Ranjit Recommends: Baths, Buns and Buses of Bath

When the British and Foreigners head to Bath, there is an expectation that they will witness a rustic charm to the town and a feel of Georgian Britain. Inspect closer and Bath also has a rural beauty to it, a thriving culinary scene and pristine playing fields. Bath is also home to famous sporting athletes, such as recording breaking runner, Roger Bannister and former England International Rugby Star, Jeremy Guscott. 

It is refreshing to see many listed buildings throughout Bath's streets, meaning you are not subject to restaurant and cafe chains galore. As you pass over the North Parade Bridge, you are met with the Parade Gardens, where you will often find melodious performances happening to complement the relaxing ambiance of the surroundings.

Bath is also celebrating its tenth anniversary of summer displays above the heads of passers by in SouthGate's Secret Forest. Boasting 150 metres of meadow looking canopies, be wowed by nature galore, from blooming flowers to butterflies.

The following three themes further epitomise Bath's offerings:

Baths

The Roman Baths is often the first stop of the Bath visiting trail. This ancient Roman site is almost 2,000 years old and was built around 70 AD in the vicinity of hot springs. Furthermore, amongst your exploring of the grounds, you will find the Great Bath, that continues to be powered by natural hot springs, resulting in it producing over a million litres of mineral water a day. The best part is towards the latter stages of your visit, you will come across a fountain where you can top up your water bottles with the Bath's water. Suffice to say curiousity gets the best of most visitors, with queues forming in all directions to have an opportunity to taste Bath's history. 

Elsewhere you can explore ruins from ground level and get immersed in the depths of the artifacts displayed in the museum. Furthermore, there are multiple theatre rooms showcasing the history and sensations that make this ancient setting so inviolable. The Temple on site is dedicated to the Goddesses, Sulis and Minerva, who combined represent wisdom and healing. 

Buns

Located amongst all the charming and quaint buildings of York Street, is the storied Sally Lunn Museum & Restaurant. Sally Lunn was a French baker who sought refuge in the UK and her establishment has since become the heart of the town's culinary scene.

Writer, Jane Austen, would frequent Sally Lunn's dining setting. With great tongue in cheek, she is quoted as saying "disordering my stomach with Bath bunns". Suffice to say disorder meets at a crossroads with anyone observing a 16-8 fasting habit, with the 8 hours of eating well spent delving into these wholesome provisions!

As you enter Sally Lunn's premises, it's a case of head downstairs rather than upstairs to start your journey into the history of Bath's brilliance in Bakery. Witness baps bursting with fluffy texture. Sally's buns are for sale in branded boxes that look too good to throw away post bread consumption and are part of the story of Sally Lunn.

The walls are decorated in plates of all designs, resembling the crockery you see on school dining tables or at traditional British cafes tucked away in corners of town roads.

The waiter for the evening, Kira, was very informative on the menu options and attentive throughout. Her knowledge and recommendations led to trying the boneless chicken with Hunter Sauce (tomato infused) and served as a Trencher. This is where fascinating and factual insight complement each other. Trencher was a form of bread that was used to serve dishes on before plates were invented. As such, this dish is served with history at the forefront of the offering.

The homemade soup was all things French Onion served with sippets. The tanginess and thick texture makes this a standout starter. The mushroom pie was presented as a circular tower that was rich in vegetables and leeks sauce with a succulent crispy bread coating. 

The curvature of tables gives you an impression of sitting on a stable slope that is befitting of Bath's architecture. Tantamount to being perfectly imperfect.

Amongst the plethora of sumptuous desserts was bread and butter pudding served with copious clotted cream and fruit.

Buses

Of further intriguing insight, is a Bus Tour of the outskirts of Bath. Indeed, the surroundings are of the hills steeped in greenery and cute corner shops. Pass by Prior Park, multi coloured Victorian style houses and Villas, as well as Bath University along your very chillaxed journey. This offering can be experienced as part of Hop-On Hop-Off Bath City Sightseeing Tours.

To experience a journey in Bakery, British Puddings and Roman Baths in one town, click here