps of Beckford Tower for the most spectacular view. Return to your accommodation through Lansdown, one of the city's finest suburbs with grand houses and excellent views, passing the Bath Museum on the way.
Approx 12 - 15 Km (7.5 - 9.5 miles)
Walk across the Downs and through the woods above Bathampton and enjoy the views across the Avon Valley. At Claverton Manor visit the American Museum in Britain and discover the varied history from across the pond.
The little valley village of Monkton Combe provides a more rural aspect to this walk for you to enjoy before heading back into the city past Prior Park which is a beautifully landscaped garden that inspired Henry Fielding's bawdy novel "Tom Jones".
Approx 12, 14.5 or 16 Km (7.5, 9 or 10 miles)
This area is said to offer the best walking around Bath with peaceful villages and a rich landscape of green valleys surrounded by wooded hillsides. Added to this is a wealth of industrial heritage from the 18th and 19th centuries to provide interest along with all the beautiful scenery. There are a couple of long hills and the paths are very varied with some steep sections.
11 - 16 Km (7 - 9.75 miles)
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to walk/cycle every day of my trip?
Absolutely not! You can enjoy additional stop overs at various points along the tour if you would like more time to explore the local area.
We can also add additional days to the start and end of your trip to allow you to explore and relax.
If you would like to add rest days or additional nights to your trip please contact us at info@compass-holidays.com to discuss your specific requirements. We’re happy to tailor your trip to suit you!
How do I get to the start of my tour?
Most UK travel destinations are accessible by public transport.
However, some of the locations are quite rural and may require a car or taxi to reach the starting point.
Our tours do not include travel to the starting point as standard but if you would like specific travel to be include in your trip please let our team know.
Not quite sure where to start? Contact us at info@compass-holidays.com to discuss your travel plans.
How does the luggage transfer service work?
We offer a luggage transfer service across most of our tours so you don’t have to worry about your luggage during your vacation. We pick up your luggage on the morning you are moving accommodation and take it direct to your next stop.
How far can I walk or cycle each day?
How far you choose to travel each day depends on your individual fitness levels and how long you want to spend walking or cycling.
We have a wide range of tours to suit all fitness levels.
All our itineraries specify the daily mileage and the difficulty level of the tour.
If you would like to make adjustments to a tour to suit your specific needs, please contact us at info@compass-holidays.com to discuss a bespoke tour. We are good at this!
How fit do I have to be?
Our tours all vary in degrees of hardness.
We specify the difficulty level of all of our tours on our website. The itineraries also give an indication of the gradients travelled on any given day.
If you would like to discuss this in more detail with our travel experts please contact us prior to booking.
What about places to eat?
All our tours come with bed and breakfast as standard.
In some more remote locations, accommodation providing breakfast may not be possible but we will find you somewhere to get breakfast nearby. This will be covered in the price of your trip.
Our tours do not include lunch and dinner as standard, though some accommodations do offer packed lunches and dinner options at an additional charge. Please let us know if you would like this option when booking.
What ages do you cater for?
Both our walking and cycling tours can cater for travellers of all ages. Distance is listed on each of the tours. If you are unsure about the distance covered, please call us on +44(0) 1242 250 642.
All of our routes have been tried and tested by our expert team with lots of stop-offs and attractions so younger members of the team can rest and enjoy all that’s on offer. Please call us on +44(0) 1242 250 642 at the time of booking to discuss your exact requirements.
Cycling equipment
We have a large range of bikes and accessories suited to adults and budding cyclists. We also offer a tag along (tandem) (please note it is not fully enclosed and waterproof but a single wheeled bike that attaches to the adult bike). We can also provide fully enclosed and waterproof trailers for younger children.
What day can I start my tour?
Most of our tours can be taken at any time but there are some which start on specific days which are usually Saturday to Saturday.
To find out more information, please call our expert travel team on +44 (0) 1242 250 642 or email info@compass-holidays.com.
What type of accommodation is included?
Our holidays are priced with 3* hotel, B&B as standard. These accommodations are hand picked for our tours.
Where a bespoke or luxury option is required please contact us on +44 (0) 1242 250642.
Can I bring my dog with me?
Several of our tours do have the option to bring your four-legged friend with you, depending on availability.
Please contact our expert travel team on +44(0) 1242 250 642 to find out which tours your dog will love too!
