Why go

Bath sits in a bowl of hills, and the Bath Skyline is the National Trust’s circular walk around the eastern rim. It links meadows and woodland, with views back over the honey-coloured city at many points. It is free, it starts less than a mile from the Abbey, and it is the best way to understand how Bath fits into its landscape. On a clear winter day, with low sun on the stone terraces below, it is hard to beat.

What to see

  • Bathwick Fields. Meadows close to the centre, at point 1 of the route, with some of the best city views.
  • Woodland. Long stretches pass through woods on the hillsides above the city.
  • Claverton Down. High ground on the southern side of the loop, with a woodland play area near point 4.
  • Little Solsbury Hill. A separate National Trust hill near Batheaston, north-east of the city, reached by its own path from the village.

Plan your visit

The main Bath Skyline walk is 6 miles (9.6km) and takes 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours. The National Trust rates it moderate and asks walkers to go clockwise. The terrain is very varied, including roads, surfaced paths, steep hills, a rocky uneven section, steps and a stile, so wear sturdy footwear. It is open dawn to dusk every day and free; there is nothing to book.

The usual start is point 1 on Bathwick Hill, opposite Cleveland Walk, behind a National Trust branded bus stop, 0.9 miles from Bath Abbey. Walk up Bathwick Hill from the centre, or take bus U1 or U18 from Dorchester Street, outside the station, and get off at Cleveland Walk. The route is circular, so you can also join elsewhere. The red Tootbus Skyline tour stops at points on or near the route: get off at the Holburne Museum and walk up Bathwick Hill, or at Claverton Down Road or Ralph Allen School for point 4.

If you have less time, follow the 3-mile (4.8km) Walk to the View, which leads from Bath Abbey through the city and along the Kennet and Avon Canal to Bathwick Fields. Leaflets are available from the Bath Ambassadors in the city centre, or by email from bathskyline@nationaltrust.org.uk.

There are no National Trust car parks on the Skyline. Sheep and cattle graze some areas, so keep dogs on a lead in fields with livestock; otherwise dogs are welcome under close control.

In winter

Daylight is short, so start by late morning to finish the full loop before dusk. Paths can be muddy after rain. The walk is at its most atmospheric on frosty mornings, when the city is still in mist below.

Getting back

From most of the loop you can drop back down into the city on foot. From the Claverton Down side, buses U1 and U18 run back along Bathwick Hill to Dorchester Street by the station, so you can cut the walk short if the weather turns.

Nearby

Prior Park Landscape Garden sits just south of the route. The Holburne Museum and Sydney Gardens are at the bottom of Bathwick Hill, and the American Museum is further east on Claverton Down.