Britain beyond Bath

ASE day trips

Stonehenge, Salisbury and Lacock

Each semester, Orientation Week concludes with a day trip to introduce students to some of the best-known sites in the South West of England.

We visit the famous stone circle at Stonehenge, Britain's greatest prehistoric archaeological monument, the elegant market town of Salisbury and its magnificent cathedral, and discover the pretty medieval streets of Lacock village

(Don't be surprised if Lacock looks familiar - it has been used as a location for various films and TV dramas, including, most famously, a number of Harry Potter movies.)

Other day trips

A typical ASE semester also contains two other optional day trips.

The first is an excursion to a nearby places of historic and cultural interest. In previous semesters, destinations have included: picturesque villages and historic houses in The Cotswolds; the Tor and ancient ruins at Glastonbury, reputed burial place of King Arthur; and the country town of Wells, with its delightful cathedral and Bishop's Palace.

The second involves a substantial hike in remote, stunning countryside. Favourite past locations have included the Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales, with its spectacular peaks and views, or the coastal paths and ruined castles of Dorset, the so-called Jurassic Coast.

The cost of all ASE day trips is included in the Programme fee.

Course-related study trips

Course-related study trips are an integral part of the academic programme. With the exception of the Dublin weekend trip (Irish Literature and Irish Nationalisms), all course-related study trips are mandatory and their cost is included in the Programme fee. They are open only to students taking the course to which they relate.

Please see the individual course pages for details of any study trips included in a particular course.

ASE reserves the right to cancel or change the content of course-specific study trips at short notice where necessary.

Residential trips

There are two residential trips built into each ASE semester. Students spend one week in the historic university city of Oxford, and three days in the quaint Elizabethan market town of Stratford-upon-Avon, birthplace of William Shakespeare.

Independent travel

Bath is well located for a range of travel opportunities, so it's little surprise that many ASE students find time to travel independently in Britain and Ireland - and beyond, into continental Europe.

Britain and Ireland

Free weekends are an ideal time to explore the environs of Bath, and the country beyond. Many interesting villages and towns, and some lovely stretches of countryside, are easily accessible from the city on foot, by bicycle (which can be bought or hired locally), or by local buses and trains. Freshford and Bradford-on-Avon are just two such places.

Bath is also conveniently situated on a main railway line, with easy and frequent links to most parts of the national network. By train, for example, the city of Bristol can be reached in just 15 minutes, Cardiff (the capital of Wales) in an hour, central London in 90 minutes. Bath to Liverpool is a little over four hours.

In addition, there are regular flights from Bristol Airport to Dublin and Edinburgh (flight times are approximately an hour and 90 minutes, respectively).

Continental Europe

Mid-semester week is the favourite time for independent travel in Europe, though increasing numbers of students are also choosing to explore Britain and the continent before and after their semester at ASE.

Thanks to the Channel Tunnel (or 'Chunnel'), mainland Europe is easily accessible by Eurostar train, with high speed rail links from St Pancras station in London to Paris, Brussels and the extensive European network.

Budget flights to Europe from Bristol, Birmingham, and most London airports are also readily available. Popular destinations for ASE students include Barcelona, Rome, Prague and Venice, with direct flights to each taking less than three hours.