I’d planned a couple of Christmassy trips prior to the big day this year (a London Christmas lights visit, Winter Wonderland and a Christmas lights walk at Sandringham), but didn’t get to do them as I was knocked for six with the new COVID variant. That left me with just one trip I’d managed to squeeze in before being taken out – to Anglesey Abbey.

Anglesey was once a monastery, founded in the 1100s and yet again dissolved by Henry VIII and his havoc. After it was shut down in 1536, it was converted in to a Jacobean house which was lived in until 1966 when it passed to the National Trust.

Today the house is open to the public, and it’s one of my favourite stately homes to visit to see the interior Christmas decorations.

It had been raining for days, but on the day of my visit the sky was a beautiful blue with the sun shining, although deceptively so as the air was still bitterly cold. It was one of those days where the wind is so biting your nose turns red and your fingers feel numb, but the photos look like you could have basked in the sun.

I arrived to the gardens and started off with a beautiful woodland walk around the trails – there are huge grounds here and I followed a 45 minute round route. It was really striking in the light with it shining through the trees.

After blowing the cobwebs away it was time to take a peak inside the house. I absolutely love seeing houses ‘dressed’ for Christmas, and it always gives me a nice, warm festive feeling. Anglesey’s decorations are some of my favourite, with the dining room being particularly special. I loved the cosy displays and couldn’t help but ‘ooo’ at some of the trees.

After visiting inside, I decided I’d walk another of the marked trails before heading home. This time I decided to do the river walk up to Lode Mill. The sun meant the reflections in the water were truly stunning and I couldn’t help but smile to myself at how beautiful everything was. Solo walks are really good for my soul, always giving me time to think, plan, and take time out.

After spending my entire morning exploring, I headed to the restaurant for lunch and then drove home. As always with a bit of time to myself, I reflected on Christmas.

I find the Christmas season is often a reminder for all of us of what we don’t have, and I think we can often idealise how we might spend Christmas if it were perfect. I envision myself in a family with 2 children and an idealised notion of how happy we’d be. I’m sure others imagine it abroad somewhere, or with absent family members, or with people who have left their mark on us but are long gone. I think sometimes this can mean we don’t appreciate what we have today because really that’s all any of us have. I’m so very lucky to be able to spend Christmas with my parents and my husband, to see my friends, to enjoy calm and peace in a house that is a true home. Living in the moment and not idealising is freeing – because one day the ‘today’ could well be what we idealise, and by then the reality may have already passed us by.

I hope whatever you’re doing, whomever you’re with, where ever you are – you enjoy your Christmas and can find happiness in the today, whatever it looks like for you. Merry Christmas everyone.

But the skies here are big and give you a feeling of your place in the world. I’ve come to appreciate the beauty of this unique Fenland I call home. I was inspired to write this post following a walk on New Years Day 2023 which epitomised how these vast, flat, wet marshes can be seen in a beautiful light, which hopefully I can showcase to you all.

What are Fens?

The Fens are an area in eastern England, ranging roughly from north Cambridgeshire up to Lincoln, an area of 3,800 square KM.

Most of the Fens lie within a few metres of sea level. Much like in the Netherlands (many Dutch came over to England to develop our Fens back in the 16-1700s), much of the Fenland originally consisted of fresh or saltwater wetlands. With the support of their drainage system, the Fenland has become a major agricultural region for grains and vegetables and are particularly fertile, containing around 50% of the grade I agricultural land in England – but at a cost. Once this area was 99.9% wetland, and today it is only 0.1%.

The city at the heart of the fens is Ely (literally the Isle of Eels) which was built on this marshland. Whilst draining these lands made them habitable, there have been so many unintended consequences – firstly because they’ve been drained, the peat shrinks at a rate of 2cm a year and not enough alkalinity gets in to the water anymore. This means that plants and wildlife living here are starting to change and we’re losing a lot of species.

Another consequence is the constant flooding. Of course, The Fens are literally designed to flood – having drained the low lying land there are still two major rivers running through the Fens – The River Ouse and River Nene. The banks of these rivers often overflow and the Fenlands are natural flood plains. However, with all the rain we’ve had in 2023, floods have been consistent and a part of every day life here rather than a seasonal occurrence which drain and dry out in summer. Constant flooding causes the land level to sink and the dykes have been built higher and higher to protect inhabitants.

Exploring the Fens and their beauty

The best way to explore the Fens is on foot. They cover a huge natural area, and I’ve explored many of the walks through them. There are multiple individual Fens making up the overall landscape and some of my favourites include:

• Mare Fen
• Ouse Fen
• RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes
• Wicken Fen
• Hoe Fen
• Stow cum Quy Fen

My favourite walk is around Mare Fen and you can find the route HERE, and I also loved Stow cum Quy Fen, following the route from Lode to Bottisham HERE.

Walking in the Fens is both super easy and hard. Easy because the land here is completely flat – there are no hills or mountains anywhere, but also hard as it’s pretty much always wet and you can easily sink in the mud and peat – it’s really important to wear wellies or proper waterproof hiking boots. It also means that if the rivers are in flood, you won’t be able to walk the routes as they can flood by up to 6ft of water, and obviously no wellies are going to save you from that.

It’s also hard walking in the Fens because it’s so exposed. Being so flat means if it’s windy you’re blown over and if it’s misty you have limited visibility. As you can see from my walk in winter it’s beautifully atmospheric but very murky.

There are some Fens which are run as their own sites, such as Wicken Fen and Lopham Fen, so have better walking trails and board walks to help with the mud. These Fens are also home to the famous Konik ponies – and if you watched the latest David Attenborough documentary, they were featured!

Driving in the Fens is normally OKish as the roads are well protected. That said, most of the smaller roads run to the side of waterways, and it’s common to have flooded roads especially in the areas around Ely- it drives me nuts as during rainy periods it’s rare I can drive anywhere beyond the main A-roads without a detour at some point!

What else is there to do in the Fens?

Away from the actual Fens themselves, Fenland has lots to offer people wanting to visit. Of course, you have to do a Fen walk, but there are lots of great cities, towns and villages in the area which are worth a visit too and you could choose as a base to exlore the area.

The most famous Fen city is Ely, one of the most beautiful cities in the country – though I’m biased. Peterborough is also an important Fenland city and offers lots to see, including the Cathedral where Catherine of Aragon is buried. Lincoln is the northern most tip of the Fens and Cambridge the southern most tip so both also make good places to stay as gateways to the Fens.

There are also a number of smaller towns and villages to visit – I’ve mentioned Lode, Bottisham, Over and Swavesey but there are also Huntingdon, St Ives, Spalding, and Kings Lynn which are all nice to explore.

You could easily spend a week exploring all that the area has to offer – just make sure you visit at a time where it’s not too wet so you can enjoy it to the fullest.

So what do you think of the Fens? I hope I’ve managed to showcase a unique side to where I live, beyond the city lights of Cambridge and in to the rural side of this beautiful place I call home.

I used to hate the Fens, but now I can appreciate their vastness and peace. I love bracing myself to be exposed to the elements if I’m going on a walk round a Fen – whether it’s sunny, snowing, raining or misty, I’ll experience it in abundance and I quite like that. That said, I’m genuinely concerned about how the area will look by 2050 – with horrifying climate change predictions and the seemingly never ending building of new houses across the flood plains here, I worry that we are sleep walking in to more floods and rising water levels in this area which will be unsustainable.

East Anglia is my home. I’ve lived here for a decade, but have roots here on my maternal side dating back generations. My husband has also lived in East Anglia his entire life, and his family before him for literally generations and generations.

So I hope I’m qualified to pull together a 2 week itinerary to take in the area (apologies my photos are so varied, they span all the seasons and multiple years) – there’s just so much to do here it’s really worth the time, but if you can’t then just pick the days you like the best with however much time you have. Everything is close together so it shouldn’t matter too much. And throughout this post, I’ve linked in my familial ties to each place to tell my story of East Anglia too. Let’s go!

Contents

1. Contents
   1. Day 1 – 5: Cambridgeshire (stay in Cambridge all 4 nights)
      1. Day 1 and 2: Cambridge
      2. Day 3: Cambridgeshire Villages
      3. Day 4: Ely
   2. Day 5 – 11: Suffolk (stay in Dedham Vale 3 nights and Southwold 3 nights)
      1. Day 5: Cambridge to Dedham Vale, via Bury St Edmunds
      2. Day 6: Dedham Vale
      3. Day 7: Lavenham & Long Melford
      4. Day 8: Dedham Vale to Southwold, via Woodbridge
      5. Day 9-10: Suffolk Coast
   3. Day 11 – 14: Norfolk (stay all 3 nights in/near Burnham Market)
      1. Day 11: Southwold to Burnham Market, via Norwich
      2. Day 12-13: Norfolk Coast
      3. Day 14: Sandringham and departure
2. Other Options
   1. Cambridgeshire
   2. Suffolk
   3. Norfolk

Day 1 – 5: Cambridgeshire (stay in Cambridge all 4 nights)

Day 1 and 2: Cambridge

On day 1 arrive in Cambridge and over this day and the next, explore the historic city itself. Be sure to visit the University buildings, go punting along the river, visit the Fitzwilliam Museum and walk the Backs. You could also explore pretty Grantchester and the Botanic Gardens – you can pick what you’d like to do from my list HERE, or just follow my 2 day itinerary HERE.

What it means to me: Cambridge is a special place to me – we live close by and my aunty and cousins live in the centre so I’ve spent a lot of time here. If you see Waterstones bookshop, that’s where I went on my first date with my now husband!

Day 3: Cambridgeshire Villages

Start the day by driving or taking the bus from Cambridge to Houghton, and spend your morning on a beautiful walk in the Cambridgeshire countryside. You can visit gorgeous villages full of thatched cottages, have lunch in a traditional pub and take a stroll along the historic waterfront in St Ives – follow the route HERE.

After a morning walking, explore some of the other picture perfect villages of the area – Abbotts Ripton, Barrington and Bourn will all be close by (post HERE). Alternatively, head back towards Cambridge and spend the afternoon exploring an incredible stately home at Wimpole Hall (post HERE and HERE), before returning to the city centre for dinner and a good night’s sleep.

What it means to me: The morning walk will take you past my house. This area is my true home and safe space. I love exploring but home is my place of peace – long walks, lots of conversations, major moments of my life – they’re all from here.

Day 4: Ely

Today take a day trip to Ely (post HERE) on the train, a city famous for its cathedral on the Fens. The Fens are an area across East Anglia basically built on water. The land is very flat and wet – but Ely is gorgeous and a must for any history buff as it’s the home of Oliver Cromwell, whose house you can visit. You could even time your visit for the annual eel throwing competition, marking the city’s namesake animal.

What it means to me: Ely is my favourite city in the county. My Grandpa did his clergy training to become a vicar at Ely Theological college (you’ll spot a theme through this post of my familial vicars everywhere across East Anglia), my best friend and 2 ‘nephews’ live here, my mother in law is here, and I’ve spent special nights with special people over a few too many glasses of wine here.

Day 5 – 11: Suffolk (stay in Dedham Vale 3 nights and Southwold 3 nights)

Day 5: Cambridge to Dedham Vale, via Bury St Edmunds

Wake up in Cambridge and set off after breakfast to Bury St Edmunds (post HERE). It’s a lovely market town where you can explore the cathedral, do some shopping and grab some food before heading to Ickworth House for an afternoon stroll. Continue on to Dedham Vale, which will be your overnight base for 3 nights.

What it means to me: This is the area where I got married! Plus my maternal grandpa’s family are from this area and my favourite recent visit was to see my absolutely adorable goddaughter for a walk around Ickworth.

Day 6: Dedham Vale

Today head to Dedham Vale, one of the most beautiful areas of Suffolk and a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It’s known as Constable Country as its where he painted his famous works of art. Spend the day exploring Flatford, East Bergholt and Dedham on a walk voted in the top 20 in England for picture perfect views. You can read more about it HERE.

Day 7: Lavenham & Long Melford

From your Dedham Vale base, drive north to Lavenham – one of the most famous places in East Anglia. Home to ancient timbered houses which were even used in the filming of Harry Potter, beat the crowds and arrive early. Spend the morning there before heading on to Long Melford (post HERE). In Long Melford, visit Melford Hall, a favourite haunt of Beatrix Potter. Also stroll up to the church and across to Kentwell Hall if you have time.

What it means to me: In Long Melford, one of my ancestors was vicar. And in Lavenham, my Uncle is the current vicar. If you need help at any point, head to the nearest vicarage – they’ll probably be housing or know one of my relatives!

Day 8: Dedham Vale to Southwold, via Woodbridge

Leave Dedham Vale and head north to Southwold, but first stop off at Woodbridge (post HERE) to explore the town and most importantly visit Sutton Hoo, the world famous Anglo Saxon burial ground. If you have time, also make a stop off in Framlingham to visit its incredible castle, which once imprisoned Mary Tudor.

What it means to me: Woodbridge was where my grandpa was vicar in the 1990s, and I spent many childhood holidays sailing my boat on the pond and visiting the toy shop. My grandpa was also vicar at Framlingham for 15 years and it’s where my Mum grew up. Fram castle is a special and emotive place for me – the photo above was taken on the day of my beloved Granny’s funeral.

Day 9-10: Suffolk Coast

Spend the next 2 days enjoying some of the best beaches in England (post HERE). In Southwold enjoy the Pier, beach huts, lighthouse and picture perfect streets – maybe even take a walk via the passenger ferry to Walberswick where the beaches are quieter. Also head down the coast to Orford and its historic castle and postcard houses, and take a walk between Aldeburgh and Thorpeness to see the ‘House in the Clouds’ and the windmill. Along the way, tuck in to seaside fish and chips, a stick of English rock and sample the local breweries.

What it means to me: I have the happiest of memories of exploring this area with my Granny and Grandpa as a child, eating fish and chips on the beach and long walks. My uncle was also vicar here until this year (I know you’re shocked!).

Day 11 – 14: Norfolk (stay all 3 nights in/near Burnham Market)

Day 11: Southwold to Burnham Market, via Norwich

On day 11, head north in to Norfolk and to your base for the final 3 nights – in or around Burnham Market in North Norfolk. Instead of driving straight there, stop off in Norwich for the day en-route. Here be sure to explore Elm Hill, visit the castle and enjoy the huge cathedral and its famous close. After spending the day there, continue on to your hotel.

What it means to me: It might surprise you (not) but my great grandpa was also in the church – actually as a Bishop. Whilst his most exotic post was most definitely as Bishop of Singapore, his last church post was in Norwich. He was able to live and retire in Norwich’s beautiful Cathedral Close. As a child I used to think it was the most beautiful big house and I loved visiting.

Day 12-13: Norfolk Coast

Spend the next 2 days meandering along the Norfolk Coast from your base in Burnham Market. You can go on a boat trip to see the seals at Blakeney Point, visit one of the most beautiful white sand beaches in the country at Holkham, as well as explore Holkham Hall. Wells-next-the-sea is also a must visit, with a ride on the mini steam train to Walsingham a fun way to spend an afternoon. You can see my full write up HERE.

What it means to me: The Norfolk coast is a healing place for me and where I tend to come for long walks alone to clear my head. I’m so grateful for having this close enough for me to escape to.

Day 14: Sandringham and departure

It’s time to head out of East Anglia, but before doing so, head to Sandringham (post HERE). You can’t visit Norfolk and not go and visit the royals! Sandringham is the Royal Family’s Christmas retreat and you can visit the grounds and inside the house. If you have time, you could also pop down the road to Oxburgh Hall (post HERE), which is one of the most picturesque old houses in the country.

After all that exploring it’s time to head home – after a hopefully brilliant 2 weeks in East Anglia.

Other Options

If there are things here that don’t appeal to you (or you want to stay for longer!), then you could also substitute days with some of the ideas below:

Cambridgeshire

• Take a trip to Peterborough to see where Catherine of Aragon is buried, and visit Burghley House, a gorgeous stately home.
• Do some more countryside walks, perhaps taking in Anglesey Abbey, Grafham Water or another of the county’s beautiful villages such as Bottisham. You could even explore the Fens, a naturally beautiful but very wet area of the country.
• Visit another of the area’s incredible museums – why not try the Polar Museum, or Duxford Imperial War Museum. You could even tour the country’s first eco-mosque.

Suffolk

• Spend longer in Dedham Vale, taking in more of the beautiful area.
• Take to the roads and visit more of the postcard perfect English villages in the county.
• Enjoy a day in Ipswich, the main town in Suffolk. A day here could be spent shopping, enjoying art galleries and visiting Christchurch Mansion which has a surviving Tudor kitchen.

Norfolk

• Visit the birth place of Anne Boleyn at Blickling Hall.
• Hire a boat and take to the Norfolk broads for a day on the waterways, even trying a stay at a windmill.
• Visit Thetford Forest for brilliant walks and outdoor activities like horse riding, ziplining, segways and mountain biking

What do you think of East Anglia? I hope I’ve done some justice to the beautiful area in which I live and which most of my family still calls home – and that you think it might even be worth a visit. I hope you can see that every place here has a connection to who I am, and I couldn’t be more proud that this is my little piece of the world to call home. Stay safe and happy travelling everyone.

Since COVID lockdown forced me to explore a variety of local walks, I’ve really enjoyed spending time out in Cambridgeshire on foot. Statistically Cambridgeshire is the flattest county in England, and contour lines on maps are virtually non existent – so if you want epic views and climbs, then you’re in the wrong county.

However, what it does give you is a diverse range of landscapes from riverside scenery, chocolate box villages, market towns, historic cities, beautiful stately homes and its unique Fenlands – waterlogged lowlands which have been drained creating huge flood plains and fertile agricultural land. It’s the perfect place to explore on foot, so welcome to the county I call home.

Most of these walks I have taken from the awesome Ordnance Survey book for Cambridgeshire and the Fens. For the purposes of this blog, I’ve tried to find the closest free online link to the route I followed, but I also really recommend buying the book so you have totally clear directions.

Contents

1. Contents
2. Short Walks (<5km)
   1. Cambridge city centre stroll
   2. Anglesey Abbey
   3. Fen Ditton to Horningsea
   4. Milton Country Park
   5. Mepal and the Hundred Foot Drain
3. Middle Distance Walks (5km-10km)
   1. St Ives, Houghton & The Hemingfords
   2. Grantchester Meadows
   3. Over to Swavesey Fenland circular
   4. Burghley House & Stamford
   5. Buckden and The Offords
   6. St Ives to Woodhurst
   7. Stow cum Quy Fen
   8. Wimpole Hall & Park
   9. Elton to Fotheringhay loop
   10. Stilton and Folksworth
4. Long Distance Walks (>10km)
   1. Gog Magog Hills and the Granta Valley
   2. Abbotts Ripton to Kings Ripton
   3. The Bishops Way (Ely & Little Downham)
   4. Ferry Meadows, River Nene and Peterborough
   5. Grafham Water

Short Walks (<5km)

Cambridge city centre stroll

Distance: 4km Time: 1hr Best for: Historic city centre, ancient buildings, photography Route Link: Cambridge city centre trail

If you’re wanting to spend some time in Cambridgeshire exploring then the best place to start is Cambridge itself. Taking a walk around the city centre will enable you to breathe in the history – from the ancient University buildings to historic churches. Also be sure to stroll along the river Cam and along the Cambridge Backs for some of the most photogenic spots in the county.

If you are wanting to make more of a visit to the city, then you can read my full guide of things to do in Cambridge HERE and my two day itinerary HERE.

Anglesey Abbey

Distance: 3.2km Time: 1hr Best for: Stately home, well marked trails, no map neededRoute Link: Angelsey Abbey (example only, you could follow any of the property’s well marked trails)

Just north east of Cambridge is Anglesey Abbey, a National Trust property. The abbey was originally a religious monastery, dissolved in 1536 during Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries. Later, a Jacobean House was built on the site of the former priory, and was privately owned until 1966, when it was donated to the National Trust.

Visiting today, there is a lovely set trail that you can walk around the abbey grounds and up to Lode mill, through the seasonal gardens. There is also a huge woodland area to walk as well, and there are loads of well signed trails. There is also a light trail and decorated house for Christmas.

Fen Ditton to Horningsea

Distance: 4.5km Time: 1hr Best for: Riverside stroll, easy, pubs along the river Route Link: Fen Ditton

Just to the east of Cambridge lie a number of gorgeous villages. Fen Ditton and Horningsea are two lovely areas, and a walk between the two takes about an hour, starting at the Cambridge Museum of Technology. You can stroll along the river in Fen Ditton, through Ditton Meadows and Stourbridge Common and then follow the Cam north until you reach Horningsea. You can also cross over to Milton Country Park (below) to extend the walk.

Milton Country Park

Distance: 3-5km Time: 1hr Best for: Large park, well marked trails, no map needed Route Link: None needed, just enjoy walking around the park

For a great option close to Cambridge, head to Milton country park – a lovely little spot home to woodland and lakes with lots of clearly marked walking paths. You won’t have to navigate any maps here, and can just walk at leisure amongst nature. I loved all the mini lakes around the park on a beautiful spring day.

Mepal and the Hundred Foot Drain

Distance: 5km Time: 1hr Best for: Fenland, easy stroll, waterways, pub lunch Route Link: Mepal Loop

Another easy stroll in Cambridgeshire, this one taking in the incredible Fenland and its drainage systems, is Mepal and the hundred foot drain. A short loop taking in the river and fields surrounding Mepal village, it also has a great pub on the route – The Three Pickerels near Mepal bridge.

Middle Distance Walks (5km-10km)

St Ives, Houghton & The Hemingfords

Distance: 9.5kmTime: 2.5hrs Best for: Chocolate Box villages, thatched cottages, day out, Instagram Route Link: National Trust St Ives Walk

This walk is all about the beautiful thatched cottages and pretty river views. It’s my favourite in all of Cambridgeshire and takes in the stunning villages of Houghton, Hemingford Abbotts, Hemingford Grey and the riverside town of St Ives. There are also plenty of restaurants, pubs and places to stop on the way round to make a full day out of it.

You can read my detailed write up of the route HERE.

Grantchester Meadows

Distance: 7kmTime: 1.5hrs Best for: Easy access from Cambridge, riverside scenery, village & tearoomsRoute Link: Grantchester Meadows walk

The picture perfect village of Grantchester is just outside the centre of Cambridge. The meadows are the area between the village and the river Cam, full of wild flowers with lots of benches and picnic spots. You can walk directly to Grantchester from Cambridge city centre, so you can do this walk easily if you’re staying in Cambridge and fancy seeing a bit of the English countryside.

Over to Swavesey Fenland circular

Distance: 7.6kmTime: 2.5hrs Best for: Fenland, rivers Route Link: Over and Swavesey

If you want to explore Cambridgeshire’s stunning Fenland, then there’s no more beautiful a walk than the loop from Over to Swavesey through Mare Fen and the RSPB Fen Lakes land. On a sunny or clear day, it really is beautiful -but just be careful the rivers aren’t in flood and be prepared for muddy paths all year round.

You can also read my guide to Fenland Cambridgeshire HERE (post coming soon).

Burghley House & Stamford

Distance: 6.4kmTime: 2hrs Best for: Stately home, beautiful town, day out Route Link: Burghley House & Stamford

This walk pushes right up to the Northern border of Cambridgeshire, starting at the historic Burghley House. The house is a prime example of Elizabethan architecture and is still lived in by the Cecil family to this day. The house is open on a seasonal basis, and the grounds and park are open year round.

I combined a visit to Burghley house with a bit of a cheat walk because it actually crosses the county border in to Lincolnshire. Stamford is a stunning town though, perfect for a spot of shopping, exploring the beautiful streets and treating yourself to a delicious dinner in one of its many eateries to make a day of it.

Buckden and The Offords

Distance: 8.6kmTime: 2.5hrs Best for: Riverside views, ancient palace, waterwaysRoute Link: Buckden walking route

Right in the west of Cambridgeshire lie a lot of beautiful little villages. Offord Cluny and Offord Darcy are full of picture perfect houses, and a stroll along yet another river, this time the river Ouse, brings you to Buckden. Famous for its towers, which are also known as Buckden Palace – a 12th century house which was once visited by Henry VII, it’s well worth a visit.

St Ives to Woodhurst

Distance: 7.2kmTime: 2hrs Best for: Rolling fields, pretty villages Route Link: St Ives to Woodhurst walk

This walk is about a 4.5 mile round route. It doesn’t take in the centre of St Ives (if you want to do that then have a look at the Houghton to St Ives walk above) as it starts in the car park at the Co-op in St Ives. Turn right on to the main road out of the car park and walk until you hit the public footpath which guides you on to Woodhurst on a beautiful ramble through the fields and hedgerows. I recommend doing this walk in the summer to enjoy the wide open views, and woodland paths full of butterflies, as well as Woodhurst’s small duck pond.

Stow cum Quy Fen

Distance: 7.2kmTime: 2hrs Best for: Fenland walks, thatched cottages, woodland Route Link: Quy Fen walk

This walk really made me appreciate the incredible water systems we have in place across Cambridgeshire. I’ve talked about the Fenlands already above but by their nature it means we flood easily and we’ve had to install drainage systems all across the area. This walk takes in many of these small waterways which are really atmospheric in the depths of winter.

Wimpole Hall & Park

Distance: 7.6kmTime: 2hrs Best for: Stately home, spring time daffodils, Christmas trails, history Route Link: Wimpole Park

Wimpole Hall is a beautiful National Trust property, not far from the centre of Cambridge – making for a perfect trip from the city. It’s particularly beautiful in the spring with its daffodil gardens and you can easily spend around 3-4 hours exploring the Hall and Gardens, or walking one of the recommended trails around the park, especially the route up to the folly.

Elton to Fotheringhay loop

Distance: 8.1km Time: 2hrs Best for: Beautiful villages, rolling fields Route Link: Elton Fotheringhay circuit

Pushing the northern border of Cambridgeshire close to Peterborough, Elton is one of the county’s most picture perfect villages. Even better when you can combine it with a 8km flat walk, and a pub lunch via Fotheringhay. A beautiful way to spend a morning.

Stilton and Folksworth

Distance: 9.5km/13km adding Caldecote WoodTime: 2.5hrs Best for: Rolling fields, animals, farmland, history Route Link: Stilton and Folksworth loop (perimeter of Caldecote Wood added on vs the route I did)

Visit the home of the famous cheese on this walk. This easy walk is a lovely way to spend an afternoon rambling through all kinds of agricultural fields and farmland. Say hello to donkeys, sheep and horses too along the route – as well as see the historic sites of what was Washingley castle and village. Our Easter weekend walk was so much fun as well as there were decorations everywhere.

Long Distance Walks (>10km)

Gog Magog Hills and the Granta Valley

Distance: 11.3kmTime: 3.5hrs Best for: Woodland walks Route Link: Gog Magog Hills walk

Deep in the south of Cambridgeshire lie its equivalent to a mountain climb. The Gog Magog Hills (what a name) are a range of low chalk hills. To be honest, you’d barely notice they were hills unless everything else in the county was flatter than a spirit level! Next to the ‘Gogs’ is Wandlebury Country Park which is beautiful in autumn with all the golden leaves, and is where I recommend parking to then join the trail linked per the route above. This is a stunning one for autumn.

Abbotts Ripton to Kings Ripton

Distance: 11kmTime: 3.25hrs Best for: Pretty villages Route Link: Abbotts Ripton walk

Two beautiful villages in west Cambridgeshire, Abbotts Ripton and Kings Ripton are the perfect option for a half day trip to include a walk followed by a yummy pub lunch. Starting in Kings Ripton, a walk through the (unsurprisingly) flat fields will bring you to one of my favourite villages in Cambridgeshire, Abbotts Ripton full of pretty thatched cottages and a quaint village centre.

Most importantly, there’s also a great pub called The Abbotts Elm in the village which is a good spot to have lunch. As you can see, we’ve done this walk on both cold, crisp winter mornings and in mid-summer.

The Bishops Way (Ely & Little Downham)

Distance: 17km Time: 5hrs Best for: Spiritual, ancient cathedral, history Route Link: The Bishop’s Way

Ely is my favourite town in Cambridgeshire and this is such a beautiful walk to explore another side to the county. Following medieval tracks out across the fens, The Bishop’s Way takes you along the route used by the Bishops of Ely to their Palace in Downham. 

Hundreds of years ago before the fens were artificially drained, Downham-in-the-Isle was a real island among flat and boggy reed fen.  It was here that Athelwold, Bishop of Winchester set up his monastic settlement in 970.  The estate grew and prospered for 500 years and played host to many bishops from Ely.  In the summer months, when the roads were best, they travelled by horse up what is now Hurst Lane to their summer Palace. 

If you have time it’s also really worth spending time in Ely given it’s beautiful Cathedral, old buildings and riverside pubs.

You can read my full post on visiting Ely HERE.

Exploring historic Ely

Ferry Meadows, River Nene and Peterborough

Distance: 16.5km Time: 5hrs Best for: Country Park, Tudor History, riverside viewsRoute Link: Ferry Meadows (plus add on the extra short distance to the centre of Peterborough)

For this walk it’s time to explore another historic centre in the county – Peterborough. Peterborough is home to Catherine of Aragon’s tomb (she was the first wife of Henry VIII), and lots of beautiful nature spots included Ferry Meadows and lovely riverside views along the Nene river.

My full guide to Peterborough can be found HERE.

Grafham Water

Distance: 15km Time: 4.5hrs Best for: Lake views, watersports, Cambridgeshire’s answer to a beach Route Link: Grafham Water

Grafham Water is a reservoir on the very west border of Cambridgeshire. It offers lots of water sport activities, as well as cycling and hiking trails. There are also a few stretches of shoreline which could *almost* pass as a beach. I recommend doing this walk in summer – we did it in winter and to be honest it was a little miserable and my least favourite walk on this list.

Thanks for reading – I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing some of my home county, through all the seasons and I hope this post has given you some good ideas for walks if you’re visiting. Which was your favourite? Stay safe and happy travelling.

If you are visiting Cambridge and fancy joining a walking tour with them, you can get a discount with my code on booking: HANNAH10.

The tour starts at Kings Parade. We met our tour guide, Lindsay, at the entrance to the college and she talked us through the history of the University starting at its founding in 1209.

Our first stop was the Corpus Clock. Built in 2008 and unveiled by Stephen Hawking, it’s one of the city’s must see sites. The clock is meant to be a piece of art and has multiple meanings. It’s a reminder of our mortality, with inscriptions reminding us that every second we are closer to our death (lovely). It also only shows the correct time once every 5 minutes – because it also represents the philosophical school of thought where time is not equal; some moments feel longer or shorter depending on who we’re with, how we’re feeling etc – so the clock changes speed.

After visiting the clock, we headed to The Eagle Pub, the most famous in Cambridge. It’s famous for two reasons, the first being that Watson and Crick announced their discovery of DNA here in 1953 (Note: Rosalind Franklin’s research was critical to this but she was left out from the narrative and wasn’t honoured with the Nobel Prize like the men). This pub was also where many RAF pilots came to drink before flying to war in WW2, and they wrote notes on the walls, meaning it’s become a pilgrimage site for RAF servicemen and women today.

Our next stop was to head in to one of the colleges – Pembroke. Pembroke is the third oldest college at the University. Its members are termed ‘Valencians’ after the College’s founder, Aymer de Valence, 2nd Earl of Pembroke. This was my favourite part of the tour and the Chapel was a real highlight.

After this we headed to the river and across to see the Mathematical Bridge. Contrary to popular belief this wasn’t built by Einstein, being constructed after his death. It was fun to watch the punters go by from the riverside, even on a cold winter’s day.

We then walked round to The Backs, to get a view back to the famous King’s College Chapel. Here it was enlightening to learn that whilst women at Cambridge were admitted in 1869, they weren’t actually technically allowed to graduate or receive degrees until 1948! In fact, some colleges didn’t even admit women until nearly the 1990s, Magdalene College being the last in 1988. The male students protested the decision by donning black armbands, carrying a coffin full of books through the streets and flying the college flag at half-mast in a show of ‘grief’. A-holes. (I would also imagine most of those men are now fathers with children of University age – I’m sure they wouldn’t want their daughters facing the same A-hole behaviour).

Our final stop on the tour was at Trinity College, to have a peek at Isaac Newton’s bedroom whilst he was a student here. Outside the window is now an apple tree, cut from the famous one we all know about where the apple fell on his head. Interestingly, it’s a surprise the tree even grew here as the land outside the window had been infertile for decades as Newton used to tip his biohazardous waste out of his window given there were no laboratories at the time.

The total time the tour took was 1.5hrs, and you can then add on tickets to King’s College as well if you like to see the stunning Chapel. As I’d already done this a couple of times before, I didn’t do this part but if you’re visiting the city for the first time I highly recommend it (photos below taken on a previous visit).

Sometimes it’s nice to remember how amazing home is. I love that Cambridge is my home city and that I live just a short drive from the centre. Thank you to Christina, Lindsay and the team for having me and thank you all for following along on the walk. Stay safe and happy travelling!

The History of Cambridge Eco Mosque

The Mosque here is new, having opened in 2019. It’s on a site about a 40 minute walk from the centre of Cambridge along Mill Road. Previously the site was home to everything from a bowling alley, to a petrol station, to a John Lewis warehouse. At the same time, the local Muslim population was growing, and existing Mosques couldn’t house worshippers – to the point they were having to pray on the street during busy prayer times.

So once the John Lewis warehouse stopped being operational, The Muslim Academic Trust decided to buy the site in 2009, and raise the £23m needed to fund the building of a brand new Mosque here. It really struck me that I manage projects at work for more than that that deliver not nearly as much as this has – to me it was £23m well spent for the local community and city I call home.

The Cambridge Eco Mosque Building

The building is amazing. It has been built so considerately, with a lot of thoughtful touches – I’ll do my best to remember some of them!

Firstly, there’s parking underground. This was because often city mosques can lead to lots of illegal on-road parking, which local residents were really worried about. This makes it super easy and convenient to visit and means your car isn’t blocking anyone’s drive or pavements.

Approaching the Mosque, the first thing you see is the garden. I’d noticed at other Mosques I’ve visited around the world, they don’t have a front garden – it’s normally a courtyard in the middle. My tour guide explained that this is in homage to the fact the Mosque is in England – we love our front gardens here, and the Mosque wanted to stay in keeping with that. Other interesting points about the garden were that it had a yew tree hedging in the same way many Christian churches do, again to symbolise understanding of other religions important to the community.

In the centre of the garden is a beautiful octagonal fountain, with 4 entry points representing the 4 seas of Islam (water, honey, milk and wine). The octagon is then reflected as you walk in to the entrance hall of the Mosque which is full of Octagonal patterns on the floor and ceiling. Geometry is important in Islamic design and the symmetry was so beautiful to look at. The roof also has areas that encourage swifts to nest in it, to help the endangered bird find safe homes.

Inside you also start to appreciate the ‘trees’ everywhere. These were perhaps my favourite design element, being multi purpose. Of course, one is that they are eco and made of wood (only 2 companies in the world can bend the wood in the way required), meaning the building is made only of natural materials. They also keep the front of the building shaded so that it doesn’t get too hot in the summer, and warm in the winter so it doesn’t lose too much heat. The trees are also a nod to a local neighbour – King’s College Chapel, the most famous Christian structure in Cambridge. I loved this link, it’s just so harmonious to reflect the Mosques entire community.

The brick work on the walls of the entrance is also symbolic, with the raised red bricks spelling Arabic words – the photo below shows the word Allah, or God, written 4 times in a quadrant.

Moving through to the Prayer Hall was really special. Having this huge space to myself was quite awe inspiring and incredibly peaceful. All religions are allowed in the Prayer Hall, and there are some thoughtful touches – for example, there is a woman and baby area which is sound proof so even parents dealing with screaming babies can join in the prayer and not worry about the noise!

The Prayer Hall continues with its thoughtful symbolism. It has stained glass windows – another nod to the Christian church, but in Arabic shapes to merge the two religions. It also has links to the three holiest Islamic sites – Mecca, Jerusalem and Medina. There is a piece of cloth from Mecca, tiles from Jerusalem and design elements from Medina.

Cambridge Eco Mosque: Beyond the Building

Beyond the Building, the Mosque also acts as a community space. There is a conference room area, which houses a few interesting exhibits on the Islamic world’s contribution to science, maths and medicine. There is also a little Cafe, and some amazing bathrooms which feel more like a spa than a toilet.

I really did feel like the Mosque has been so considerate of where it is. It is a Muslim building, of course, and when I enter we respect those religious traditions and beliefs – but I also feel a connection to the non-Muslim Cambridge community. It brings the two together. It’s a Mosque, but it’s a very definite English Mosque and actually a very definitely Cambridge Mosque. I love that, and it reflects the diversity of our city and the links between our religious groups.

I’m so pleased I visited, and really do encourage anyone who visits Cambridge to do the same. You don’t need to be a Muslim, just interested in learning about other cultures. And in today’s society, isn’t that more important than ever to do.

Thanks so much for reading. I hope you found it interesting to learn about the Eco Mosque here in Cambridge. And if you’re interested in other things to do in Cambridge, please have a look at:

• Cambridge 48 hour itinerary
• Cambridge things to do
• Cambridge walking tour (post coming soon)

Across the 2022 colder months, continuing my autumn & winter England series, we explored four walks in this beautiful area.

Thetford Forest – Lynford Stag & Arboretum

Thetford Forest is the largest man made forest in England, and is roughly the size of an entire city! It was established in the 1920s and is run by the Forestry Commission, consisting of almost 20,000 hectares of trees. Thetford Forest is not only a haven for deer, birds and other wildlife, but it also provides timber for the nation – and provides employment not only for foresters but for contractors, sawmillers, hauliers and, of course, tourism related businesses.

It’s the perfect place for woodland walks, wildlife spotting and fresh air and makes for the perfect day trip from Cambridge, Norwich, Ely or anywhere in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk or Suffolk.

If you’re looking for a peaceful walk, then Lynford Stag in the Forest is a great place to start. There is a little picnic site, and then 2 main walking trails to take in a wide range of landscapes – from dense forest to lakes and marshland. You can find the walking trails in detail HERE. We loved exploring the trails and walked a 10km route around the area. It’s also home to the Lynford Arboretum which has a nice selection of trees and wildlife to explore.

Lopham Fen

Across this region of England, there are many fens – these are areas of wetland, often with surface water. We have many of them in Cambridge, with Ely being the most famous city built on ‘the Fens’.

They are special places that support a diverse range of plants and animals. Lopham Fen is one such nature reserve, but which goes beyond a fen as you can also explore the areas of woodland, heath and even follow the river Waveney that rises here.  Whether you’re a wildlife enthusiast or just keen to get outside, the fen creates a sense peace and tranquillity as a wild open landscape.  

If you do visit the Fens, be prepared for a very wet surface – part of the fun is trying not to sink! Also be sure to stop at the incredible refreshments van in the car park as the hot chocolates are the BEST I’ve ever had.

Great Hockham and Harling Wood

Great Hockham is another picturesque area of South Norfolk, which we chose to visit for our 3rd weekend walk in the area – offering 2 scenic walking trails as well as the opportunity for horse riding.

This area of the Forest is also a distinctive landscape, and is home to the famous Great Eastern Pingo Trail – Pingos are an exciting word for little pools of water, like the one in my photo below, which were formed during the last Ice Age!

Thetford Forest – High Lodge

Our fourth and final walking route was at High Lodge – the main area in Thetford Forest and home to most of the attractions, so is more for activities than it is for walking and hiking albeit there are still 4 walking trails. There are also 3 cycling trails, multiple play areas and activities including Go Ape (a big forest climbing area with zip lines), Forest Segwaying and even Archery which makes it a great location for kids. We did the Segwaying and it was a lot of fun! You can read more about the things to do at High Lodge HERE.

To make a weekend of it

You could also choose to stay longer and make a weekend of it in or around the area. The wonderful Thorpe Forest log cabins within Thetford Forest itself are beautiful and for ultimate luxury you could go for a Golden Oak cabin with a log fire, huge floor to ceiling windows and a secluded hot tub.

If log cabins aren’t your thing, then you could stay in a local hotel outside of the nature reserve areas of South Norfolk – Tuddenham Mill is wonderful, with big free standing baths. If you would prefer to stay in a town for good restaurant options, then Newmarket, Ely, Cambridge and Norwich are also all potential bases for exploration.

Thank you so much for reading. It’s been great to explore some of the less well known regions of England and go for some lovely walks out in nature. I hope you enjoyed following along – stay safe and happy travelling!

As I walked down the entrance path, carols drifted softly in the air. That lovely warm feeling of Christmas swept over me and I headed straight to the shop for a warm mulled wine (a bit indulgent before lunch, but hey it’s Christmas) while watching the carolers.

Feeling suitably festive, I headed in to the gardens to enjoy the crisp winter air on a walk around the grounds. The air was so cold that it made my eyes water and my nose turn red, but it didn’t matter because everything looked just so pretty. My first stop was the formal gardens with some absolutely beautiful views of the house, although my fingers nearly froze off taking photos!

Each Christmas, Wimpole holds a light trail in the evenings. I was visiting in the day so the lights weren’t on, but I walked around it anyway, enjoying the decorations. I particularly loved the big fat robin. The views out over the fields in the stunning winter light were also special, and I paused for a while just to enjoy them. I’ve got much better in the last 12-24 months of appreciating ‘the moment’ and feeling peaceful in myself so I just said a little thank you – for being healthy, happy, and privileged enough to have places like this on my doorstep.

After losing all feeling in my toes, fingers and face it was time to head inside and warm up. The house was decorated beautifully for Christmas with multiple trees and things to do. Christmas here must have been such an event and I could imagine it being full of families enjoying themselves.

I reflected on Christmas – I love this time of year, it’s been my favourite since I was little. I love the cosy time, snuggling down inside while it’s cold outside and enjoying some quality time with family. I do feel like Christmas today is so commercialised though, with a view of how it ‘should’ look in the media perpetuated by stereotypes. At this time of year I always think of those who aren’t able to spend it how they would want – those who’ve lost people, who are on their own, whose family have moved away, or whatever the circumstance may be. Christmas may just be one day, but I’m sure it’s a very complicated and emotional day for many.

So really to me, the most important thing is to make it a time where I give love -to be kind, to be grateful, to appreciate people.

So thank you everyone for your continued readership, this is my 3rd Christmas running Barney Travel Technologies and it’s a joy to share my adventures with you. I am grateful for your support, friendship and shared stories. I hope wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, you have a wonderful Christmas.

I looked on the map and settled on Dedham Vale, an area about 1.5hrs drive away – famous for being home to John Constable, the renowned artist. ‘Constable Country’ as Dedham Vale is now known is where he painted his famous paintings such as The Hay Wain and Wivenhoe Park, depicting gorgeous countryside settings featuring horse and carts, country cottages and green fields. It might be a bygone age, but Dedham Vale is one of those places that in 200 years, hasn’t really changed that much.

You can still visit most of the places depicted in the paintings and whilst I’m not a huge art fan, I am a huge fan of beautiful uninterrupted English countryside. So off I went to explore.

A perfect weekend itinerary in Dedham Vale

Friday: Arrival & Relaxing in luxury

On Friday night, I drove to my chosen hotel in the area. There are lots of nice ones to choose from – Dedham Hall, Talbooth House, The Crown at Stoke-by-Nayland – or perhaps my choice, The Marquis in Upper Layham. It lies just on the outskirts of Dedham Vale and is absolutely stunning. I stayed in a Vale View room meaning uninterrupted countryside views from my bath; dreamy!

Saturday: On Constable’s trail

I dedicated the full day on Saturday to exploring in Constable’s footsteps. I thought I’d start with the main event, driving 15 minutes to the hamlet of Flatford to pay homage to The Hay Wain, currently hanging in The National Gallery in London. Here you can find the depicted Willy Lott’s Cottage still standing, and the scene is virtually unchanged in 200 years – with the cottage, pond and sweep of trees.

I then made the short walk to Bridge Cottage, which was once the home of tenants of the Constable family, but today is the site of a lovely RSPB wildlife garden. It’s jumbled with butterflies, dragonflies and flowers and even has a tearoom next door. I treated myself to some cake and watched the world go by.

After the refuel, I decided to take a walk along the River Stour, following one of the ‘top 100’ walks in England. There were people wild swimming, lots of paddle boarding and kayaking, and plenty of row boats too – very English!

I walked from Flatford to Dedham itself. It’s about a 1hr walk to get there, where I took in the 15th-century St Mary’s Church and enjoyed Dedham’s colourful buildings painted in ochres and flaming reds. I also treated myself to a late lunch and then strolled back to my car along the river.

After getting back to my car, I drove the short distance to East Bergholt, Constable’s childhood home. This little village features St Mary the Virgin Church, where the country’s heaviest hand-operated bells are still tolled each Sunday. You’ll also find a sprinkling of decent pubs and cafés. 

After a quick drink, I wiggled my way through some other villages en-route back to my hotel, taking in Raydon and Hadleigh, with Hadleigh famous for its stunning ancient Guild Hall.

After spending an hour there, I returned to my hotel for a tasty dinner and then sank in to a luxurious bath. I slept so soundly in the giant bed – total bliss.

Sunday: Exploring Dedham Vale AONB

After a nice breakfast at the hotel, I decided to explore a bit more of Dedham Vale, labelled an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Whilst I’d explored a small part, there were numerous other beautiful villages to visit before leaving.

I headed to the north of the region, visiting Polstead first. Here I parked up by the village green and walked around; also visiting the lovely village shop for an ice-cream to fuel me before my walk for the morning.

From Polstead I decided to do the 2hr round walk loop to neighbouring Stoke-by-Nayland. Stoke-by-Nayland was absolutely stunning, with some glorious ancient buildings behind the historic church. I also had lunch in the pub there, which was delicious.

Unfortunately it was then time to head home, although not before a stop off at Nayland, full of wonky timbered houses and quirky cottages.

I was taken aback by how gorgeous this area of England is – it’s no wonder Constable was inspired to paint, and it seems to remain largely unchanged since that time 250 years ago. It’s great that even now I can fall in love with England again, and I was genuinely sad to have to head home.

If you do decide to visit the area, and want to stay longer, Dedham Vale is also close enough to a number of other areas in Suffolk which are well worth a visit, including Long Melford (for old stately homes), Lavenham (for one of the prettiest villages in England and Harry Potter filming location), Woodbridge (for ancient Anglo Saxon history & castles) or The Suffolk Coast (for beautiful beaches).

As I drove home I thought about this time last year – I had a pretty rough end to 2021 and I reflected that 12 months on mentally I feel so much better, and life wise I’m so much more appreciative of the small things. I reflected that I’m content in my own company, realising that I’m at peace with myself, and really there’s no better feeling than that.

….And just as well really because the house was a total tip and my husband and his friends were incredibly hungover when I arrived home. Deep breaths and back to normality!

Oxburgh Hall is an incredible moated house in Norfolk, England. The hall was built in 1482 for Sir Edmund Bedingfeld. Amazingly, the family has lived at the hall since its construction, although ownership passed to the National Trust in 1952.

The first Edmund Bedingfield built the hall to reflect his rising star status at royal court. He was knighted and a further 100 years of royal service followed. In the 1500s, Mary I came to the throne and as devout Catholics, the Bedingfields had unprecedented power and prestige.

However, when Elizabeth I came to the throne, the family’s fortunes changed dramatically. The Act of Uniformity in 1559 outlawed Mass and it became illegal not to attend the parish church for the Anglican rite. The Bedingfelds’ refusal to change their faith after the reformation cost the family dearly, both politically and financially.

The late 16th century became a time of great danger for those that did not conform. Catholic priests were routinely tried and executed, Catholic gentry who gave shelter to priests were imprisoned, Catholic families retreated into their recusant communities and were obliged to conceal their worship by building secret chapels and ‘priest holes’. For 300 years, the family were subjected to heavy taxation, exclusion from public office and education. 

The house is famous for its priest hole, where the family hid Catholic priests to save them from being murdered during the persecutions.

Under the Stuart king, Charles I, there was a brief relaxation in religious persecution, fines were less rigorously collected and priests were no longer hunted down. The Bedingfeld family began to prosper again. However, this would be short lived because their support of Charles I during the English Civil War was catastrophic.

Sir Henry Bedingfeld was captured by Parliamentary forces and imprisoned in the Tower of London, one of his sons was shot, the Hall was ransacked and the East Range gutted by fire. The property was confiscated by Parliament and later sold back to the family at an extortionate price; they were also fined a further £20,000.  

The Bedingfelds’ losses were unusually severe, even for Catholics; the reason being that they were both Catholic and served in the Royalist army. Very few East Anglian Catholic families took up arms to defend the King.

After the Parliamentarian rule under Cromwell, Charles II was restored to the throne in 1660, and the family hoped they would finally be compensated for their losses. However, they would be disappointed and the family fortunes remained constrained, although they did receive a Baronetcy in reward for their loyalty. 

Continued refusal to conform after the Civil War meant further financial penalties and political ostracism. So the family retreated socially. They married fellow Catholics, educated their children abroad, served in foreign armies and spent increasing amounts of time on the continent as nuns and priests. 

From the 1770s, the family’s fortunes stabilised, they returned to public office and royal court, although by this time 300 years of heavy taxation and repression had taken its toll. The house and its relative isolation however became a sanctuary, a retreat and a symbol of the family’s defiance. I found myself kind of liking them.

In more recent years, there have been many royal visits, made especially easy as Sandringham (one of the Queen’s residences) is only 20 minutes down the road. The Queen, Queen Mother and Princess Margaret all visited in the 1980s/1990s. Today the hall feels a beautiful place, an escape and a sanctuary.

What do you think of Oxburgh and the Bedingfields? I had a great visit and will definitely be back – plus dragging friends and family when I get the chance!

If you’re interested in making your stay in Norfolk longer then please also check out:

• 2 day North Norfolk coast itinerary
• Blickling Hall, birth place of Anne Boleyn
• Cley Windmill
• Sandringham

Stay safe and happy travelling everyone!

So it felt fitting this week to post about my trips to Sandringham – the last being on a glorious day just a few weeks ago, in August. And I’m referring to it as The Queen’s House, as it was when I visited.

A Summer visit to Sandringham

Sandringham is about a 1.5hr drive from my house and it’s famous for being the Queen’s retreat, where she spent every Christmas and in the jubilee year I thought there was no time like the present to visit again. Little did I know just a few weeks later she would no longer be here.

My tickets were for 10.20am but I was running late. On the way, 2 cows had decided to set up home for the day in the middle of the road and I couldn’t get through causing a longer than I would have liked detour. When I finally arrived at Sandringham, the road was closed because the tarmac had melted in the heat making it impassable. I turned up at 10.35am flustered, sweaty and overheated.

I looked at my phone – it was 34 degrees (93F). The UK is built for temperatures between 10-20 degrees. When it’s too cold we have warnings to stay in and stay warm. When it’s snowing we don’t go in to school or work because we get warnings it’s too dangerous on the roads. And when it’s too hot…well, we all receive an amber warning to stay indoors as the roads were melting.

And so, to a virtually empty Sandringham I arrived.

I registered my car at the kiosk for free parking (‘oh you were brave driving today, I heard people’s steering wheels were melting’….WTH kind of cars do people have?), and then hurried in to the grounds. The house appeared on the horizon – wow. I can see why the Queen liked it here.

I explored the gardens, enjoying the North formal gardens (my only company was a pigeon walking round in circles…must have been the heat), the Lawns and a walk around Alexandra’s Nest – a beautiful big lake outside the house. Alexandra was the first Queen to call this place home, when King Edward VIII purchased the house in 1862 for himself and his wife.

Since then, it’s been the private home of generations of British Monarchs. Unlike most Palaces (e.g. Buckingham, Windsor), Sandringham is personally owned by the Queen herself, not the Crown. The Queen spent about two months each winter on the Sandringham Estate, including the anniversary of her father’s death and of her own accession in early February. In 1957, she broadcast her first televised Christmas message from Sandringham. In 1977, to mark her Silver Jubilee, the Queen opened the house and grounds to the public for the first time and today we can all still visit.

It was time to escape the heat and head inside. No photos are allowed, but it was lovely. Much less grand than Windsor and much more like a very posh house. They had the little Paddington Bear/Marmalade Sandwich sketch from the Jubilee earlier in 2022 set up in one of the rooms which made me smile, and I loved all the family photos everywhere.

Back in to the heat I headed to St Mary Magdalene Church, where the Queen attended church on Sundays and Christmas Day when in residence. It’s a beautiful little church.

A final walk round the grounds brought me to a temporary art installation of beautiful blue butterflies everywhere. I really liked it, and as I felt the sun on my face I smiled.

Before I left I went to the restaurant to have some lunch. It was empty, apart from an American couple by the window – of course I was directed to sit right next to them. The lady was lovely, oooing and ahhhing at everything from the place mats to the spoons. She ordered a cup of English tea and when it arrived poured it straight from the pot in to her cup (not realising the silver strainer was to get the leaves out), and then complained it was ‘full of bits, English tea sucks’. The man had ‘the most beautiful toast he’d ever seen’ (it was just some toast) and they sat there cooing that they wished they could be English and ‘see the Queen regularly’.

It made me sad actually at the time as I thought ‘she won’t be here much longer’. So many people love her and I think she has given her life to serving this country. I’m glad she could find somewhere to call home and be peaceful at Sandringham.

I headed back to my car. The steering wheel hadn’t melted.

A Winter Visit to Sandringham

On my previous visit to Sandringham, in December 2020, the steering wheel was unmanageable for another reason. It was so cold I needed gloves.

For goodness sake Hannah, why are we going out at night in the freezing cold in mid-December, the roads will be icy and dangerous – proclaimed my husband. Yes darling, we might be in danger…but then again we might not, and we might even have a nice time, I replied.

So off we drove to head to the Christmas lights trail at Sandringham, Luminate. It was a lovely trail, full of light installations to enjoy on a 1hr round loop of a walk around the estate. As the Queen was in residence, there was no way of getting close to the house let alone seeing inside – but the gardens are so big it didn’t matter.

The gardens and park at Sandringham are over 600 acres and are maintained by a large number of staff. Sandringham is somewhere the Queen, and the Royal Family for generations before, have liked to hunt – the boxing day pheasant shoot is famous. Recently Sandringham faced a hunting scandal when a protected bird, a little owl, was killed on the Estate. It will be interesting to see if future generations continue hunting in these grounds.

Anyway I digress. Also on offer were lots of glow sticks, and marshmallows to roast on open fires, and some little stalls selling nice things. I bought my grandpa a postcard and some lemon curd, and myself some gin (I know, I know). My husband moaned about how cold it was for a few hours, but cheered up when we bought some food.

I had a really nice time. And in the end we decided to extend the evening by stopping at a festive looking pub on our way home – The Dabbling Duck. The perfect way to warm up on a cold night.

Sandringham is beautiful to visit in any season and is a special place. I’m glad the Queen had so many happy times and memories here, and I can’t believe my visit in August was my last with the Queen still alive. Rest in Peace, Your Majesty.

So, here are 10 of my favourites.

1. Coddenham

Situated just outside of Ipswich, during Roman times Coddenham was once the largest settlement in all of Suffolk. It’s now quaint and beautiful and the perfect place for a countryside walk with lots of walking trails all around.

2. Lavenham

Known as the prettiest village in England in a number of polls, Lavenham is one of the most famous perfect places in the area (so get there early, it gets busy). It’s packed full of incredible Tudor houses and if you want a treat, you can stay in some of them as hotels or B&Bs. The village is also even home to the house used as Godric’s Hollow, the home of Harry Potter!

3. Orford

Famous for its castle, Orford is a beautiful village with an abundance of postcard houses. Interestingly, it’s also home to Orford Ness, a shingle spit which you can ride out on on a boat – and bizarrely also the spot where missiles were tested during the Cold War!

4. Cavendish

Nestled in the Stour Valley, Cavendish is known for its village green – home to yet more Suffolk Pink cottages. It’s beautiful on a sunny day with the church in the background.

5. Long Melford

This village is special because it’s home to not 1, but 2, stunning stately homes – Melford Hall and Kentwell Hall. It also has a brewery, an incredible church and of course, the obligatory bucket load of cute cottages.

6. Horringer cum Ickworth

Home to Ickworth Hall, this village is another one perfect for a long walk with a lovely area of surrounding woodland. The church is also pretty special and even better – you can combine it with a visit to Lavenham (above) as the two are close by.

7. Earl Soham

This is one of my favourites as it’s on the way to what was my Granny and Grandpa’s house, so it brings back fond memories of visiting as a child. I love the little cottages by the church!

8. Kersey

Kersey is a village where the main street has a ford across a stream. Its principal claim to fame is that a coarse woollen cloth called Kersey cloth takes its name from it…oh and it has Suffolk Pink houses aplenty too. Another beauty to add to the list!

9. Stoke-by-Nayland

Another gorgeous village, sitting right in the south in Dedham Vale, is Stoke-by-Nayland. It’s got one of the most beautiful churches in the area, and some stunning ancient Tudor buildings.

10. Hadleigh

Hadleigh is famous for its wonderful Guild Hall building and towers, which are totally stunning and really unique. It’s also been consistently voted one of the best places to live in Suffolk, and the whole of England.

So, what do you think of Suffolk’s villages? I am totally in love with all of them and can’t wait to explore even more as I get distracted driving around. And if you’re interested in visiting Suffolk, please check out my other posts on the area:

• An Ultimate Guide to Suffolk
• Woodbridge, Sutton Hoo & Framlingham
• Long Melford
• The Suffolk Coast
• Lavenham, Bury St Edmunds & Ickworth
• Dedham Vale

Thanks for reading – stay safe and happy travelling!