One of 21 Short Strolls
Bath Abbey
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Hot springs, Roman Baths and Georgian Circuses have for centuries attracted millions of visitors to the 'World Heritage City' on the west bank of the River Avon. But the grandest Georgian Street of all is on the opposite bank, as is the Kennet and Avon Canal which dramatically hugs the side slope of the valley.

Start the short stroll from:.
Abbey Church Yard and Pump Rooms Where street entertainers of amazing quality perform to present day pilgrims. With the Pump Rooms on your right, face the Abbey. turn right, pass down close to its south side past a square of seats in front of the Tourist Information Centre and out onto Orange Grove. Cross the road to overlook ‘Parade Gardens’, turn left and follow the balustrade into ‘Grand Parade which overlooks the river. Walk upstream and cross: 
Pulteney Bridge (1774): Symbol of Bath This is one of only two river bridges in England with shops on both sides. Designed by Robert Adam, it was funded by William Pulteney to open up his meadowlands on the east of the river. Just beyond the eastern end of the narrow carriageway, on the right, there are 36 busy steps winding sharply down to the ‘Riverside Walk’. West facing pub gardens overlook the river, boat trips upstream start from here and, on the left, is the Beazer Garden Maze. (Alternative ramp access to the river is available by using Grove Street almost opposite...
turn back at the foot of the slope and walk under the road). Further along the walk is:
Pulteney Sluice (1972)
Opened by the Lord Mayor of London, the workings of this precursor to the Thames Barrier are clearly visible. The curved and counterbalanced sheet metal ‘dam’ can be swung out of the way in times of flood to allow excess water down to the sea. For a superb view of the triple-stepped weir and the renovated ‘Empire Hotel’ and formal Colonnade under the bus stands go up onto the ‘roof’. Continue downstream, past visiting boats, Bath Rugby Club, ice cream sellers and sandwich eating office workers to: 
North Parade
Georgian ladies ‘paraded’ in the afternoons, much as once occurred in Continental villages, to show off their finery and see who was in town. Bath also has a wide pavement South Parade, but this one has been commandeered by traffic.
Reach road level by entering the Leisure Centre Grounds and turning right up their access lane (alternatively’ use the twisting stair from under the bridge), pass over the river. Cross Pierrepont Street at traffic lights, down North Parade Passage past Sally Lunn ‘s Refreshment House (1482) to:-

Abbey Green
Monastery Gardens enclosed the hot springs for 500 years until Henry VIII’s time (1563). This remaining plane tree was probably outside the garden walls surrounded by some of Bath’s few pre Georgian buildings. Look up to the right, see the Abbey Towers.
Return to the start at Abbey Church Yard.

A second stroll (of less than two hours):- 
From Pulteney Sluice. Continue under North Parade past the ‘Pride of Bath’ trip boat, along the riverside to:-
Ferry Lane
A former crossing point into the medieval walled city. Turn inland past the wall of Bath Cricket Club, under the railway bridge to a busy main rood. Cross to Pulteney Gardens and, at the end, walk up the slope, .follow the metal railings to arrive at:
Abbey View Lock
The last feat of Rennie’s engineering was to drop the canal 74 feet to meet the navigable River Avon. This involved a steep flight of seven locks and, coupled with two pumping stations returned the lost water up to the nine mile pound.
Abbey View Lock is in the centre of the flight. Immediately uphill it has a large side pound / turning place and nearby the remaining chimney of one of the pumping stations.
Follow the towpath uphill. At the top lock note the assistance provided by the Bath Humane Society. At the next bridge go up to the road. Cross diagonally to the end of the bridge parapet. Go down the towpath opposite new houses in front of the trip- boat wharf
The next bridge is a ‘turnover’ bridge where the horses would walk up the slope, over the bridge and turn back on themselves to reach the opposite towpath. This way the towing rope did not have to he unhitched!! Do the same and follow the towpath railings under Cleveland House, the Canal Company HQ. You are now entering the cutting at:-

A graceful stepped weir (on the left of this picture) holds back the Avon and impounds the water to create a deeper reach of river which is used for boot trips and gives a natural mirror for Pulteney Bridge

. Sydney Gardens (1795)
At great expense (£2000) the company negotiated an out-of-sight passage through these new gardens. At each end the canal enters by an ornate tunnel and between is crossed by two delicate cast iron footbridges inscribed ‘Anno 1800’. Between the footbridges is a short flight of steps into the Gardens. Once inside the formal layout keep straight on over Milway Bridge, go left and see how the next transport revolution was allowed through (1841)... also in a cutting but with a special garden path giving an ‘Orchestra Stalls View’ of the amazing steam trains going by.
To return to Pulteney Bridge exit the garden (slightly downhill from the railway), turn right down the pavement into the driveway of  Holburne Museum (Tel 01225 466669)
Stand in front of the main door. This building ends the most magnificent view of Georgian splendour in Bath... Great Pulteney Street. 100 feet wide and 1000 feet long, the street is lined by stone built four storey terraces on the axis of Pulteney Bridge.
However, to avoid traffic, follow the driveway round so SYDNEY PLACE (carved in 6 inch high Roman lettering). Cross the road into short Sutton Street which leads into Henrietta Park. After enjoying the park go out the far end, turn left up Henrietta Street to Laura Fountain and Pulteney Bridge.