Prior Park Landscape Garden
About
Prior Park is an 18th-century landscape garden on a hillside south of Bath that offers what many consider the finest view of the city — a sweeping panorama of the valley with Bath's Georgian architecture laid out below like a golden model city. The garden was created by Ralph Allen with advice from Alexander Pope and Capability Brown, and it's a textbook example of English landscape design. The centrepiece is a Palladian Bridge — one of only four such bridges in the world — which spans a lake at the bottom of the valley. The walk down from the entrance through woodland, past the Wilderness and the cascade, to the bridge and lake is beautiful in every season. The return climb is steep but rewarding. Note: there is no car park at Prior Park (it's a National Trust deliberate policy to reduce traffic). You must walk, cycle, or take the bus. The walk from central Bath takes about 25 minutes uphill via Ralph Allen Drive and is itself scenic. The garden is compact — allow about 90 minutes. On a clear day, the view from the top of the garden across Bath is one of the most beautiful urban panoramas in England.
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/bath/prior-park-landscape-garden 01225 833422
Tickets & Pricing
Adult £10, Child £5. National Trust members free. No car park — walk, bus or cycle.
Opening Times
Daily 10:00-17:30 (summer), 10:00-16:00 (winter). Closed 25 December.
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