Bath Heritage Walk

Route Directions

Enter the Royal Victoria Park, turn right and keeping the park on your left follow the road right around the park (you may like to detour to look at the Great Dell or the Botanical Gardens) which will take you into Royal Avenue passing the [Q1] Queen Victoria monument and the Royal Crescent on your left.( Don’t worry we will be taking a better look at the Royal Crescent later on ).

Q1. How long did Queen Victoria reign?

Continue to the end of Royal Avenue passing through the arch with the Lions atop and follow the road straight into Queens Parade and out onto the main road with Queen Square on your left. Follow the square round on two sides and take the bottom right hand exit and walk down Barton Street to the left of the Francis Hotel. Just before the theatre (but do stop to take in the magnificent façade of the Theatre) take the left turn into Upper Borough Walls. Go along to see on your left the only remaining part of the old Medieval City Wall. Turn right opposite the wall into Parsonage Lane and carry on to the bottom where you turn right into Westgate Street. Continue to the end then turn left. Continue along this street for approx 75mtrs and then take the little lane to the left between the gardens signposted Roman Baths, Pump Room & Thermæ Bath Spa which will lead into Hot Bath Street.

The Cross Bath on your right dating from the 18th Century has now been completely restored and is part of Thermæ Bath Spa. Here you can bathe in the natural thermal waters from the sacred hot spring [SAE to Organiser for leaflet]. Now walk up Bath Street to the end reaching The King and Queen’s Baths. Turn slightly to your left and go under the arches opposite. You are now in the Abbey Churchyard with the Pump Room on your right. (You may wish to stop to look inside the Abbey, Pump Room or the Romans Baths).

Take the left-hand side of the Abbey into Orange Grove. Cross over to Parade Gardens and walk to the left. With the river below you, to the right you will get a good view of the weir and Pulteney Bridge. Turn right and walk over the Bridge. Immediately at the end of the bridge are some steps down to the river. Take these steps down to the river path and continue past the weir to reach the next bridge and then take the steps up onto the road. Turn left and walk along to the traffic lights then turn left into Pulteney Road.

Continue up Pulteney Road across the roundabout and along Darlington Street passing the Holburne Museum of Art on your right. Turn left into Sutton Street and go straight to Henrietta Gardens. Walk across the Park - any path will take you out on to the opposite side into Henrietta Street/Road. Turn left and continue to Laura Place with its fountain in the centre of the street. Turn left into the magnificent [Q2] Great Pulteney Street. Walk along this street back to the Museum of Art, turn left into [Q3] Sydney Place cross the road and enter Sydney Gardens on your right.

Q 2. Who stayed at number 55 Gt Pulteney Street in 1846?
Q 3. Who lived at number 4 Sydney Place?

Walk up through the Gardens, over the left hand railway bridge and just before the next bridge turn slightly to your right by large tree and go through the little white metal gate and turn right onto the Kennet and Avon canal towpath. Continue along the towpath for approx 2 kms to pass through Widcombe locks reaching the main road at Widcombe. (You will change banks twice and cross a road or two before reaching Widcombe). Cross the road and walk back down onto the towpath passing under bridge and continue past final top lock [No E7]. As path is being repaired now turn left to main road and follow pavement to the right, with the river below on your right, continuing to pass under railway. Cross over Southgate Footbridge towards new bus station following footpath around to the left to Churchill Bridge.

Cross main road and keeping the river on your left take the Bristol and Bath Railway Path down to the River Avon just past the railings. Walk along the towpath for approx. 1.5 Kms passing under the Midland Bridge Road and the old Somerset & Dorset Railway Bridge leading into Sainsburys Supermarket. After approx 150mtrs turn right through kissing gate into Norfolk Crescent. Walk into/along Norfolk Crescent taking the first right along Great Stanhope Street into New King Street. Carry on along [Q4] New King Street to the end.

Q 4. Who lived at number 19 New King Street?

Turn left up Charles Street, continue along Chapel Row and into Queen Square. Walk along the bottom of the Square passing the Francis Hotel into Wood Street. (If you take the first left into John Street you can see the whole of Magna Carta painted on the wall of the building to your left). Continue up Quiet Street and cross over Milsom Street (the main High Street) into Green Street opposite and slightly to the right.

At the end of Green Street turn left and then first right into Saracen Street. (Opposite you is the Hilton Hotel) Turn left into Walcot Street. Opposite the row of shops on your right there are some steep steps, go up these. At the top of the steps turn right and walk along the Paragon for approx 400mtrs until you reach St Swithins Church. Cross the main road (take care) and enter the park opposite (Hedgemead Park). In the park turn left and follow path to the top (The path goes in an “S” turning right and then left) and out into Lansdown Road. Turn left, cross the road and take the second right (Bennett Street).

Walk along Bennett Street past the Assembly Rooms/Costume Museum to reach the Circus. Walk around [Q5] The Circus clockwise and leave by Brock Street. Walk along Brock Street into the Royal Crescent. At the end of the Crescent turn right along Marlborough Buildings. At the end turn right into Crescent Lane and take the second left into St. James Street and continue into [Q6] St.James Square. Walk around two sides of the square keeping the square on your left. Turn right into Park Street. Take the first left (Park Place) and at the end cross over (Cavendish Road) into the park taking the left-hand path. Follow the path to bottom (beware Golfers) then cross over back into Victoria Park.
Q 5. Who lived at number 22 The Circus?

Q 6. Who dwelt at number 35 St James Square?

Contact the Walk Organiser who may be able to arrange IVV stamping, help with alternative start venue if arriving by train or coach, and any other queries.