Daniel, one of our team, enjoyed a whistle-stop tour of Bristol and Bath in south west England thanks to UKInbound and VisitWest. Here is his fascinating blog about the trip!

Daniel visiting SS Great Britain in Bristol

After meeting the tour group at Bristol Temple Meads station, we went on a short coach ride to Brunel’s famous ship, SS Great Britain.

We had lunch on board ship, which was an unforgettable experience, and then we took a self-guided tour around the cabins and deck. There are so many rooms you can explore, from the kitchen and the bedrooms to the engine room, and even a small room for the ship’s doctor!

The dining saloon on SS Great Britain

With the help of sounds, sights and smells, they really take you back to the time the ship is from, and seeing such small beds for the sailors to sleep in is always a shock! From the top deck, the views of the nearby area were lovely.

The view from SS Great Britain

We then moved into the museum next door, Being Brunel, where they explore further Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s life and how he came upon the idea of a screw-propelled ship to cross the oceans.

A Banksy in Bristol

Back on the coach, we took a panoramic city tour of Bristol, seeing many interesting sites, including some Banksy street art! The tour also included a stop at Clifton Down, a large park with stunning views of the Avon Gorge and Bristol’s most famous landmark, Clifton Suspension Bridge.

Avon Gorge and Clifton Suspension Bridge

We then moved on to the wonderfully unique Wake the Tiger Amazement Park – Bristol’s newest attraction. It is an immersive adventure through many rooms where each one has something different to discover. It is very difficult to describe, but it is fun!

Bailbrook House Hotel

In the late afternoon we made our way to Bath, and to the beautiful Bailbrook House Hotel, where we were met with incredible hospitality. We had a delicious three course dinner (and several wine top-ups!), before going back to our amazing rooms with their nice comfy beds.

A comfortable bed at the end of the day!

Our trip wasn’t just about visiting attractions though, and the next morning we had a hectic schedule of meetings and workshops with local tourism providers. I met many passionate suppliers, and it was a great opportunity to network and gain new information and ideas about some of the best attractions in the Bath/Bristol region.

The city of Bath

After a networking lunch, we left Bailbrook House to go on open top bus tour with TootBus Bath. Seeing so many Georgian-era sites in the city of Bath from a higher up viewpoint was a great experience, and the facts you find out while on board are extremely interesting as well.

Bath Roman Baths

Finally, we made our way to the world-famous Roman Baths. It is incredible to think that, long ago, this exact location had been full of Romans going for a day at the healing waters of Bath!

Daniel at Bath Roman Baths

Although you can no longer enter the water like the Romans, it is still a highlight of any trip to the city, as you go around the entire complex learning the history of the Baths and the connection it had with people’s lives, and even their worship, 2,000 years ago. It is also impressive how much bigger it is than you may think, with many other baths, and ruins, along the way from entrance to exit.

If you or your group would like to follow in Daniel’s footsteps on a tailor-made tour of Bath, Bristol and south west England, please do contact our friendly team today.