To find Bristol and Bath eerie?

[soulandwine]

I wonder if anyone else feels this way about Bristol and Bath? I grew up in east Devon and often used to think about where I'd live as an adult. On paper, Bristol seemed like the perfect and logical solution. The right size, location, beautiful architecture, interesting people and culturally rich.

I'm at a crossroads in my life, and with nothing tying me to any particular area, I am considering once again where would suit me best. My first thoughts were Bristol, but after another recent day trip, I somehow can't bring myself to love the city.

It's hard to describe, but I find the atmosphere in both Bristol and Bath oppressive, disconcerting and somewhat creepy. Both cities have a coldness, as though the soul has been sucked out. I don't feel this way about London, Oxford, Exeter, Winchester etc., only Bristol and Bath.

I will say that I'm a reasonably sensitive character, and I absorb other people's emotions, as mad as that sounds. Does anyone else feel the same way about Bristol and Bath?

Apologies, not sure if this belongs in AIBU or not.

I know exactly what you mean about Bath.
I’ve only visited once but found it menacing rather than eerie.
It’s a pretty city but there was an air of aggression and had multiple incidents (think aggression & harassment from men) there that’s never happened anywhere else.

I've heard it loads about Bath.

Yes! I went to Bath one weekend with DH, and we both thought it seemed sort of empty and strange. We lived in Cambridge at the time, which always seemed full of life and in comparison Bath felt rather dead.

Love Bristol though!

I really love Bristol. I want to live Bath, but I don’t.

*love Bath

I live close to Bath & I don't find it eerie but some parts are very rich ( lots of money there). I've always felt very safe & comfortable there.

Bristol on the other hand is very young & vibrant, but I do think it has a dark side, but that's the same with many cities.
Doesn't your feeling have something to do with the fact that they both have a lot of water around the area? Just stabbing in the dark...

No. My daughter went to Bristol recently and loved it and asked if we could go to Bath (a sort of Jane Austen pilgrimage). Bath did feel a bit like a film set (we kept on recognising places from Persuasion and Bridgerton) I loved the architecture and really enjoyed our weekend there. It didn't feel cold at all (and it literally wasn't as it was 34 degrees while there).

They are both really different cities from each other so not sure what you mean! Bristol is odd as it's a biggish city but difficult to pinpoint a definitive city centre - is it the harbour, Broadmead shopping centre, Park Street, even Clifton? Always found it disjointed and odd. Bath is in a valley so it feels weird on polluted days.

I loved living in Bath and hope to move back next year . I always think it's a better place to live than visit as there are lots of interesting places off the beaten track and it has lovely countryside around it. I think the 3 most liveable city's in the south are Bath, winchester and Guildford and there's a reason they are all pricey. Not gritty I know, but Im old enough to have got beyond that.

Lived in Bristol for 16 months, (in what is considered a nice family area) it's hard work! The nicest areas for families aren't central and yet no decent public transport and buses get snarled up and traffic a nightmare. We stopped going in that much and couldn't wait to leave. It's also grubby and reeks of weed- I'm a pretty liberal person , but at 60 I've got beyond wanting to live in a giant load of student grot. Thought we would find it youthful and fun- we didn't , just a pain in the arse

Can't say I found either place oppressive or weird though. Now Shepton mallet ! That's one weird place or Glastonbury!!

Lay lines. These threads pop up once in a while and lay lines always comes up.

Heard this loads about that part of the country. There was a theory it's something to do with gas underground?

I like shepton mallet. It's definitely getting a lot more creative. By far the weirdest place in this area is definitely Glastonbury, absolutely weird vibes everywhere. Houses are really expensive but there's absolutely no money there.

There's a FB page which is a great place to see all of the characters & hilarity of Glastonbury
www.facebook.com/NormalForGlastonbury

I’m from Bristol and live in bath.
never thought it about either.

How odd! On the only occasion I’ve been to Bath, I couldn’t wait to leave. I still have bad dreams about it. It was a beautiful and hot summer when I was there and it should have been lovely. Instead I felt an odd mix of jumpy and flat, like Bath wasn’t enough of a place? I can’t really describe it in words.

I lived in Bristol,for years before moving further west. It is a totally awesome, creative and exciting city and I love it.

Bath however - fucking weird. I kind of want to love it, it I don't.

Agree a pit Shelton mallet though.

Glastonbury is disappointing. I wanted to feel the history and the magic, but it's just cheap shops full,of tat.

Bristol depresses me.

I find Bris a bit disjointed. My husband hates it with a passion, says it feels dirty and soulless. I like bits, it's quirkiness (I love the graffiti) and its history. Castle park/Broadmead and Cabot are just a bit sad though and it's quite self consciously crusty.

Bath has a great cheese shop but I find it a bit arrogant. I get the oppressive comments - the hill coming out of the centre up lansdown to the race course always makes me feel like climbing out of a pit.

Eerie though has to be Glastonbury. So fucking weird and actually quite tragic. So many troubled souls and it felt exploitative. Plus some 6ft lad in his 20s, off his tits at 2pm in the afternoon came up to my 75 year old, 5ft nothing mother and threatened to run her through with a spear. Which was nice.

I also find Gloucester really unpleasant. Just so sad and run down. There is that glorious cathedral plonked in the middle of sadness and the contrast distresses me. I try not to visit any more (grew up just outside).

I live in the SW & Bristol gives me the creeps. Unfortunately I spend a lot of time there. Hate every second

I've never been to Bristol but I thought that Bath felt off. Can't put my finger on it .
There was a thread , a year or so ago about places that seemed off/weird and Bath kept coming up.

Sorry, my post really isn't helpful to you.

I live near Bath and Bristol and love both.
Bath is sophisticated ( to me but I live in Wales) and Bristol is quirky and fun.

Eerie to me means ghostly and scary - what makes you feel that way?

As a Bathonian, you are wrong 😂

You know theres a whole world outside of the south of England? Its "the north", give it a go!

I don't feel any strange type of vibe from either city. I was born and grew up in Bristol and have also worked in various parts of Bath.
Gloucester however is a dump.

To me, Bath has the potential to feel sophisticated...but fails. I found it dirty, oppressive, on edge - and FULL of hen parties, which negates any sophistication