Oldfield Park · Bath
Oldfield Park is where Bath residents live rather than where tourists visit — and that shapes what there is to do here. Royal Victoria Park is five minutes on foot and free. The Two Tunnels Greenway runs south through the neighbourhood. Prior Park, fifteen minutes uphill, has the best view of Bath from outside the city. The Wells Road shops are straightforward and useful.
Royal Avenue, Bath BA1 2NQ
Free
The largest park in Bath and Oldfield Park's nearest green space. 23 acres including the botanical gardens, a miniature railway, a skatepark, and the bandstand that faces the Royal Crescent. The western entrance off Marlborough Lane is the Oldfield Park side. Free to use entirely, including the botanical gardens. Best early morning before the dog walkers from six other neighbourhoods arrive.
Millmead Road, Bath BA2 3JR
Free to observe. Rail connections from £8.
A small unstaffed station that connects Oldfield Park to Bristol Temple Meads in 13 minutes and Bath Spa in 2 minutes. More relevant to residents than visitors, but worth knowing if you're exploring Bath by public transport — the trains run every 30 minutes through the day and it avoids the city-centre congestion entirely.
Wells Road, Bath BA2 3AP
Varies
The commercial spine of Oldfield Park runs along Wells Road between the park and the city boundary. A hardware shop, a deli, independent bakeries, charity shops, and a decent Vietnamese restaurant that does not charge city-centre prices. It serves the neighbourhood rather than tourists and is more interesting for it. Saturday morning is the best time.
Oldfield Park access via Frome Road, Bath BA2 1AL
Free
A 13-mile cycling and walking route from Bath to Midford and beyond, passing through two Victorian railway tunnels. The Bath end starts near Oldfield Park station. The Combe Down Tunnel section — 1.6 miles, lit throughout — is the longest cycling tunnel in Britain. Flat, well-surfaced, and extraordinary. Worth doing even if you only go one way.
Ralph Allen Drive, Bath BA2 5AH
Adults £9.50, children £4.75 (National Trust). Free to NT members.
A National Trust landscape garden 15 minutes on foot from Oldfield Park, with views back across Bath and one of only four Palladian bridges in the world. The garden was commissioned in the 18th century by Ralph Allen, with the landscape designed in collaboration with the poet Alexander Pope. The walk up Ralph Allen Drive from the city is steep but the view at the top is the payoff.
The Roman Baths, Royal Crescent, and Bath Spa station are all a 20-minute walk from Oldfield Park through the city centre. Oldfield Park station connects to Bath Spa by rail in under two minutes — relevant if you are heading somewhere further or if the hills are not appealing. No need for a car within the city. Parking on the surrounding residential streets is free but scarce on weekdays.
Oldfield Park has B&Bs and self-catering accommodation at quieter prices than the city centre. The Two Tunnels route and Prior Park make it a reasonable base for walkers and cyclists.
Hotels near Oldfield Park on Booking.comThe Weekend Five
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