Bath
Bath was high on our itinerary when staying in Somerset. Many compare the city to York, which we love, so we were intrigued. Parking isn’t always easy in Bath and so we followed the recommendation from Avon Farm where we were staying and parked at Charlotte Street. This spot was ideal. A short walk to the famous crescent and circle and a straightforward stroll into the city centre, and reasonably priced in comparison to other parking options.
We first wandered to the crescent. There was such a great atmosphere with children playing nearby enjoying the school holidays, couples soaking up the sun and also many tourist bus trips. The famous circle is just along the road. The architecture around this area was stunning. There is a museum located at No1 Royal Crescent, which is decorated and furnished just as it may have been during the period 1776-1796. This location may be familiar to Bridgerton fans as it featured in the Netflix show as the Featherington family home. We must make time for a look inside on our next visit.
Next we wandered the lanes and took in the views of the beautiful Bath Abbey as we made our way down to Pulteney Bridge. This spot is popular with tourists but we managed to find a space to watch the boats on the River Avon and again admire the impressive Georgian architecture in the city.
The teenager had plans for a visit to Landrace Bakery after finding out about their cinnamon buns on TikTok. Unfortunately we were late and the popular cinnamon buns had already sold out but thankfully she wasn’t disappointed as they had a cardamom option available. She said it was lighter than expected and it has made her want to try the cinnamon option even more now.
Bristol
We first visited Bristol in 2018 on a rare trip away just the two of us. It quickly became one of our favourite UK cities and didn’t disappoint this time either. Our Sat Nav directed us to drive straight over the suspension bridge. Toll was £1 and it was a unexpected bonus, reminding of us a similar experience on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
Our first stop was Clifton Observatory. The perfect place to take in views of the bridge. We luckily found on street parking nearby and took the short walk up, there is a wooden play area on route for visitors with children and there was an ice cream van nearby. The views were breathtaking over the Avon Gorge and you can sense the 245ft drop and the 702ft distance between cliff sides. There are other attractions at the observatory including a museum, Camera Obscura and Caves to explore but we were ready for lunch and had plans in Clifton Village so wandered down there next.
With it’s grand Georgian townhouses, boutiques, independent shops and plenty of options for food, Clifton Village is one of our favourite places in the city. It was busy with locals enjoying the sun drinking coffees outside and students posing for graduation day photographs with family and friends. We had already decided on Mercy Mercy Mercy on Boyces Avenue as they have gluten free options and it did not disappoint. The chef was clued up and I was able to have a sausage and bacon sandwich in a gluten free brioche bun which was delicious. The muggles opted for burgers and fries and cleared their plates.
Next we headed down to the harbourside. There are many attractions in this area including Bristol Aquarium and Brunel’s SS Great Britain the world’s first ocean liner. We wandered around the water to M Shed which is the museum of Bristol and tells the story of the city. We then spent the rest of the afternoon around College Green, taking in some Banksy designs nearby and of course Bristol Cathedral.
Avon Farm
Situated between Bath and Bristol in the village of Saltford are the luxury holiday cottages and shepherd’s huts of Avon Farm. Each cottage is unique and has an enclosed outside space, hot tub and parking for two vehicles.
