bath Archives - Books And Travel

Druids, Freemasons and Frankenstein. The Darker Side of Bath, England

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Bath is known for its ancient Roman spa, medieval abbey, and sweeping Georgian terraces. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site in Somerset in the south-west of England and visitors often come on a circular cultural trip that takes in Stonehenge and Stratford-on-Avon.

But it’s not all Jane Austen bonnets, Regency dresses, and afternoon tea — there is a darker and more interesting side of Bath if you escape the tourist traps and explore the layers beneath. In this episode, I talk about the city I currently call home.

How finding a map shop helped me discover a different side to Bath
Curse tablets for an ancient goddess
Angels and demons and the dead of Bath Abbey
The city of Frankenstein
Ley lines, Druids and Freemasons
Walking the Kennet and Avon canal
Finding home in Bath during the pandemic
Recommended restaurants, bars, pubs and coffee shops away from the tourist traps
Recommended books about or set in Bath

Walk The Kennet And Avon Canal From Bath Spa To Bradford On Avon

Walking

Bath might be a UNESCO World Heritage city with the draw of the Roman Baths, Georgian architectural splendor, and the medieval Abbey, but just a stone’s throw from the tourist mayhem is a wonderful walk along the Kennet and Avon canal.

It can get busy on sunny weekends, but often it is a quiet and peaceful haven of natural beauty alongside the ever-changing life of the canal. I walk this route regularly, whatever the weather, and it never fails to delight with its infinite variety. In this article, I’ll take you through the main parts of the route as well as where the coffee and rest stops are, plus some recommended reading. Although my pictures are mainly from sunny days in spring and summer, it’s a great walk in every season.

Walking the Kennet and Avon canal. Photo by JFPenn

This walk is from Bath Spa railway station to Bradford-on-Avon. You can do the walk either way. It’s about 17km in total, a flat footpath with plenty of refreshment stops and photo opportunities along the way. You can’t get lost because you just follow the towpath! Allow at least 4 hours, especially if you want to amble or have a pint or a coffee on the way.

The Hidden Side Of Strange And Unusual Bath, England

Unusual Places

I’ve been living in Bath for several years now, and although on the surface, it seems like a genteel little place, there is a darker side to the city – if you know where to look.

Bath straddles the River Avon in Wiltshire in the South West of England. Made famous by Jane Austen costume dramas, the city became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

But beneath the charming streets, Roman baths, and Georgian grandeur lies a weird city. A strange Bath, a place haunted by Druids with Masonic symbols hidden in plain sight. Ley lines crackle with mysterious power along the same streets used by tour buses, and under these streets lie curses to ancient gods.

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