Walk 1 - Widcombe Hill to Bathwick Fields
Summary
Taking in the suburb of Widcombe and the Kennet & Avon canal and Bath Deep Lock, the second deepest lock in the country, meets the River Avon. The walk climbs out past Prior Park Landscape Garden to join parts of the Skyline Walk and spectacular views back over the city.
Walk Start & Finish
What 3 Words location: ///shack.locked.covers
OS Maps online route: Widcombe Hill to Bathwick Fields, 5.1km
By car: The start of this walk is at Sydney Wharf, just at the beginning of the footpath along the canal from Bathwick Hill, next to Tescos and opposite Bath Narrowboats. You can really start this walk from any point depending on where you are based or parked in the City.
By Bus: Start in Central Bath, Bathwick Hill is on lots of Bath routes including Faresaver X31, First bus 13, 20, U1. Arrival stop: Bathwick Hill, Sydney Buildings
Route
Begin by descending the stairs just at the front of Tesco shop on Bathwick Hill by the bridge and just along from Sydney Wharf. Join the Kennet and Avon Canal footpath all the way to Widcombe, admiring the beautiful Georgian properties along Sydney Buildings to your left, and Top Lock - close to the lock-keeper’s cottage where, in former times, the lock keeper lived. Just past the iron footbridge is Bath Deep Lock, the second deepest lock in the country. The huge chamber is 19ft 5ins (5.92m) deep so look out for boaters as it is fun to watch!
At the end of the footpath as you meet the road, turn left on Pulteney Road and first left again at the corner of Widcombe High Street and the White Hart pub, to start the climb up Widcombe Hill. Pause here for a visit along Widcombe High Street with plenty of shops and cafes.
Proceed uphill and just opposite the turning to The Tyning to your left, take a right along Church Street, continuing along this beautiful street until you reach St Thomas à Becket church. Take the left hand fork on Church Lane, signposted to Prior Park Gardens. The lane narrows to the point at which you reach the edge of Prior Park Landscape Garden, owned by the National Trust and an 18th-century landscape garden in the heart of Bath.
At the end of Church Lane you will find 2 footpaths - bear right and climb quite steeply until you come out into the bottom of a field and continue to climb all the way to the top. The views back across Bath are fabulous on a fine day. Pass through a kissing gate on your right, and another one just ahead joining the footpath below Rainbow Road. Turn left along the footpath to the end, which then climbs up treelined steps, bearing left at the top.
Join the bridleway / footpath bearing left, continuing until you get to an outbuilding and a house (///gosh.humid.little) where the footpath bears sharply downhill on your left. This will bring you out onto Widcombe Hill at Macaulay Buildings.
Take the first kissing gate on your right into the beautiful fields above Smallcombe Vale, looking across to the city. Walk diagonally down the fields along a fairly well worn path to the gate below, and down the hill to Sydney Buildings lane. Continue straight over the lane, through the next gate winding around the edges of the farm, back up into open Bathwick Fields. Follow any of the various footpaths across Bathwick Fields which will all lead you down the hill back towards the canal. At the far bottom corner of the field you will find a few steps bringing you out onto Sydney Buildings road again, crossing directly over will bring you over the canal. Turn right just over the bridge back to your starting point.
Amenities
Lots of cafes and shops along Claverton Street / Widcombe High Street in Widcombe including the fabulous Widcombe Deli.
Garden Cafe, Holburne Museum, a few minutes from the start of the walk.
