May 30th - Skyline walk of Bath

We walked into Bath this morning to tag along with another free walk in a different part of Bath.  The walk was supposed to start at 1100, but the guide never arrived, so at 1110 we pulled the pin and walked home again.  

While we were waiting Ben persuaded me to take a photo of the wooden Abbey door that faces the square.  A very impressive door. 

After  a little bit of preparation we headed off instead to walk the Skyline Walk.  This walk takes in a circuit of the Hills surrounding Bath and allows you to look down on the city from above.  It also takes you into limestone meadows with wildflowers blooming and woods, through lots of kissing gates (we made good use of them) and along lovely paths. 

The weather was much warmer today (predicted19C) with little chance of rain, so we took our chances and travelled light - one backpack with a few essential supplies of water and snacks. 

track of our walk from home and back again - 12.5km approx. 

This map is not facing north.  Beware. 

different map of the walk. 

This is the view from just past 2 looking down at the university, 

Lovely family taking a break after a steep climb (and wondering what they had got themselves in to) . 

 There were a series of lovely benches along the way with great quotes on them.  If we realised they all had quotes we would have deviated to others on the path that we caught sight of, but didn't actually have to walk past.  Here are some of them..

Hither from noisy crowds I fly.  Here dwells soft ease and peace of mind.  Richard Graves 1755

I am gone into the fields to take what this sweet hour yields. - Percy Shelley  1792 - 1822

If a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, rejoice for your soul is alive
 - Eleonora Duse 1858- 1924

Sweet blossom, opening to the beams of day. - Jane Bowdler 1743 - 1784

Trevor spotted this butterfly on a mushroom as we walked past on the narrow woodland path.  

No walk is complete without a permanent orienteering course. 

huge cliff abut 10m high

Stone stile being crossed with style. 

 We stopped for lunch overlooking some sports fields, and sat on the top edge of a sloping lawn which surrounded the fields on three sides, dangling our legs down the slope.

Drystone wall being reconstructed, The wooden structures show how wide to make the wall,  The plumbers line shows how high to go. 

Long jump pit with a gate on it!

This narrow, steep  pathway ran between private properties from the meadow above to the road below. 

wildflower meadow.

A community nuttery.  In years to come the whole community will benefit.  Forty almond, sweet chestnut, cobnut and walnut trees were planted on this national trust land and will be ready for harvesting in a few years time. They have a grass mowing day when you can learn to use a scythe here. 

one of the skyline walk markers

These places have their own skyline view all the time (but a tough walk in to and out of the city centre) 

An apple orchard also on the walk and on national trust land. The grass is managed by allowing a local farmer to graze his sheep here.  This also saves the local ranger time and effort. 

The Bath skyline spread out before us at the end of the walk. 

 Rather than leaving the walk in the recommended way, we decided to leave under this huge Oak tree , and made our way to the canal path. 

We stopped to pick up for tea at our local supermarket (and Cornettos to eat on the way home) before one last look at the canal boats being prepared for their next trip away.

We can see why this walk comes highly recommended.  It is 9.5km for the walk itself, and the path is well used, so easy to follow. You just have to get to the start of the walk, which is quite a climb from the city centre. The views are spectacular and the variation in scenery is great.
An excellent way to spend one of our days in Bath.