Bath

Bath is a city in South West England most famous for its baths fed by three hot springs. The city was first documented as a Roman spa, although tradition suggests that it was founded earlier. The waters from its spring were believed to be a cure for many afflictions. From Elizabethan to Georgian times it was a resort city for the wealthy. As a result of its popularity during the latter period, the city contains many fine examples of Georgian architecture, most notably the Royal Crescent. The city has a population of over 90,000 and is a World Heritage Site.

Geography

Situation and transport

Bath is located at {{coor dms|51|22|34|N|2|21|35|W|}}{{ref|coords}}. It is approximately 25 kilometres (15 miles) south-east of the larger city and port of Bristol, to which it is linked by the A4 road, and is a similar distance south of the M4 motorway. Its railway station, Bath Spa, lies on the Great Western Railway, the main line between Bristol and London, as well as the line linking Cardiff with Portsmouth.

Related Topics:
Kilometre - Mile - Bristol - A4 road - M4 motorway - Bath Spa - Great Western Railway - Main line - London

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Bath is connected to Bristol and the sea by the River Avon, navigable via locks by small boats. The river was connected to the River Thames and London by the Kennet and Avon Canal in 1810; this waterway—closed for many years, but restored in the last years of the 20th century—is now popular among users of narrow boats, and was historically an important water route to London.

Related Topics:
River Avon - Lock - River Thames - Kennet and Avon Canal - 1810 - Narrow boat

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Physical geography

Bath is centred on the bottom of the Avon Valley, located at the southern edge of the Cotswolds, a range of limestone hills designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The hills that surround and make up the city have a maximum altitude of 238 metres (780 ft) on the Lansdown plateau. It has an area of 29 km² (11 mile²){{ref|area}}.

Related Topics:
Avon Valley - Cotswolds - Limestone - Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - Metre - Lansdown - Km²

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The river levels narrow into the city, giving Bath its characteristic steep streets and making its buildings appear to climb up the surrounding hills. The flood plain is at an altitude of 17 metres, and through it the River Avon runs through the centre of the city. The river, once an unnavigable series of braided streams broken up by swamps and ponds, has been managed by weirs over many years into a well-defined channel. Nevertheless, periodic flooding was endemic until major flood control works in the 1970s; this shortened the life of many buildings in the lowest part of the city.

Related Topics:
River levels - Flood plain - River Avon - Braided stream - Swamp - Pond - Weir

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Climate

The climate of Bath is generally temperate, although significantly warmer than some other locations at a similar latitude due to the warming influence of the Gulf Stream. It is on average drier and warmer than more northerly parts of the United Kingdom. The prevailing winds are south-westerly, from the North Atlantic Current. More than 50% of the days are overcast. There are few natural hazards, although there can be strong winds and floods, especially in winter.

Related Topics:
Temperate - Gulf Stream - United Kingdom - North Atlantic Current

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 2003 the annual mean temperature was 10.3 °C, with extremes at 14.2 °C and 6.5 °C (50.5 °F, 57.5 °F and 43.7 °F , respectively). There were 1644.9 hours of sunshine, and 957 millimetres of rainfall. The temperatures, sunshine duration and rainfall are higher than the United Kingdom average (9.5 °C, or 49 °F, 1587 hours and 901.5 millimetres, respectively).

Related Topics:
2003 - °C - °F - Millimetre

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~