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15 things you didn’t know – Thermae Bath Spa
1. The natural thermal waters you can bathe in at Thermae Bath Spa first fell as rain over 10,000 years ago, before percolating down through the limestone rocks and heating naturally 2-3 kilometres underground.
2. Bath is the only location in the UK where you can bathe in naturally hot, mineral-rich waters – it’s why Bath got its name! Most other traditional spa towns in the UK have cold spring waters, which were used for drinking rather than bathing.
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3. Bath has three natural thermal springs – the King’s Spring, the Cross Spring and the Hetling Spring. One million litres of the thermal water containing over 40 different minerals emerge from the springs every day at a temperature of 45 degrees centigrade.
4. Legend has it that in 863BC the banished prince Bladud cured his leprosy by bathing in the mineral-rich waters.
5. For hundreds of years visitors, including kings & queens, have benefitted from Bath’s therapeutic waters. Up until the 1970s, physiotherapists made use of the thermal waters in the Hot Bath to treat patients suffering from rheumatism.
6. In 1590, Queen Elizabeth 1 granted a Charter of Incorporation of the City Of Bath, including the instruction that ‘the thermal waters should be accessible to the public in perpetuity’.
7. All four baths at Thermae Bath Spa are fed by the natural thermal waters, namely the indoor Minerva Bath, the historic Hot Bath, the stand-alone Cross Bath and the open-air rooftop pool.
8. The New Royal Bath which houses the main spa facilities was built on the site of the old Beau Street swimming baths, where many residents of Bath learnt how to swim.
9. The Cross Spring within the Cross Bath is registered as an official sacred site. This beautiful Grade 1 Listed building can be enjoyed by individuals or can be hired out for the exclusive use of a small group.
10. Thermae Bath Spa has four aromatic steam rooms which are infused with such essences as Eucalyptus and Lemongrass & Ginger.
11. Thermae offers over 40 spa treatments and packages – the signature treatment is Watsu, a combination of gentle stretching, shiatsu massage and acupressure which takes place with a specially trained therapist in the mineral-rich waters of the historic Hot Bath.
12. You can get ‘4 hours for the price of 2 hours’ in the Spa when you travel with Great Western – simply present your train ticket at reception.
13. At night-time, Bath Abbey is beautifully illuminated and can be the viewed from the open-air rooftop pool.
14. Bath Rugby players often come in to bathe in the waters after a particularly hard match. Other teams which have visited include England, Ireland, Stade Français and the All Blacks.
15. Thermae Bath Spa is celebrating its tenth birthday this year – keep your eye out for special events and promotions!
