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A dozen happisnaps from a day in Bath

Marchbanks

Marchbanks

Hat and Beard member
Yesterday @martin clark kindly offered to show me round his manor. I had never been to Bath before, and almost the first thing I noticed was the number of guided tours that were taking place, either on foot or in open-topped buses. I couldn't have had a guide that met my requirements more fully, though - not only was Martin informative and amusing, he also bought me wine, coffee and scrambled eggs with smoked salmon at key moments. And, not least, his services were free.

Here are a dozen snaps that I took while he was striding round town a few steps in front of me, telling me about naval officers buried in doorways, spring water being used as underfloor heating, Jane Austen, the pubs with the stickiest carpets, unexploded bombs, glazing bars and gently subsiding terraces, generally pointing at things and occasionally grabbing me by the arm as yet another open-topped bus charged towards me whilst I was poring over my camera trying to remember how to switch it on.

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@Marchbanks - It was all great fun, overdue & much enjoyed; ATB!

PS Marchie - I can mark-up the considerably-longer route actually walked than the few pics above would suggest.
(About 4-5hrs on foot, for everyone else. )
 
martin clark said:
...the few pics above...
Click to expand...
I'm often told with a weary sigh that I am incorrigible. You really ought not to incorrige me - but oh, all right - here are nine more that didn't make the first cut. (Yes, that's the same artist.)

Rockmeister said:
Is the saracen's head photo a bit wistful
from a reluctant walker's perspective?
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No reluctance from me... we were into the post-smoked salmon stage by this time. I had my second wind and was thoroughly enjoying the torrent of local knowledge from my guide. I think that was the 'there used to be three excellent record shops along here' section of the tour.

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I was at a funeral there recently of a lady who ran the street guides for years till she was 80 .quite a character .stayed at the royal hotel which was superb
 
Ah I so miss Bath having been at Uni there and back many times. I was hoping our daughter might go so I have another excuse to visit but she chose elsewhere... Ah yes the Sari's Head. Our hangout was often The Crystal Palace or The Beehive if one wanted cider!
 
MartinC said:
Ah I so miss Bath having been at Uni there and back many times. I was hoping our daughter might go so I have another excuse to visit but she chose elsewhere... Ah yes the Sari's Head. Our hangout was often The Crystal Palace or The Beehive if one wanted cider!
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The Crystal Palace, you say? Well, here’s a technologically-challenged old gent trying to come to terms with digital photography in the courtyard there shortly after midday last Sunday. Photo ©️@martin clark.

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Love it. My Grandfather lived nearby, as a young kid whenever we walked down Quiet Street he told me if I uttered a word the police would arrest me! He used to take me in the record / hifi shops, Duck Son & Pinker rings a bell. Years later a mate played for Bath (when they were really good!) so used to visit often, consequently lots of great nights out.
 
Marchbanks said:
It was a metaphor.

My attempted joke along the same lines was ‘surely when it opened in 1713 it can’t have been the oldest pub in Bath?’ My guide cast me a pitying yet indulgent glance.
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If it was the first pub in Bath then neither of us have a point.
 
One of the oldest pubs isn't far from Bath. The George at Norton St Philip has a recorded history dating back to 1397, and it's a nice pub. I remember drinking there one evening with some mates and the landlord saying if we wanted to continue drinking could we come indoors as it was well after closing time!! that was back in the 1970's. Those were the days.
 
Marchbanks said:
The Crystal Palace, you say? Well, here’s a technologically-challenged old gent trying to come to terms with digital photography in the courtyard there shortly after midday last Sunday. Photo ©️@martin clark.

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Click to expand...

I'd forgotten they had a courtyard, in my 3 years in Bath I'm not sure the weather was ever good enough to sit outside :)
 
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