Bath Microadventures

I was born in Manchester but grew up in the lovely Cornish coastal town of St.Ives, being spoilt by the amazing beaches and waves right on my front doorstep. I grew up with a love of the sea ingrained in me from an early age and when I found out what a small surf company from Cornwall was doing to protect the environment which I grew up surrounded by, I was instantly interested in working with Finisterre, and I haven’t regretted that decision one bit! I definitely miss not living by the sea currently, but whenever I get the chance to go back home I’ll always get in for a dip or attempt to hone my surfing (i’ve never been that good but always enjoy getting out there). I’m also a keen runner and cyclist and that’s where I find my bit of escapism in the city to get away from it all.

One of my favourite things to do currently is actually something I incorporate into my commute to work from time to time. I live in Bristol but work in Bath, and the Bristol to Bath cycle route is a wonderful filled in railway path which meanders through rural pastures for approximately 15 miles between Bristol and Bath, frequently passing woodlands rich of flora and fauna.

I can leave my flat in Bristol and within 10 minutes feel like I’ve completely escaped the city landscape. I’m not quite at the level of fitness where I could make this my daily commute everyday, but that is the goal!

Warleigh Weir is a lovely place not far from the centre of Bath where you can go for a spot of wild swimming. I'd definitely recommend this as more of a summertime activity, although I know that there are people brave enough to do it all year round! It’s a beautiful body of water separated off from the canal systems which run through Bath and it’s a great place to drop by to have a picnic and a dip on a nice warm summer day.

The only issue is it can get very busy there, particularly on typically busy weekends in the summer, but if you manage to time it right, it’s a wonderful place to be and definitely somewhere you should go if you’re around the Bath area!

It might not be that close to the sea, but Bath is surrounded by waterways to explore; from the numerous canals to the river Avon which passes through the city and onward to Bristol. Paddleboarding is a great way to gain a fresh perspective on familiar settings and escape to a watery world that's literally hidden in plain sight.  

If you already own your own board, the options are endless with a whole network of rivers and canals to explore. If you haven't tried SUPing before, the calm nature of these watery highways makes it the ideal testing ground and there are places like Original Wild, based in the centre of Bath, and Bath Paddleboard Centre near Saltford, where you can give it a go for as little as £20. It's a great little adventure experience close to the city, that won't break the bank.

Our Bath Store is located at 2 Milsom Street and, at time of writing, we’re open for business as usual. (Make sure to check your local store page in case this changes!) We’re looking forward to seeing our community, so pop in and say 'hi!' – whether you want more ideas for local Microadventures or fancy taking a look through our latest products. We can’t wait to see you.