Spontaneous Bath time

Hello lovelies!

Happy Friday eve :) 

I'm feeling positively giddy with excitement because Tom and I have just booked a weekend away to Bath! I've visited Bath once before, as a pre-teen on a family holiday. The only things I really remember are:

1. Staying in the local YHA. 
2. My Dad talking to a couple who owned a barge for what seemed like half of my young life, midway through our walk along the canal. 
3. Buying a pair of knee-high black and pink stripy socks for £1 in the local Top Shop. The first pair I ever owned, and the start of a stripy-sock slippery slope for the remainder of my early teens. 
4. My Mum getting pooed on by a seagull, all down the front of her coat. Thankfully (being the 90s) she was wearing an anorak, so we washed it off quickly with our bottles of water. 

We're going to be staying in a cute-as-a-button cottage in a nearby village, which has a seriously spectacular pub. Check out this beauty:

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I've also traded in some of our Tesco Clubcard vouchers for two day passes to Longleat Safari. If there's anything better in the world than getting to see an ambush of tigers, it's getting to see tigers for free! I really want to do the Deadly Challenge and find out whether I can sprint like a cheetah. I reckon my chances are about 60/40. I did go on those four 30-minute jogs last year after all....

Now that we've chosen our destination I've gone into full Research Mode, finding places for us to visit and (more importantly) pit-stops for refuelling (our bellies. Not the car). So far, I've found the following: 

The Holburne Museum 
A free art gallery? Don't mind if I do! I'm particularly excited about the Tessa Farmer exhibition "An intervention". Apparently, the Museum is under threat from an infestation of minute malevolent skeleton fairies.... 

I'm imaging it will be The Nightmare Before Christmas meets The Minpins
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Burgers and Barrels
I'm not going to lie; this is mainly on my list is because I want to try the Peanut Butter milkshake. Although apparently their burgers are pretty good too...

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Farleigh Hungerford Castle
We're currently members of English Heritage (also courtesy of our Tesco Clubcard vouchers... we really do eat a lot of food!) so I'm particularly excited about exploring some fancy-pants old buildings for free. One of which is Farleigh Hungerford Castle, which is apparently walking distance from our cottage. 

Sotto Sotto
I'm a loyal fan of Trip Advisor, and if 2,785 people think Sotto Sotto is the best place to eat in Bath, then I reckon we need to give it a go. The cannelloni filled with butternut squash and goat cheese sounds heavenly.

Nunny Castle
Is the second English Heritage place on my list because it's got a moat, like all proper castles should have.  

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Restaurant Eleven
This place sounds like a serious contender for a leisurely brunch. I can almost taste the maple syrup and strawberry pancakes already. 

Ilford Manor
If we're lucky with the weather, the gardens at Ilford Manor look seriously stunning. The perfect place to burn off brunch!

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I'd love to hear your recommendations for places to visit or eat in near Bath; I'm sure we'll be fitting in at least six snack breaks a day! I can't wait to pack my new weekend bag and start exploring :) 

Katie xxx