Visit Bath and Learn A New Skill

Taking a break from it all doesn’t mean you need to do nothing (and be bored). Why not come for a weekend break in Bath and learn a new skill at the same time? There are plenty of experiences to choose from…

The Makery in Bath is the go-to place for anyone wanting to learn a new craft-based skill. They offer a range of day and half-day courses which include all manner of things; from making a dress in a day, to making your own lampshades, to learning how to give furniture that popular shabby-chic effect with decorating, varnishing and painting.

Our two other top picks from The Makery include: a half-day calligraphy workshop with a  

calligraphy expert from Meticulous Ink, and a half-day lino block printing workshop that will show you how to make multi-layer prints for cards, fabric, or for use as artworks.

For linguists, the Roman Baths regularly offer Latin and Greek courses. At the moment there aren’t any dates scheduled for the summer, but it’s worth keeping an eye on their website if this sounds like one for you as places tend to fill up fast!

Next we come to what is a top pick for hen parties - taking a cocktail masterclass. However, it’s a great activity for anyone to do, and you don’t need to be in a big group to do it. It’s a skill that will come in handy for your own enjoyment (especially with summer just around the corner), and also for evenings or afternoons in the garden with friends. There are plenty of locations in Bath that you could choose to learn in –  All Bar One for example, offers masterclasses from £25 per person.

Of course you could also come to Bath for longer than a weekend and take a short course rather than a workshop. Bath College has a range of short courses which cover lots of different areas of interest. Early in July they are running a four-day papermaking course that will explore Japanese fold and dye processes, painting with paper pulp, the creation of watermarks, casting and laminating for printmaking and bookbinding, and more besides!

Though, as fun as these options are, we know workshops aren’t for everyone, but you don’t need to attend a workshop in order for you to learn a new skill.  

Spring is here and the time is right for punting. Punting is not just a Cambridge or Oxford pastime. Bath Boating Station rents out rowing boats, canoes, skiffs and punts on an hourly and daily rate (£7 for the first hour and £4 per extra hour, or £18 for the whole day).

We can recommend a jaunt down the river for experienced punters and newcomers alike. It’s not as hard as it looks! Travel down the river to The Old Mill at Bathampton, stop for lunch, and then have a leisurely punt back. Lovely!