This morning we left Jacobstowe for the rather long drive to Bath. We managed to find parking close to the city centre and basically stumbled upon the sights we were looking for. Walking along the street feeling rather desperate for morning tea, we found a French patisserie. And we walked no further! Having satiated our hunger, Aunty Jean and Merady headed off to see the Roman Baths while Mum and Dad amused themselves in the Markets.

In the Roman Baths we wondered at the skills of the people who had built them 2000 years ago. There are both large and small baths, hot and cold. There were artefacts that had been found during excavations. We were most amused to find curses that everyday people had inscribed onto thin leaves of lead, rolled them up and thrown them into the waters. The curses were placed upon those that had stolen their possessions; their brass jug or hairpin.

We left Bath and drove to Devizes. At the Wadsworth Brewery we bought three stubbies of beer so that we could deliver one home to a family friend.

After the Brewery we went to see the Caen Hill Locks, a series of 16 locks that enables canal boats to cover the 72 metre difference in height into the Avon Valley. We were lucky to see a boat negotiate the locks so that we were better able to understand how it worked. Two people worked each side of the canal operating the locks by hand, winding and pushing.

It was with some difficulty that we managed to find our accommodation in Chippenham. But we were rewarded with a tea next to a family with a beautiful little boy and girl. They were ‘as cute as buttons’. Merady took them back a toy kangaroo.