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Following in Jane Austen’s footsteps
Di Harris takes a winter walk around the city of Bath
This is a perfect walk for a winter’s day as it covers sound footpaths and roadways — the possibility of a few puddles here and there, but no muddy stretches and
with the whole walk easily accessible it is possible to start and finish at any
stage.
I started at the Bathwick Hill bridge, and soon
reached Sydney Gardens, a beautiful park where Jane Austen would walk every day,
crossing the canal on the beautiful footbridges .
➊
Start on the towpath opposite Bath Narrowboats at Sydney
Wharf and walk north towards Cleveland House.
Built as the Canal company’s HQ in 18xx, this is the only purpose built Georgian office on a tunnel.
One of the iron bridges in Sydney Gardens:
Picture by Bob Naylor©
➋
Cross over the canal to pick up the towpath as it passes through the tunnel into
Sydney Gardens and as you enter
the gardens look back up to see Sebrina, goddess of the Severn in the stonework
above you. Ahead is the first of two
ornate iron footbridges in this stretch of the canal, known as Bath’s Little Venice. If you look to the tunnel ahead you will see Old Father Thames
leading you to the West.
➌
Turn left off the towpath through a gate that leads into the Gardens and follow
the path round to the right — past the back of the Holbourne Museum. When you reach the road, turn left and
you will pass No 4 Sydney Place on your right, the home of Jane Austen. Turn
right into Great Pulteney Street and follow this Georgian masterpiece past the
fountain in Laura Place and towards Pulteney Bridge.
➍
On your left, before the shops that sit on top of the bridge, you will find
steps leading down to the riverside. Walk along
the river. This is a good place to stop for a coffee in the cafe overlooking the
weir. Carry straight on, with the river on your right, passing under a road
bridge and past some houses until you reach the junction of the river and the
canal.
➎
As you turn onto the towpath, pass Thimble Mill and Widcombe Lock and then
follow the towpath past Deep Lock
(originally 2 locks) and then on past the 4 other locks in the Widcombe flight.
➏
If you are up for a bit of a climb, take a short detour off the towpath. Cross
the footbridge over Top Lock, walk to the road and then take the steps in front
of you to Bathwick and enjoy the superb view of Bath which is well worth the
climb. To finish the walk continue on the towpath to Bathwick Hill.
Pulteney Weir: Picture by Bob Naylor©
The view from Bathwick Hill: Picture by Bob Naylor©
Looking back down the Widcombe Flight from the footbridge at Bath Top Lock:
Picture by Bob Naylor©
