Prior Park Landscape Garden was laid out in the 1700s by Ralph Allen, the Bath stone entrepreneur, with advice from the poet Alexander Pope and 'Capability' Brown, on a steep hillside looking down over the city. Its Palladian Bridge of 1755 is one of only four of that design in the world, and since a major restoration of the mid-18th-century dams the refilled lakes reflect it once more and a small cascade runs again. The horseshoe route loops through woodland and parkland down to the bridge, passing a restored Edwardian summerhouse; dogs are welcome on short leads, as cattle graze in spring and autumn. Reviewers praise the helpful staff and the scones at the Tea Cabin by the lower entrance. Tips from regulars: there is no parking on site, so take the number 2 bus or walk up from Bath Spa station, and wear shoes with grip, as the paths are steep and unsuitable for wheelchairs.
