Aimless on the Avon.

I had a few days off after a week of stressing myself out over a presentation (public speaking is not my thing), so I decided to take a day trip to somewhere new to unwind. Completely untrue to form, not only did I not decide where I was actually going until the morning of, I did zero research - not even a glance at Google maps to see the layout of the town! I normally have my days scheduled and mapped out to the point of insanity.

I took advantage of the sunny weather we have been graced with as of late and walked to Temple Meads, hopped on a train for 25 minutes and wound up in Bradford on Avon.

Luckily I arrived just as my stomach was beginning to rumble, making a perfect excuse for tea!

Belly full of scones and jam, I trotted along the streets and the river, with no real game plan. This meant I went in more circles than I care to share, but this way, there was a surprise around every corner. The town is small enough so you can conquer it in a day, and there was also a distinct lack of tourists. I seemed to be the only one wandering around, the silence was almost eerie at times. 

Tithe Barn, from the 14th century. This is surrounded by fields of greenery and nearby the canal, making it ideal for dog walks, jogging, and just a place to enjoy the nice weather.

St. Lawrence's Church, one of the few Saxon churches remaining without reconstruction from the medieval age. Historians say that it dates back to either 700 AD or the 10th century but haven't been able to confirm yet. Or as us non-historians like to say, "Dang this thing is old".

The only thing to make me frown in this quaint town : anti-homeless spikes outside of a church. Not sure if I've ever rolled my eyes so hard.

There are tons of narrow alleys and staircases dotted along the streets in Bradford on Avon. I followed a series of steps up and up until I arrived at a row of charming houses with a chapel at the end, overlooking the entire town with the countryside in the distance. I'd be okay with having my morning coffee in one of these front gardens...

In addition to the gorgeous view, I squealed with excitement when I spotted something off in the distance.

Can you see it? You may need to have eagle-eyes.

If you guessed one of the Wiltshire White Horses, ding ding ding - you are correct! I've only ever seen one from the window of a bus, so I was pretty pumped when I noticed it. The origins of these hillside horses are hotly debated, some saying they date back over 3,000 years, others say no more than 300. Either way, they're a special part of the English countryside.

Bradford on Avon was perfect for a carefree day out in the sunshine. I don't want to jinx anything quite yet, but I have been loving the weather here in England the past few weeks. I got off pretty lucky with a mild winter, but I'm ready for spring and summer to get here already! The sun hangs around until nearly 10pm in the summer which I am totally looking forward to - 3pm sunsets in the winter really got me down.

Come on Spring, you can do it!