On Saturday after a good nights sleep (those of us that didn’t sleep on the floor that is), we were ready to be educated. Our guide Jamie took us on a leisurely walk around the main sights of Bath. The oldest attraction of course being the Roman baths , a magnicent temple and bathing complex that the Romans built around Britain’s only hot spring.
In 43AD Britain was invaded by the Romans and by 75AD they had built a religious spa complex on the site, which later developed into a bathing and socialising centre. The baths were a huge draw and people travelled across the country to bathe in the waters and worship at the religious temple. After the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the early 5th century, the baths were neglected and fell into disrepair, before being destroyed by flooding. In the 17th-century, doctors began to prescribe the drinking of the thermal waters for internal conditions and illnesses. The first Pump Room opened in 1706, allowing patients to access water directly from the spring – it’s now a beautiful restaurant!
After an day being a tourist we all got together at the Apex hotel for the Commodore’s dinner. They had reserved an area in their Atrium for drinks and canapés and we had dinner in a small room off the Atrium.
