111 Places in Bath That You Shouldn’t Miss by Justin Postlethwaite (Review #33)

111 Places in Bath That You Shouldn’t Miss by Justin Postlethwaite

Blurb

The magnificent historic city of Bath – home to sweeping crescents in honeyed stone, restorative thermal waters, and beautiful boutiques – is no stranger to those who seek to explore its manifold charms. Most are only intrigued by the the Roman Baths, the Pulteney Bridge, the Royal Crescent, the Circus. But for the more inquisitive there are countless hidden gems to discover. Pick up this book and explore Bath’s best-kept secrets – stories, locations, and unique personalities from the past and present, who have been neglected by the conventional tourist routes.

In these pages you’ll take a bespoke detour off the well-beaten path to unearth unexpected from secret statues and characterful pubs to artists’ studios and Georgian ballrooms, from memorials paying homage to lesser-known figures who left their indelible mark on the city to treats for foodies and fashionistas.

Make your own gin, weave a scarf, tell the time with a stylish personal sundial, play ‘shove ha’penny’, bind your own book – or head beyond the city fringes, just a short hop by bike, punt, barge, or steam train, for a fresh perspective on this picture-perfect metropolis. The possibilities are endless. Whether you’re a first-timer, a frequent visitor or a native who has ‘seen it all’, here are 111 things you never thought you’d see in Bath.

Review

If you have been following me for a while you will know that I love Bath and that I go most years. Last year I was lucky enough to go twice and I loved every minute. We have a trip planned there this year so I thought it was time I read this book to see if there are any new places we might like to visit.

My sister in law gave me this book for a birthday present a few years ago but like a lot of my books it has sat on one of my many TBR piles. Last week I was going through one of these many piles and found it and thought it was high time I read it.

The first thing I really liked about this book was the set up. Each place is spread across two pages; the description and details on the left hand page and a well chosen picture and brief description on how to get there and a tip on the right page. I also quite liked how a lot of the tips featured a nearby pub that you could enjoy a good pint and spot of lunch in.

I really liked Postlewhaite’s writing style and found the information he gave really interesting. Places that I have visited or walked past or through many times I learned things I didn’t know about from this book. There were extra nuggets of history facts that I had never come across and interesting facts like the acoustics at The Circus.

This book is quite a few years old now and was published pre covid so a few places especially the restaurants and pubs have either changed names or perhaps even closed but the facts given about the history of the premises were still really interesting. I really enjoyed this book and I have made a list of new places I would like to visit and I will be looking at the familiar sites with new eyes now I know new things about them and what to look out for. I give this book 4 out of 5 Dragons.

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About the author

A travel writer and editor for the last 16 years, author Justin Postlethwaite usually writes about the food and culture of France. However, having lived in Bath for even longer, he was thrilled to look a little closer to home for this book. The opportunity to delve deeper into the stories, characters and sites in his adopted hometown meant witnessing and exploring this beautiful city with fresh affection.