Hungerford allotment blog - grow your own, harvesting and vegetarian cooking. Enjoying allotment wildlife, weather and other things that catch my attention.
Enjoying time on the Marsh Lane Allotment site in Hungerford, Berkshire.
A record of successes, failures and a handy reminder for me.
From 2017 each post title brings a song to add a little extra music to the world - enjoy!
We’ve had a couple of nights in beautiful Bath and this post is all about that.
The Circus
We took a trip on the open top bus and sat in the front seats on the top deck.
River Avon
It was a bit hairy at times, I wouldn’t like to drive such a big vehicle through some tiny streets with roadworks and diversions everywhere.
It provided us with a great view and the commentary was interesting about the mostly Georgian architecture which is so iconic.
Past Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein
On our first evening we went to Alexandra Park to view the partial solar eclipse with lots of other people. The steep climb was exhausting but worth getting to the Bath Lookout for this view.
View from the Bath Lookout
We had our solar eclipse glasses from a previous one and watched as the moon passed by the Sun.
With just 10% of the Sun remaining it felt like dusk, but it didn’t go chilly as it was such a hot day. My photo attempts were poor but I did notice this when I got home.
Partial Solar Eclipse
It’s the inverted reflection of the eclipsed Sun on the camera lens… ok, not that impressive I agree!
We could see other parks and fields around the city were full of people too. Good fun, I like an event that draws people together like that and the weather surely helped.
The actual city didn’t seem too busy while we were wandering around.
It’s so pretty. There are shaded squares and interesting side streets.
This particular street took us to Sally Lunn’s Eating House - apparently Bath’s oldest house dating back to 1483.
Jamie waiting for his bun
Serving delicious, enormous, Bath buns - yum yum.
Lemon curd bun
We were assured this is no longer used as the kitchen!
Sally Lunn’s cellar bakery
We stopped by The Raven for a bit of grub and a Raven ale.
The Kingston Parade, by the Abbey, always provided a welcome bench. And look how empty it is - though it was extremely hot.
Kingston Parade, Bath Abbey
I don’t remember seeing the amazing Jacob’s Ladder carving before. Originally carved in 1520, some of the ascending, and descending, angels have been renovated in 1900 and more recently against weather damage.
Jacob’s Ladder
It’s surprising that as much of the old buildings are still standing when you see this wall which has been preserved in memory of those lost in the Baedeker Raids; 2 nights in 1942 when Bath was specifically hit to destroy cultural and historical targets.
Baedeker Raid Damage
Oh sorry, that’s a bit morbid for the end of this post.
Here’s a photo of a squirrel during the eclipse instead.
The song title is provided by Yusuf (Cat Stevens). Back to the allotment for the next post, maybe including some rain by then too…maybe…
A very impressive building - and just look at the inside! The vaulted ceiling is so beautiful…dating from the early 1500s.
Vaulted ceiling in the Abbey
and the stained glass - wow!
East Window
The windows were smashed to smithereens in World War 2, but the glass was gathered up and 60% of the current East Window is original.
There’s not much of the 16th century abbey left, there have been so many restorations, but the memorials and inscriptions all round the walls and floor date back to the earliest days of the abbey with some excellent sculptures.
Obviously we had to visit the Roman baths, which are just beside the abbey - the abbey floor is warmed by the same hot spring. I enjoyed the statues around the terrace walls but was disappointed to learn they were carved in Victorian times.
In fact it turns out that much of the Roman Baths are Victorian, including all the columns and surrounds, but the more ancient elements (mostly just the foundations and some paving) were interesting and thousands of Roman coins have been found there.
Roman hypocaust pillar
This surround is Victorian, but the warm (40°) bubbling spring water was good to see, if rather green and a little bit funky. Interesting that the Victorians were basing the design on their knowledge of Romans in Britain.
The Sacred Spring
This protected channel is Roman - the Great Drain taking the overflow water down to the River Avon.
The Great Drain
This is definitely Roman - the Goddess Sulis Minerva who the coin offerings were for. She has healing powers so Jamie through a coin into the cold plunge pool for good luck.
Anyway, back to the modern world - look at this amazing meal I had at Plant.Eat.Licious - I’d definitely return there for a meal. It’s crispy cauliflower with other delicious things besides.
A proper little hidden delight in the basement of an old chapel.
We walked a lot, quite exhausting but our hotel was in an excellent central location. Just walking around is a treat as Georgian buildings are rather beautiful - look at all those chimney pots!
There were plenty of coffee-stops for people-watching when we couldn’t walk any further.
We were lucky with the weather except on our final morning when we got a drenching and there was thunder and lightning as we made our way home. Next time we’ll keep a brolly with us rather than leaving them in the hotel and the car!
So now we’re home and I should go and check out the allotment- I know there will be tomatoes to pick… but perhaps they can wait till tomorrow. Song title provided by The Offspring.
We could see other parks and fields around the city were full of people too. Good fun, I like an event that draws people together like that and the weather surely helped.
It’s so pretty. There are shaded squares and interesting side streets.
This particular street took us to Sally Lunn’s Eating House - apparently Bath’s oldest house dating back to 1483.
The song title is provided by Yusuf (Cat Stevens). Back to the allotment for the next post, maybe including some rain by then too…maybe…
