Bath day tour, restaurant

Seven months ahead of my March ’13 trip to England, I booked a full-day tour in the Cotswolds with Mad Max Tours (7 Gloucester Rd., Bath, England, BA1 7BH; phone 07990 505970) for $52. 

The morning of the tour, I caught a train at Paddington Station in London and rode to Bath. When I arrived at the Bath Spa Station, I was within walking distance of the center of town. 

The Cotswolds tour was guided by Gary, who gave us details of what we were seeing during the drive and at our stops. There were many photo opportunities and time for shopping and for having lunch. 

On my own on a second day in Bath, I walked around the quaint town looking at the sights and shops. I passed many pubs and pasty shops, but none appealed to me. Near the abbey, I spotted the Pump Room Restaurant (Roman Baths, Stall St., Bath, Avon, England, BA1 1LZ, U.K.; phone +44 [0] 1225 444477), a sit-down restaurant with white tablecloths, and took a look at the menu. 

I ordered a lunch of oven-baked fillet of cod with butter, roasted new potatoes with a watercress sauce and, for dessert, a lemon tart with fresh raspberries. For this and a glass of wine, it totaled about $40. 

I did not find this price unreasonable for such a lovely and relaxing respite from walking around Bath’s UNESCO World Heritage Site. Of course, you could also be budget-minded and have a pasty for around $7. The Pump Room Restaurant also serves tea in the afternoon.

MARILYN MYERS

Lincoln, CA