Sydney Gardens

There is something distinctly urban about Sydney Gardens, one of the last remaining eighteen-century pleasure grounds in Great Britain. The listed park began as a commercial attraction for society – respectable or otherwise – entertaining the likes of Jane Austen with something like a permanent fair. At its peak, the egalitarian venue offered such features as a labyrinth, public dances, firework displays and grand galas in celebration of visiting royalty. 

The oldest park in Bath certainly holds whispers of its history as “the popular place to see and be seen.” Bridges drape like bracelets across pathways built with the intention of parading. Terraced homes, elegant in distinctive stone, are visible above a treeline that sways vibrant in spring colours. The hum of the city is still present, Great Pulteney Street and Beckford Road harried with commuters, yet here the hubbub is somehow muted. It’s as if the presence of nature has dampened the outside rush, offering a peaceful distraction of city life during warmer months. 

Trails wind through shrubs and conifers that throw shadows in the daylight. As the sun sinks, shafts of light stroke the park; the touch of golden hour gentle before it departs. Listen for the call of birds and the hush of wavering leaves. Look for the flutter of delicate wings and the scramble of quick paws on tree bark. Planting beds burst with colourful displays – the seductive pink of roses, blue asters jealous of the sky, orange chrysanthemums vibrant and uncaring. 

Sydney Gardens also links to the Kennet and Avon Canal. It cuts through archways of gilded iron, the reflection of falling blossom rendered on the surface among canal boats and cruising vessels. The canal itself stretches eighty-seven miles, though here the tow-path feels contained in the small slice of escapism that Sydney Gardens offers. There’s a temple here, too, built in a classical style familiar to explorers of Bath. It was commissioned for display in the 1911 Festival of Empire Exhibition with the intention to advert the city. Although some of its former grandeur has been stripped by vandalism and peeling paint, it remains a pleasant spot to wait and watch the world pass by.