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Published: June 14th 2017
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Geo: 51.4352, -2.00278
We were so excited, when we woke, to find frost on the ground and icicles on the former windows. As the sun came up, we scampered outside to see the Cherhill White Horse, carved into the chalk hills behind our cottage, and the Lansdowne monument (38m stone obelisk), both 18th century works.
Breakfast of eggs on toast, kindly provided by our hostess, then out the door. We had a little excitement when (after removing a significant layer of ice from the car!) the warning light on the car came on red, but as it only related to an oil service, the hire company says to drive on.
We took a scenic drive in the beautiful (cold) sunshine - G thinks it always shines in England, and so far, she hasn't been disappointed!! - through the Wiltshire countryside (via Melksham) to Bath. The crowds were already arriving in Bath - maybe a normal Tuesday, maybe the Christmas markets, and we parked and walked to the Roman Baths.
The Baths were wonderful - they've done a lot of work on the interpretive centre, and really made it come alive with audio tours, and museum displays. Romans were here from 70AD till
500AD, and Aquae Sulis (the Roman name for Bath) was an important town - it had one of only 30 priests who could "read" animal entrails, so that tells you how important. They worshiped Minerva and congregated in the hot and cold baths and swam in a covered pool (lined with lead) about the size of an Olympic swimming pool. The Pump House which features in so many Regency periods novels (Jane Austen, Georgette Heyer) is lovely, and now a pretty cafe.
We then went (after a quick bite to eat a pasty place - tasty but cold!) to the Abbey. It is spectacular, with its fan architecture and beautiful stained glass windows, and we really enjoyed reading the gravestones - some are hilarious - one described a devoted couple as "disinterested in their love". Another donated money to an asylum for relicts of clergy.
We walked up the beautiful streets of Bath to the Jane Austen museum. The walk was definitely made more memorable by my 360 degree flip, tripping on a footpath and falling head first into the rails of Queens Square park. Rattled but ok. G was over the moon excited about the museum, which celebrated the
years that Jane lived in Bath, and the boys were super tolerant (Matt enjoyed it, Tom wasn't so enamored!)
More walking - up the hill to The Circus (more beautiful Georgian architecture), and across to The Royal Crescent, which we reached just at sunset (4pm!!!). We also went to the Museum at No.1 Royal Crescent, which was just lovely - all decked out as a Georgian period house decorated for Christmas.
Back to the car, via a quick hot chocolate/mulled cider/coffee to warm us up, then a 50 min drive back to Cherhill (I slept!!). We had dinner at The Talbot (another pub) and tucked up into our lovely warm beds.
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Ruth
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Just beautiful Kaylene. I hope you are not too bruised? Enjoy xxx