The Royal Crescent and Blue Skies

We came back from Cornwall where it rained most of the time. Bath was bathed in sunshine today with amazing blue skies so we went out with our cameras and we shot some photos of the Royal Crescent in Bath. This is a classic shot of the crescent and one which has been taken countless times by countless visitors, however after fifteen years of living in this city I never tire of looking at this amazing piece of architecture. It is the symbol of our city and the jewel in the crown!

This Can't Be Bath?!

No, you are right, this is not Bath. For a start we have no seaside. Or boats. We are on a break in Cornwall and we are staying at a little fishing village called Mousehole, although this image is of St Ives, another wonderful place which we love and try to escape to whenever we can. St Ives is great for walking, sitting by the sea, seeing art at the Tate Gallery or wandering around the Barbara Hepworth sculpture garden, which is my favourite.

Sally Lunns - Home of the Bath Bun

A popular tourist hang-out, this is Sally Lunn's, reputed to the be the oldest building in Bath and good for cup of tea and a bun!

Milsom Street

This building is on Milsom Street in the centre of Bath and has Jamie Oliver's Italian Restaurant on the upper floors. The best table is the one where you sit in the middle window and get a great view of the street which allows for people-watching. One of my favourite ways to pass a lazy Saturday, having lunch and hanging out! Ironically it was once a place of silence being a reading room and library, now it is anything but!

Empty Streets

Unusually the street was empty and quiet when I took this image, this shows the cobbled street by the Cross Bath and how it winds round out of sight. This is also next to where the new modern Thermae Bath Spa has been built. It comprises of various swimming area, including a roof top pool with incredible views together with steam room and various treatment rooms.

The Cross Bath

Recently restored and part of the new Spa complex in Bath, the Cross Bath is used for Spa sessions and has a small pool in it. It was used by the beau monde of the day in Georgian times for bathing and flirting! And why not?!

Guildhall market barbers

This photo is of the old fashioned barbers within the Guildhall market. I love the colour of the interior. You can just about make out someone having a short back and sides!

Watering Can at Walcot Market

This wonderful old watering can was spotted today at the antiques market which is held every Saturday at the Cattle Market on Walcot Street. I already have three or would have snapped it up! They sell vintage clothing, prints and pictures, bric a brac as well as records, books and furniture. We rarely leave without buying something! This week an old oak standard lamp with a huge floral lampshade. Too hideous to photograph for this site but we love it!

Golden Elegance

This elegant figure is to be found in the jewellery shop in the Guildhall Market, a favourite haunt of mine. Filled to the brim with vintage finds and tons of sparkly stuff, this golden lady oversees the comings and goings of the customers. This is the same market where second hand books, a hardware shop, a barbers, pet shop, old fashioned cafe and knitting shop plus a lot more are all to be found.

Black and White Bath

This shot shows one of the corners of Bath where it appears that time has stood still. There is very little evidence of modern life and it is amazing that this still exists.

Thanks to Nowy Sacz for nominating us for this award!

Here are our nominations:

belfastphotos.blogspot.com
reveriesandacupofchai.blogspot.com
venicedailyphoto.blogspot.com
quincydailyphoto.blogspot.com
shanghaidailyphoto.com
beestonblog.blogspot.com
romephotoblog.blogspot.com

Rules:
1. Copy the award to your site.
2. Link to the person from whom you received the award.
3. Nominate 7 other bloggers.
4. Link to those on your blog.
5. Leave a message on the blogs you nominate.

Walcot Mortuary Chapel

This tiny chapel used to be a mortuary chapel during the 19th century, now it is used for art and photographic exhibitions. We were lucky enough to persuade the council to let us get married there in September 2007.

The interior is painted white and has two small fireplaces at one end and windows all along both sides. Despite having been used for storing bodies in the past this is a lovely bright space and although a little chilly (!) has gorgeous views out to river and fields beyond and is a real taste of Bath. Time has stood still here.

Here is a shot of one of the fireplaces from our wedding day, showing various candles, flowers and family photos which we put around. We imagine the fireplaces were put there to keep warm whoever was watching over the deceased at night!

The Old Green Tree

This image was shot on Saturday lunchtime at The Old Green Tree pub in Green Street. There are three tiny oak panelled rooms and it is amazingly cosy. The pub dates back to around 1752. We love the atmostphere in here, it is a place where you can sit for hours reading the paper, drinking a pint and watching people come and go. We ate potted prawns with toast and drank local cider and ale. Sometimes I leave Tom in here while I go off shopping solo!

The Little Theatre (It's tiny)

This is our favourite cinema in the whole wide world. The Little Theatre is an independent cinema showing independent arty type films and is streets ahead of the very large and very depressing multiplex which has been opened in the city. Proper velvet seats, someone to take your ticket at the door and coffee and beer available during the performance. Perfect! These places are in danger of extinction but luckily this one is well patronised by the people of Bath.

The Pump Rooms in Bath

This image shows some Georgian gorgeousness at the Pump Rooms in the centre of the city. The Pump Rooms adjoin the Roman Baths and was the social centre where the Georgian gentry played cards, danced and generally caroused. You can glimpse the amazing chandelier hanging inside the window. Nowadays tourists take tea here and sample the spa water which is renowned for it's health-giving benefits, but actually tastes awful! The Abbey is just visible in the background.

Fading Georgian Grandeur

This wonderful Georgian house is in Abbey Green in Bath. It is one of the few houses which has not been cleaned and I love the different colours on the stone. Some buildings in Bath have been rather over-restored and as a result lose some of their original patina, this one is just as it should be. It overlooks a tiny green out of which grows an enormous plane tree, the streets surrounding it are cobbled and it is a stone's throw from the Roman Baths, probably concealing a great deal of Roman archaeology underneath. We often hear in the local news of Roman finds whenever the council digs up the roads or as is happening now, developing a large area for a new shopping centre. Mosaic floors were discovered along with Medieval archaeology. It is hard not to love a city as ancient as ours.

First of all, we wanted to thank everyone so far who has posted comments on our new blog. It is such a positive thing and we are loving it and loving looking at all your blogs too. It feels great to be connected to other people around the world in this way and get snapshots into your lives and your cities.

This weekend we are going to shoot some new images for the blog and treat you to some of the Georgian loveliness of Bath together with some more unusual aspects of the city. Including the inside of some pubs!

This ancient doorway is in a wall at Dyrham Park which is our local National Trust property and where Emma has done some gardening work in the past! Dyrham has been used in many films and is utterly beautiful. I love the way this door has not been restored or painted or improved in any way. It just is.

Green Street

Ah, lovely Green Street, not very Georgian looking we admit, not terribly glamorous like the rest of Bath, but is home to a fantastic tiny weeny pub which only about six people can get in at any time (photos to follow, you have to see to believe...) a very good butchers, a sausage shop, a fishmongers and fish restaurant as well as a few very nice independent boutiques. Bath is renowned for its independent shops. Sadly these are being lost due to the recession as well as the major stores taking over. We really hope these smaller places can hang on and survive the storm. In the meantime we try to frequent them as much as we can manage!

Chandeliers on Lansdown Hill

Taken on the steep walk up Lansdown Hill, this lovely shop is stuffed full of wonderful things. You can see the reflection in the window of the tall Georgian buildings which line the hill.

Cages Behind a Cage

Wonderful garden related items hidden behind the locked gates after closing time in Walcot Street. This is an aladdins cave of fountains, arches, benches and statues.

Bath Guildhall Market

Bath Guildhall Market. Virtually the only place left in Bath where it is possible to buy hardware, haberdashery, second hand books and it has a good greasy spoon cafe too! The market is part of the Guildhall building which houses the council offices as well as the Victoria Art Gallery.

The Canal at Bathwick Hill

This polaroid was taken during the recent snow and shows a view through the bridge at Bathwick Hill of the canal and towpath. When the snow came it presented us with endless wonderful photo opportunities, Bath is fantastically beautiful at the best of times but the city was made to be snowed on!

This image was taken at Rainbow Wood, a popular place for dog walkers and a wonderful peaceful place.

Pulteney bridge.

Mirror Mirror

An evening photograph of a mirror shop on Walcot Street. I love the contrast of the interior lights with the blue of the evening.

This shot was taken by Tom Dawson and shows a view by Waitrose towards the Podium.

The Very First Post

This first post for the new Bath Daily Photo blog shows Walcot Street in the early evening just before the snow started a few weeks ago.