Glastonbury vs Bath
Hello Travel Friends, I am planning an itinerary for the south west of England before flying to Scilly islands from Exeter. Originally I was planning to be in Bath for 2 nights and then travel by train to Exeter but I just realized how close to Glastonbury I will be. I have read several books with that setting and have wanted to see it. Am I being foolish with 40 hours in Bath to plan a 1/2 day trip to Glastonbury? It turns out car rental is really inexpensive to I can rent car in Bath, visit Glastonbury, and then drop car at Exeter airport for less than expenses associated with train fair and cabs to get from Bath to Exeter.
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I'm not sure I understand exactly what you're proposing - still having 2 nights in Bath, or 1 in Bath and 1 in Glastonbury. But either way, I don't see a problem and it makes perfect sense if you'd rather visit Glastonbury than have the additional time in Bath. It depends entirely on what interests you about those places. If you leave yourself plenty of time for possible road delays (you haven't mentioned the time frame for catching your flight or if you plan to do anything in Exeter other than going to the airport), as you say it isn't very far. I think you should do it, rather than wishing you had.
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Go for it, especially as the car rental is going to work to your advantage.
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Travel from Bath to Glastonbury use Firstbus services.
http://www.firstgroup.com/journey-planner can take just under 2 hours each way. |
Although, don't be surprised if you find the experience underwhelming.
I was there a couple of times before the neo-Pagans and neo-Britons mythologized it (cf Rosslyn Chapel) and didn't find it any more scenic than anywhere else in the neighborhood. If you wish to be stunned, try Wells Cathedral. |
I've been dragged up the Tor, on a clear day not bad, but Wells would win hands down.
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<<If you wish to be stunned, try Wells Cathedral.>>
I was thinking the same thing. Some years ago, we stayed in Bath but took a half day trip to Wells and Glastonbury. The Wells Cathedral remains one of the highlights of the trip. |
I live near there, and would always recommend Wells over Glastonbury. There was an item on our local tv news recently which stated that many of the stories about Glastonbury were invented by the monks in the middle ages to encourage pilgrims. It seems like they are still having an effect.
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"stories about Glastonbury were invented by the monks"
But can be said about a lot of religious locations. To explore the beauty of the Somerset Levels you do need a car. |
Glastonbury is interesting but Bath is superb. Wells is better than Glastonbury with a great cathedral and churchyard and nice shops. If you have a car you could do Wells and Glastonbury in a day.
I went to Bath 4 weeks ago. I have visited 7-8 times, gone through the baths, eaten in the Pump Room and love the atmosphere, the buildings, shops, etc. It is one of the places I can go back to again and again. My first visit was in 1973 and it never gets boring. |
The abbey ruins are OK and on a fine day (which isn't guaranteed) the views from the Tor are good, but I agree w/ the others that Wells is far superior.
If you wanted to spend a whole day away from Bath to visit Wells, Glastonbury etc, yes, but then you'd have little time left for Bath. |
Kinloch's given reason for visiting Glastonbury is, I think, being ignored with the suggestions to go elsewhere. My feeling is, it may not be our job to point them to alternative destinations when the OP has been specific. If they'd asked "where's a good place to go", then yes. But when the question is, as I understand it, can it be done, I think we can at least answer the question. Add additions in the vicinity, but not disregard their reasoning entirely, even if it differs from our own inclinations.
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But we are allowed to have opinions . . .
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Of course we are.
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I found the abbey ruins at Glastonbury to be fascinating.
If I were in your shoes, I would take the time to visit. |
If you decide on Glastonbury, try to get hold of "The Chalice" a historical novel written in the fifties. It tells fictionally the story of how Joseph of Arimithea (sp?) brought the chalice Jesus used at the Last Supper. I'll have to look up the author. May be out of print by now. There are also associations with King Arthur.
I did enjoy my half day in Glastonbury when I was there thirty years ago, before it was taken over by crowds who, shall we say, walk to a very different drummer. If you decide on Wells, don't miss Vicar's Close, a medieval street which outwardly has not changed in hundreds of years. It is just a few steps away from the cathedral. I was truly awed by the cathedral and hope to get back one day, and I found Vicar's Close enchanting. Enjoy your trip! I want to get back to the Isles of Scilly one day--I was out there for a day trip from Penzance this past May and it wasn't long enough. |
MmePerdu I agree with your words. Maybe Glastonbury is a must do for the OP.
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Yes, the Glastonbury Abbey ruins are beautiful. The town is pretty New Agey. Part of a day would be plenty, unless you find you really love Bath and don't want to leave it.
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I went back to check on the connection between Joseph of Arimathea and Glastonbury. The book is "The Silver Chalice" by Thomas Costain and it came out in the early fifties, but I noticed that it is still available.
The silver chalice was wrought, according to legend, to hold the cup which Jesus used at the last supper. According to some, its story became entwined with the Holy Grail which is wrapped in Arthurian legend. I think I read somewhere that an unknown couple was dug up in Glastonbury and the woman had long blond hair which disintegrated when it was exposed to air. That gave rise to the Arthur and Guinevere legends in the area. |
Kinloch's given reason for visiting Glastonbury is, I think, being ignored with the suggestions to go elsewhere. My feeling is, it may not be our job to point them to alternative destinations when the OP has been specific. If they'd asked "where's a good place to go", then yes. But when the question is, as I understand it, can it be done, I think we can at least answer the question. Add additions in the vicinity, but not disregard their reasoning entirely, even if it differs from our own inclinations.>>
usually I agree with you MmeP but in this case I profoundly disagree. It's clear that the OP does not have a detailed knowledge of England, let alone the SW, so naturally homes in on a place that s/he's heard of. There is surely no harm in people with more knowledge pointing out that just nearby is another place which is much nicer than the place they have heard of which they easily combine with that place. It's then up to the OP to decide what to do - but without that knowledge, s/he wouldn't even have the choice. I for one would be furious if someone answered my questions about getting to Glastonbury but failed to mention Wells just next door as objectively speaking, Wells is a much more interesting and beautiful place than Glastonbury. Which means that I give another vote to working Wells into the itinerary if the OP decides to go to Glastonbury. |
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