Cotswolder Travel Guide

“I live on the Circus in Bath.” That statement is false, but it could be true for a week, because I found four vacation rentals on the Circus in Bath. Or I could live on the Royal Crescent, where there is a hotel and four vacation rentals.

I will show you my Bath vacation rentals “finds” later in this post, but first a bit about Bath.

Bath has been a popular destination for thousands of years. Bath was settled in 836BC when Prince Bladud (later to become King Bladud) and his pigs (long story) discovered the healing hot springs.

A thousand years later, those same hot springs drew the Romans to Bath (they were in the area anyway, conquering Britain). They built a large bath complex so they could enjoy the natural hot springs (the baths are still there and you can tour them). Like Rome, Bath is set in a valley surrounded by seven hills, so the Romans must have felt at home.

In the mid-1700s those hot springs again drew new visitors to Bath when it became a popular spa destination for the English upper classes. They came to Bath for the season and to “take the waters”. “Georgian Bath” was built to accommodate these new visitors (the Georgian era was from 1714 - 1836, when the rulers were Kings George I, II and II - with an interuption for the Regency Period from 1811 - 1820 when King George the III’s son took over while his father was ill). Bath changed from a medieval walled city of 3,000 to a Georgian city of 30,000.

These three men were important in the creation of Georgian Bath:

• Beau Nash was the “Master of Ceremonies” in Bath and set the social behaviour, making Bath a popular resort for the wealthy of England. (1674 - 1762, buried in Bath Abbey)
• A local architect, John Wood the Elder, conceived of the design for the new neighborhoods in Bath, outside the city walls. (1704 - 1754, buried at Swainswick Church in Bath)
• Ralph Allen funded the project. He also owned the stone quarries on Combe Down that provided the stone to build Georgian Bath. He lived at Prior Park, now a National Trust site open to the public.  (1693 - 1764, buried in Claverton churchyard, on the outskirts of Bath)

At the age of 21 John Wood the Elder had a vision for developing a new area of Bath to accommodate the new visitors. Queen’s Sqaure was his first project in Bath (1729 - 1739). He lived to see that area built. He designed the Circus and the Royal Crescent, but did not live to seem them built. His son, John Wood the Younger, continued the building of Georgian Bath after his death.

Bath is still a top travel destination for England, attracting visitors from around the world. They come to see the well preserved “Georgian Bath”.

I created a Bath Google Map showing the main historic sites. Click the marker name for more information and the “SV” to see a close up satellite view. I can spend hours looking at Bath from above!

» Read the rest of this entry

The International Driving Permit (IDP) is a translation of your driving license and is needed, with your valid driving license, when driving in some European countries. This is a hotly debated issue on travel message boards because it is not always clear whether or not one is needed.

By Italian law, you need an IDP (and your valid driving license) as a foreigner driving in Italy.

You do NOT need an IDP for driving in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) - all you need is your valid US or Canadian driving license. If you are not from the US or Canada, check this Directgov Motoring page: Driving in GB on a foreign licence for more information.

The Automobile Association in the US (AAA), who issue the IDPs, imply that you need one for Great Britain. The VisitBritain site is a bit vague saying you need a valid, full national license. I was not sure what that meant, so I emailed the DVLA - Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency for Great Britain - and they said that you do not need an IDP. From the DVLA: “I can confirm that as a visitor you will be covered to drive for 1 year from date of entry in to the country on a valid US licence.”

The IDP looks like it came out of the 1950s (and it did) with its plain cover, staples and ink stamps. It is a remnant of the way we used to travel before cheap international flights, cell phones and online booking. Back in the days when flying to Europe was a very big deal, when calling home while on a trip meant finding the phone center and lining up to use a phone box, when you did not book ahead but instead went to the tourist office when you arrived - the way we traveled only ten years ago. I like my IDP because it looks so old fashioned and reminds me of those old trips, but it hardly seems relevant these days. You have your state-issued driving license and your passport - seems like enough identification to me.

Going to England? Just say “no” to the AAA and their IDP!

If you are planing to rent a car, we recommend our affiliate AutoEurope. I wrote a new page for Cotswolder with tips for renting a car in England - Planning Your Trip - Car Rental.

Hold off on that booking at Canyon Ranch in Tucson! You can create your own wellness week and see the Cotswolds in England at the same time. In the last few years, Steve and I have enjoyed our “wellness” vacations in England. We center our trips around walking. We are not great athletes, but like to spend our days leisurely walking through the countryside, getting good, gentle exercise and breathing clean, fresh air. We take in some of the sites as well - exploring the villages, touring gardens, seeing the historic houses.

If you are not a walker, there are lots of other good activities - biking, running, riding, golfing. The Cotswolds is a great place for an active vacation.

Valerie and I wrote up our suggestions on how you can fill a week with healthy activities when staying in the Cotswolds. New article: Create Your Wellness Vacation in the Cotswolds

See you on the trails!!