One always hears about rain in England and we got the Bath version on this day. And it was odd -- it would pour relentlessly and hard; then stop; then drizzle; then pour again. It was a good morning to stay in for a bit, especially after our walking day in Cardiff. Rick worked on his family tree, I read. But around noon we decided it wasn't going to clear up and we certainly weren't going to stay in the house all day, so off we went! After all, it was a good day for an afternoon tea!
My umbrella looked like one of those sad things you see with the ribs sticking out and hanging at an odd angle, so our first stop was Marks and Spencer (M&S) to get a new brolly -- and to check out luggage prices. My pull-handle on my suitcase broke the first day of the trip and believe me, not being able to roll it was a pain! Rick was a champ, grumbling only minimally, about carrying it or dragging it with a short strap. We didn't find a new suitcase we liked so it was off to explore more of Bath!
(I left my broken umbrella on the top of a trash bin and about an hour or two later we walked by and it was gone. I hope someone thought it would be better than nothing.)
We wandered a bit, Rick checking out the Abbey. I had promised I'd take him to afternoon tea but he was hungry so we stopped for a pasty for him, a cheese and onion roll for him. Then we meandered to the Pump Room, adjacent to the Roman Baths, where we were served in style.
This afternoon tea is less expensive than many I've seen, mostly in London sites (some of those are in the zone of 75 pounds; this was 45 pounds, which still counts up with the exchange rate. I will also say that you get what you pay for, at least in terms of quantity, although the quality of the tea treats and other elements of the afternoon more than made up for that.)
The room was beautiful, Georgian in style, with an elegant chandelier and paintings and filled with light. We were seated at the far edge of the room, near the front. We figured it was because we didn't have a reservation but it turned out to be the best seat in the house. (I'll tell you why in a minute!)
The table was beautifully set with gold and white china.
We had our tea -- Rick had Darjeeling and I had a lemon-ginger herbal.
And of course, I had to show you the menu. A menu really wasn't necessary -- we were ordering the afternoon tea and nothing more. But it highlighted the different items on the tray and as you can see, they looked delicious. (And they were!) I think if you click on the photo, you can see it larger or enlarge it if you want to read the menu better.)
We had decided to share the tea tray (after all, we'd just had lunch). They brought us our tiered tray with the canapes and sandwiches on the bottom, two scones in the middle and three desserts on the top tier. We dutifully had half of each (pretty hard with the mini-chocolate mousse, which was delicious!) Sorry for the fuzzy pic -- it was from my phone. I will say that compared to a tea tray we saw later at Wallace Collection in London, it was a little skimpy. It was also 30 pounds less -- and everything was divinely delicious. So, not a complaint -- just an observation.
I mentioned we had the best seat in the house -- and here's why! In addition to our tea, we had a lovely concert performed by a small chamber group -- piano, violin and cello.
They played a wonderful selection of light classical and Gilbert and Sullivan, and played for close to an hour, I think. We both enjoyed it but I think Rick was especially pleased. It made for an elegant experience and a delightful one.
Rick hadn't been to the Royal Crescent so we walked over there and did a little shopping in the city. Then it was off to the M&S food hall for groceries, the bus home and back through my wooded tunnel path. We roasted our chicken, had a little lemon pasta with it, and enjoyed the fireplace on a gloomy evening. A wonderful end to a good day.
Travel Tips:
- It should go without saying, but check out your umbrella (if you are bringing one) before you leave home! I grabbed the wrong one and oh, it was pitiful! They are easy to come by while traveling, but that's not a lot of consolation until you actually get one!
- About tea: There are several types of tea and we opted for afternoon tea. (Cream tea is basically tea and a scone; afternoon tea is the tea tray and quite easy to find). Afternoon tea can be outrageously expensive. So check out prices. I opted for this one because it was less expensive at 45 pounds versus the more common price of 75 pounds in London. But there ARE less expensive teas -- do your research. There are good links if you google "less expensive afternoon teas in London" (or possibly, wherever you are.)
- Bring along a shopping bag for any purchases you make. Often you'll be charged for a bag. Those parachute-cloth bags that fold or roll into practically nothing are an excellent, lightweight option.
If you want to follow on our trip and missed any of the earlier posts, you can check them out on the menu tab at the top of the blog or click here
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64 comments:
That does seem very expensive, but part of the experience I suppose, so well worth it. The musical accompaniment was no doubt very agreeable.
...tea at 75 pounds is about $95US, really???
The prices for afternoon teas are really shocking -- I just read an article reviewing them, and yours was comparatively a bargain. Your trip really sounds more and more entertaining and rewarding in the sense of seeing Old England. After all, the Pump Room is a center for Jane Austen characters in Northanger Abbey and Persuasion.
Or did you mention that?
best, mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Elegant, expensive. That's Bath!
What an elegant room for tea, with live chamber music too, I am sure it was delightful.
Oh my, prices have certainly gone up since we were in England in 2019. But what a lovely, memorable experience!
It does look quite elegant! What time do they usually have afternoon tea? I hear about it all the time but have never known. The live music really must have made the day! :)
Who was that old, female author who featured the Pump Room? I am having a senior moment. I remember the book but not the author.
I love it: "grumbling only minimally."
We used to have high tea in Muskoka for Joe's birthday. He can't have dairy, though.
London and Bath are probably the two most expensive places for Afternoon Tea in all England!
Love your photos.
I just looked at 'Afternoon Tea in Suffolk' and came up with £16 and £20 - so it's much less here in my part of UK!
I think fancy afternoon teas are quite a moneymaker for the venues that offer them -- which is why there are so many. I mean, really, what can the overhead be on some dried tea and a couple of cakes -- even fancy ones? But it's all about the experience, and I get that.
Wow, what a great experience and music added in for a bonus.
You'd want at least a violin to lessen the pain of those afternoon teas - at least it would cover the sound of the sobbing!
(BTW I converted 45-75 UK pounds to Australian $87-147 - or about 3.5-6 hours on minimum wage pre-tax.)
Sorry, I know that you pay for the experience an it truly does sound like an experience - at The Pump Room? Is there more than one Pump Room, or is that the Austen haunt?
where did you stay? Air B&B?
Such a wonderful tea experience
Jeanie, you look so lovely! Your afternoon tea looks wonderful in a beautiful setting with chamber music. This was a great way to spend a rainy afternoon!
Your vacation/travel day sounds very much like anyhow who lived in the area might have. It sounds lovely. Sometimes traveling can be so hectic, too hectic, and I think you've figured out to to make the most of your time without going crazy. Have a great start to the new week. hugs-Erika
Tea time is a wonderful time, but tea time in England would be delightful to experience. The teapot with the gold is pretty. Rick's cheese and onion roll sounds delicious. The chandelier in the tea room is exquisite. The lemon ginger tea sounds tasty. The concert was a special addition to your charming time you spent. Shopping in the city would be the highlight of my day. I love shopping, even if I don't bring anything home with me. It's always nice just to see all the delightful things out there. And to end your day, the roasted chicken and pasta sounds perfect by the fireplace on a gloomy day.
~Sheri
You definitely had the best seats in the house! It's been a while since I visited Bath, I must go again sometime.
Thanks for the travel tips, too! It’s always helpful to know about the small details like the cost of tea and the need for shopping bags while traveling. It sounds like you ended the day in the most perfect way, cozy by the fireplace with a home-cooked meal.
Looking forward to reading more about your trip!
How very lovely Jeanie. Afternoon tea is one of my favorite things to do. Such a lovely venue and the music added to its elegance. Glad you could find another brolly. I remember our time in London we needed a brolly and the hotel staff gave us each one to keep. Quite a nice gesture.
I tend to be frugal on everyday things, but like to splurge on special things. I spent a week in Bath when I attended the Bath Summer Textile School and loved it. I didn’t have afternoon tea at the Pump Room, though. Maybe if I get there again…
What a lovely, lovely tea! It's all I've ever imagined a tea could be like, and more.
That looks a very elegant room and with chamber music too, it must have been very enjoyable to sit and enjoy afternoon tea.
All the best Jan
Pretty expensive tea but worth the ambiance. Janice
What a wonderful way to spend a rainy afternoon! You look so lovely. I am glad you found a brolly. Hope you found a suitcase eventually.
Your Afternoon Tea with a Music Ensemble sounds absolutely wonderful. It’s a special experience while enjoying the delights of Bath even on a rainy day.
Hello Jeanie,
Lovely photos of you and Rick and Bath! The Tea room looks beautiful. Dinner at the cottage sounds wonderful too. Take care, have a great week!
Enjoyed your posts from your trip This sounds very expensive but a good experience with memories
Happy new week I woke up to rain this morning
that sounded very expensive for me too but good memoires I am thinking
This is one of those experiences I'd pass on. Although the music would have been nice, it seems unutterably boring to me. Now, a walk in the rain with cheese and an onion roll for sustenance? I'm there!
I love tea parties. This one with musical accompaniment was delightful. I experienced "High Tea" at the Waioli Tea Room years ago. It was very Hawaiian.
The closest high tea here.. in the countryside..is $50.00 plus tax and gratuities so ap $70 CDN. 45 GBP is $80.00 CDN our dollar is not great nor in the USA and I wonder what the future now holds.Curious to tax and gratuities in the UK..? Looks like you chose to do the perfect thing:)
What a beautiful experience you had.
www.rsrue.blogspot.com
You look so elegant sitting there having tea. Clearly England is your happy place.
Years ago, my sister treated our mother and myself to an afternoon tea at a high-end classy restaurant in Phoenix. I have great memories of it and how delicious it was.
How delightful to experience a real English tea! Very elegant!
Jenna
That certainly is expensive, but a great experience to have specially with the live music and the elegant room. You got to experience the rain that England is known for. Great photos Jeanie.
Yikes, clearly Inflation has hit Europe harder than here! But, an Experience during a Vacay is different than having to actually live there and deal with the price points. I still have Relatives in North Wales and they always tell me it's cheaper for them to come to America on Holiday than Europe.
making the most of a rainy day and it looks like you had a wonderful time. i think it is all about the experience, and what a great experience it was. i LOVE those little tea sandwiches and enjoying them in such an elegant room and with live music!! for me, it was a win, win i think!!
The architecture is simply astonishing. How on Earth did they build that??
The Roman Baths...wow...I had forgotten the Roman Empire stretched so far.
Lovely post and reminded me so much of my own vacation in 1991 (I think) to Bath and the surrounding areas. Glad you enjoyed your vacation activities. photos are amazing and captured the feeling perfectly.
It's so wonderful to see your photos of England... and yes, isn't it wonderful that tea in England... these beautiful pots and often lovely cups.
We often had a bit of rain, but we had good clothes with us. We weren't in Bath. I look forward to seeing your photos. We drove from Dover to Cornwell... we had a four week holiday... it was comfortable :-)))
Thanks for your photos, it's a pleasure for me.
Hug from Viola
Oh my don't you two look fancy. Prices have been skyrocketing all over the world.
Elegant but expensive... I am not a tea drinker so I would have a hard time with that experience although it looks lovely. I have never been to England and will probably never get there so I am enjoying your travel log.
That looks like an exquisite tea. You must have really enjoyed yourselves.
Oh afternoon tea in England! So charming, delicious, absolutely lovely. I remember those experiences with fondness, friend ...
What a treat! Having the concert while enjoying the tea surely made it extra special.
Afternoon tea is a wonderful way to treat oneself. I'd love to enjoy this in Bath. You both look great! Here in Canada there are many options for afternoon tea. And most of them are expensive. Most recently I enjoyed afternoon tea at Butchart Gardens. I love the savory things best, how about you?
That sounds like a perfect way to spend a rainy afternoon.
What fun! This looks like an experience that was worth the splurge -- so happy that you got the live music as a bonus. The perfect thing for a rainy day, for sure.
I love seeing your trip pics, especially the one having tea. You both look so happy and relaxed and rested. Oh yes, afternoon tea can get expensive! We had afternoon tea at the Ritz in London.I would definitely do it again! We want to visit Bath and the Cotswolds next trip to UK. I've missed some of the other trip posts so I'll be visiting those soon. Hope you are rested and caught up and ready to enjoy Thanksgiving..........
When I was in Bath I wanted have tea there, but traveling with another couple - they weren't interested. Though I must say I have afternoon tea many other places. So happy you enjoyed afternoon tea in the Pump Room. What a treat. And that music would have indeed been an added cherry on top of tea time.
It sounds like you made the most of a rainy day. Karen (Back Road Journal)
Your tea tray looks so pretty! Thank you for sharing your afternoon tea experience. There are a few tea rooms around here now, and I really want to go for an afternoon tea or a cream tea at one of them. Hopefully next year!
I am absolutely loving these vacation posts Jeanie. This whole experience at the tearoom, what an elegant place to have an afternoon tea. That would be divine!
Oh, how I enjoyed this post and your photos! When we were in Bath 15 years ago, we had lunch at the Pump Room and sat in the same area you did. Unfortunately there was no chamber group playing music during the experience! But we did get to have a small glass of Bath's "mineral water" to drink (what Bath was famous for back in the day). I'm sure your tea was better, lol. In Canada, "afternoon tea" is called "High Tea" and yes, is ALWAYS very expensive. It's just a rare treat once in awhile.
Jeanie, I'm thoroughly enjoying my vicarious trip to Britain! I wouldn't care for any of the three 'finger items' on the menu, but the two sandwiches I would like, so I would have asked for 5 sandwiches. Yes, a good afternoon tea is expensive, sometimes outrageously so, but sometimes it just has to be done! 😊
Your afternoon tea sounded really wonderful. I know it's pricey, but sometimes you have to pay up for experiences. The music really elevated the experience, I am sure, so you could justify the expense by saying you paid for a short concert + tea!
I guess the price was for two? I know these teas cost but the surroundings are unique!
Oh I'm writing on my phone and forgot to sign in, so my last comment will show as Anonymous !
OMGosh!!! what a beautiful post. Yes, expensive but making memories. I love this photo of you two sitting at the table. Also the travel tips Thank you so much for sharing with FFO and have a nice weekend.
That looks like a wonderful day!
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