VICTA’s first activity of 2017 saw us visiting the beautiful city of Bath. The group were eager to discover everything that this historical treasure trove of a city had to offer. The weekend started with an elegant afternoon tea in the Regency Tearooms, followed by a tour of the Jane Austen Centre. We were able to touch historical artefacts and dress up in Regency period clothing. The literary fans among us greatly enjoyed finding out more about one of Britain’s favourite authors.

The next day, we met Mr Elliott for a ‘scandalous’ walking tour of Bath. We found out a lot about the early development of the city, as well as many secrets and stories from Georgian times. A good many laughs and ‘Huzzahs!’ were had by all.

Bath Trip

Enjoying the Jane Austen Centre and Bath city tour

After lunch we visited Bath Abbey, soaking up the sights, sounds and smells of this spectacular building. After this, we made our way to the famous Roman Baths, where we had arranged a tactile object handling session. Roman artefacts dating back thousands of years were handed around, and our group had fun debating what their original purpose may have been. We were then free to explore the museum, touch the hot spring water, and those with the stomach for it even tasted some. The reviews were not enticing!

The next morning we meandered around the streets of Bath, enjoying some retail therapy. The main highlights were free makeovers in the makeup shops, and tasting some delicious freshly made fudge. After all that exertion, there was only one thing left to do – a visit to Thermae Bath Spa. We spent 2 hours relaxing in the beautiful warm waters in the rooftop pool overlooking the stunning cityscape of Bath.

The next morning, it was sadly time for everyone to return home. VICTA’s first trip to Bath gave participants with similar interests in history and literacy a chance to meet each other and explore these shared pursuits. Through the planned activities, delicious meals and relaxed free time, participants had the opportunity to make friends, increase their knowledge of British history and grow in confidence and independence.