It's Bath time

Andrew, Beth and I have been walking the village lanes, spotting bunnies in the fields and a cat climbing the ancient roof of the farmhouse next to us.

We are taking things a bit slower, now we are out of the big city. We drove to a park and ride in Bath, and caught the bus into the city centre. My grandparents, who met during WWII, used to go to Bath, or did they have their honeymoon there? I can't remember, but that, along with the Jane Austen connection, means that I have always wanted to go.

We had just arrived at the Abbey, and were looking at the Pump Room and Roman Baths, when we saw a free walking tour, being conducted by Mr Knightley, so Joss and I joined them. I refrained from telling Mr Knightley that he is my favourite; Joss would not have appreciated that.

The city is, as you would imagine, very beautiful, and we learned a lot from Mr Knightley. They clearly get lots of Jane Austen fans who don't actually know much about her, though, as he kept asking whether we had read her books, or knew about her family. He and I also bonded over Great Expectations.

Trim St, the worst street in Bath, where poor Jane did end up for a while after her father died.

We walked up the hill to the Royal Crescent, which is far more spectacular than it looks here. I clearly need practice with the panorama.

There is a museum at No. 1, and we were able to see what the inside would have looked like, and how the household would have worked in the 18th century.

The weather has been extraordinary. It was drizzling when we drove away from the airport the day we arrived, but it has been sunny, and even hot, ever since. Today was over thirty!