Before long we were driving through the beautiful Somerset landscape, often quite high up, driving through small villages and looking out over the farmland below.
We arrived in Bath around an hour and a half later. Somehow I'd always envisaged the town being on flat ground, but much of it was built on quite steep hillsides. We had an orientation tour around the famed Georgian building areas of the Circus and the Royal Crescent, locations for filming many TV series or movies from that era.
We soon pulled up near the Bath Abbey and walked the short distance to the Roman Baths.
We spent a fascinating hour and a half walking through the different levels of the baths, looking at the amazing exhibits on display, and learning about life at the baths during Roman times. It was a bit like Pompeii, on steroids!
We spent a fascinating hour and a half walking through the different levels of the baths, looking at the amazing exhibits on display, and learning about life at the baths during Roman times. It was a bit like Pompeii, on steroids!
We needed to find an early lunch, so had a short wander around some of the narrow streets until we found a cafe that had been recommended by Michelle - also the oldest remaining home in Bath - Sally Lunn's Eating House, home of the Sally Lunn Bun, which had been recommended as something different to try. David had half a bun (they're huge) of what was described as a club sandwich. I had two warm GF scones with jam and clotted cream - I was in GF heaven! Then we wandered along the river - actually the River Avon - and had a look at a rather unique bridge, built with shops on it just like the Ponte Vecchio in Florence. At this point, it started raining and we were caught without jackets or umbrellas. We spent an uncomfortable 20 minutes sheltering in a book shop and then under a tree, before Kevin arrived to pick everyone up at the allotted time of 12:30pm. The rain soon cleared.
Our next stop was in Glastonbury, but for only 45 minutes. The place was packed with people, many of them dressed in long purple skirts (there was some kind of gathering on). There were shops for everything related to King Arthur and his Knights, as well as spiritual crystals etc. We ducked in to the entrance to the Glastonbury Abbey ruins, but decided not to actually go in (a regret I now have) because it cost £7 each and we'd only have 20 minutes in which to have a look.
On the two hour drive to Torquay (home of Faulty Towers), I fell asleep for at least 20 minutes, but still wasn't feeling great when I woke up - not getting enough sleep at night and also a lack of protein today, I suspect. We reached Torquay around 4:30pm and were taken to a bar right on the waterfront and Michelle shouted each of us a drink while Kevin delivered the bags to our hotel. It was lovely sitting in the warm sunshine (23C) and talking to others on the tour. Then, Kevin was back to pick us up.
We were staying two nights at the Imperial Hotel Torquay and found our room was a huge one with a balcony and spectacular view overlooking the bay - wow! Our room also has a separate foyer, with access from there to the small bathroom. I sat on the balcony for a while and, like several on the tour, we decided to eat dinner in the hotel. It seemed I wasn't the only one with sore, swollen feet!
We went downstairs to the bar and sat at a lovely table in the sun by the window, having a drink. We were soon joined by Murray and Lorraine who stayed and had dinner with us. After that, I returned to our room to write this blog post, while David headed out with Murray for a brisk walk down the hill to the town and back.
We went downstairs to the bar and sat at a lovely table in the sun by the window, having a drink. We were soon joined by Murray and Lorraine who stayed and had dinner with us. After that, I returned to our room to write this blog post, while David headed out with Murray for a brisk walk down the hill to the town and back.
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