I have been backwards and forwards to Bath in the last couple of years for family reasons. I grew up there.
Sorry but what you wrote is totally wrong. Bath has always had tourism, but Bath is also a living city where people live and work. We knew the tourist spots and avoided them or considered them a minor inconvenience. We were happy to have tourists. We know the quiet spots too. Bath is not a Hell hole like Firenze, or Venezia. I know these cities too and know how to enjoy them.
Maybe you have seen us Bathonianâs getting drunk at the weekend, rather than Hen parties. Bath once had the countyâs highest concentration of pubs. We Bathonianâs are a thirsty lot.
But you will find the Bathonianâs a friendly lot. It is a very middle class city these days as one can commute to London by High Speed train ( I did for two years. It cost less than living in London).
I wonder Mr Halibut, if the excellent mind blowing Scrumpy clouded your vision of Bath.
I could thank all of you, but Iâd run out of hearts.
The Bath visit was inspired by reading several of Peter Loveseyâs detective novels set there. And Iâve watched all the episodes of Morse et al, so I thought Oxford would be an apt complement.
Then theatre in London (a must for me). Iâm especially looking forward to âTeeth ânâ Smilesâ starring Self Esteem. I worked on the first NYC production 47 years ago. That oneâs set in Cambridge.
A few years ago our client arranged a team visit to Oxford. Included with this was a guided walking tour of numerous parts of the town and university - new and old. The guide was a retired QC who seemed to possess a bottomless pit of fascinating knowledge. I would never have thought of a guided walk but it covered so much ground that I would never have otherwise been aware of. Worth doing if you can research / locate a decent rated guide.
One thing about Loveseyâs books, the location exist, are discoverable. Whilst we have not visited much since covid, I cannot remember ever seeing any hen parties. There are lots of tourists, language school parties, but they rarely seem to stray from the Baths, Abbey or Crescent. There is a lot more to see and do. I donât think anyone has mentioned Sally Lunnâs.
Bath is a lovely City. Up there (almost) with York & Edinburgh imo. Bit disappointed with Oxford when we visited. Suffers from comparison with Cambridge where The Backs elevate the whole experience for me. Surprising amount of homelessness on display amongst the dreaming spires. Still a good place to visit.
Oxford is a beautiful city, although the traffic is a pain and there are perhaps too many tourists at times. I lived there for 5 years back in the seventies and recently returned for a couple of days to revisit old haunts and explore some new developments.
The city centre, dominated by university buildings/colleges, is not large and easily explored on foot. There are plenty of places to eat (try the old covered market) and, of course, no shortage of characterful pubs. Most colleges are open to visitors, some with impressive architecture and gardens. If youâre a Harry Potter fan then New College and the Bodleian Library should be on your to-do list. The view from the tower of St Maryâs church on the High Street is also well worth the effort of the ascent.
Others have mentioned the Ashmolean Museum and the Pitt Rivers Museum (housed within the Museum of Natural History). A stroll in the University Parks or Christchurch Meadow is very pleasant and can be combined with punting on the river if youâre feeling adventurous.
There are posh hotels in the city centre but you might look at accommodation in north Oxford (e.g. Summertown) from where there are plenty of buses into the city centre.
Iâve been to Cambridge twice - once to get a sense of it when I worked on âTeeth ânâ Smilesâ (see above), and once to attend a week long crash course on proposed EC changes in antitrust law. Got to live in one of the colleges that time.
Being born in Oxford and raised just outside, I think thereâs nothing âunrealâ about it. Itâs old. It is very much real. Just because itâs been copied a hundred times with aspects incorated into the fantastical Disneyfied worlds on television doesnât make the original less real. The people there arenât living in a make believe ye olde theme park. They are just getting on with normal life in their old buildings. It seemed more modern than the Hobbit village I grew up in.
The number of tourists is kind of annoying at times. But you put it aside and enjoy what you came for. Ashmolean and Pitt Rivers are world class, if small museums. But they easily consume a day. Thereâs usually something on at the theatre too but youâll need to book well in advance. Sadly the shrunken heads were removed from display as being non PC (sigh).
The covered market is nice. There are some decent places to eat. And if you need a day of other things, the Oxford Tube is a direct bus service that goes straight to central London and back.
Trips to nice villages like Broadway and Whitney are easy too. Afternoon tea in a Broadway tea room is nicer than in Oxford. But give Chipping Norton and Banbury a miss (yikes).
Tip: public restroom situation in Oxford and it restaurants is practically third world. Empty the tank before heading out.
All the above re Oxford places to visit is good to go for during daytime places but no one has mentioned what to go for in the evenings (& lunchtimes)
The finest and most iconic part of the real Oxford âŠ.. PUBS
The list is extensive, www is your friend, The Turf, Lamb & Flag, you must start, but you might never leave, no itâs not Hotel California, itâs âThe Bearâ.
Tucked out of sight down a lane behind the High Street, the oldest pub in Oxford, dating from 1242. Low ceilings, exposed beams, and minuscule rooms are all a testament to its age.
Absolutely, these charming little spots are like time capsules, capturing Oxfordâs history, student spirit, and local vibe all in one pint. Theyâre still lively places where everyoneâlocals, students, and visitorsâgets together, so you can really feel the heart of the city, not just see it from a touristâs perspective.
âPosh Fishâ in the Headington area also has been rated as one of the top 10 chippies in the UK. So if you feel like a night in with your feet up that might be an option. Itâs not a particularly nice part of Headington though so while you can eat in, it may be better to just have it delivered or just drive there and bring it back. The portions are gigantic though. One cod and chips is easily enough for 2-3 people.
Coincidentally, we are visiting Bath in a couple of weeks. Any good record shops left? Maybe I can get some time for a quick browse whilst the wife looks in the âladiesâ shops!
