The Great West Way has been tempting visitors to explore since the route from London to Bristol was launched in 2018. Following the course of the Thames and the Kennet and Avon canal, and crossing six counties, it passes some of England’s most historic sites and picturesque countryside as it goes — but this summer, the focus is firmly on the route’s cities and towns.

While Windsor has had its share of the spotlight during the Jubilee celebrations, continue further west and there’s plenty to tempt in Salisbury, Bath and Bristol, on a road trip with a difference.

Bristol

Royal West of England Academy

Closed for nearly two years for a £4 million refurbishment, Bristol’s oldest art gallery has now reopened again, with a new family space at The Royal West of England Academy and improved accessibility to welcome more visitors inside.

Following its reopening exhibition, Me Myself and I: Artists’ Self-Portraits, with works by major artists such as Grayson Perry, Tracey Emin, and Antony Gormley, July sees the start of Earth: Digging Deep in British Art 1781-2022.

• For an alternative art experience, the city is also hosting the world’s first ‘amazement park’. The immersive Wake the Tiger experience will take visitors into the word of Meridia, a maze of secret passageways, forests, temples and caves, discovering stories and secrets along the way.

Clifton Suspension Bridge

20 years after the long-forgotten vaults under the Clifton Suspension Bridge were rediscovered, tours of this hidden area have started for the summer.

Clifton-Suspension-Bridge-Long CREDIT Visit-England

Clifton Suspension Bridge (Photo: Visit England)

Tucked away under Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s famous bridge, tours include an introduction to the ambitious young engineer, who was determined to build the highest and longest bridge in the world, tales of those who built the vaults and those who later rediscovered them, before the chance to head down yourself.

Bath

World Heritage Centre

The much anticipated World Heritage Centre opened in Bath this spring, designed to showcase the city’s history and provide information for visitors to explore its heritage, from the Roman baths and hot springs, to the Georgian architecture.

As well as interactive exhibits, there are free walking trails and guides for visitors, plus the Bath World Heritage app to download. Along with letting you create your own itinerary for a stay in the city, you’ll find challenges including collecting golden acorns as you explore, plus augmented reality characters to discover.

Cleveland Pools

The country’s only surviving Georgian lido, Cleveland Pools in Bath is set to reopen again this summer after a 17-year campaign to save it.

Plans include an open-air public swimming pool, heated by pumps in the adjacent river, as well as a kids’ splash pool, while the original Georgian changing rooms are being restored. There’ll even be access by boat if you’d like to arrive at Britain’s oldest lido by water.

Pulteney Bridge The eighteenth-century Iconic Bridge (Portrait) CREDIT Visit Bath

Pulteney Bridge, Bath (Photo: Visit Bath)

Salisbury

Thomas Hardy Exhibition

There’s not one but four fascinating exhibitions on Hardy’s Wessex this summer, bringing together the largest collection of Thomas Hardy memorabilia ever displayed at one time.

Designed to give visitors a fresh look at the life and literature of the Victorian novelist, in the heart of the Wessex landscapes which helped to shape his novels and works, there’ll be everything from personal letters to period costumes, as well as art and archaeology on display.

The four venues hosting the exhibition include The Salisbury Museum, as well as the Wiltshire Museum in Devizes. The exhibition runs until the end of October.

Create your own itinerary at GreatWestWay.co.uk, plus details of more events, tools to book tours and insider tips, or download the new Journey of Discovery map.

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