Walk 36 - Bath City Circular
Summary
This circular walk through Bath's city center covers all the main sights, offering something for everyone. Highlights include the Botanical Gardens, Victoria Park's large playground, and the skate park. It's an ideal route to explore Bath's beauty and enjoy its family-friendly attractions.
Walk Start & Finish
What 3 Words location: ///dining.settle.clay
Walk Difficulty Rating: 1
Each walk includes three difficulty ratings, considering trail steepness and off-road terrain, to help you choose the route that best matches your ability and preference.
OS Maps online route: Bath City Circular, 4.8 km
Start the walk at the front of Waitrose Supermarket in the city centre, just opposite St Michaels Church.
Route
From the front of Waitrose supermarket, continue past St Michaels Church on your right and up Broad Street.
At the top of Broad Street, turn left and cross over at the pedestrian crossing. Continue up the pedestrian lane which takes you past several cafes and independent shops and at the top you will be facing the Bath Assembly Rooms.
Bear left and walk around to the front of the Assembly Rooms, and turn left into the Circus - a historic ring of large townhouses designed by architect John Wood in the 1750s. Be sure to look up and see the acorn finials that adorn the buildings of The Circus.
Join Brock Street on the far side of The Circus. If you have time to stop, do take a walk up St Margaret’s Buildings on your right, with a lovely cafe The Green Bird.
At the end of Brock Street, bear left and immediately across into the gardens below the Royal Crescent, also designed by John Wood and a sweeping crescent of 30 Georgian terraced houses. Continue directly across the gardens.
Cross over Marlborough Buildings road and into Cow Lane opposite, which will take you up past Ring Common Allotments on your right and out into Royal Victoria Park.
Continue directly ahead over the road to the pathway ahead, cutting diagonally left across to the other side of the park.
Take a left at the end of the footpath and left again into the Botanical Gardens. A lovely opportunity here to sit and enjoy the peace and quiet of the gardens. Formed in 1887 you will find walkways which wind in and out of trees, shrubs, rock gardens and pools.
Exit the botanical gardens and continue to follow the road round through the park, pausing at the expansive adventure playground and popular with all ages, and with plenty of refreshments and facilities.
Exit Victoria Park by crossing over Marlborough Buildings road, along Royal Avenue towards the Pavillion, exiting the park by the War Memorial at Queens Parade Place. Look out for the stone lions guarding the entrance to the park.
Continue along Chapel Row which turns into Charles Street the Green Park Road towards Green Park Station.
Pass Green Park Brasserie on your right and cross the road directly ahead into the small gardens in front of Green Park.
Join the river footpath, bearing left to continue back towards the City Centre.
A few metres beyond the footbridge to your right, bear left towards Avon Street, continuing past Bath College, and up towards Kingsmead Square.
Bear right just pass the Theatre Royal, continuing along Upper Borough Walls to bring you back to the start of the walk, by Waitrose Supermarket.
Amenities
Everything in the city! In particular Tea In The Gardens coffee stand within the Botanical Gardens.
