"Why would you want to go to a real school?"
VIOLET CRAWLEY, DOWAGER COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM
VIOLET CRAWLEY, DOWAGER COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM
I had plans to take the train to Cambridge on Saturday. Others were going to the Portobello Road market. I walked to Paddington Station to catch a train to East Anglia. Following the suggestions in Rick’s London book, I caught the express train and walked the 20 minutes into the center of town. Saturday was market day in Cambridge as well, and it has a regional shopping center, so the town was hoppin’. I was glad to be exploring on foot and not driving, that's for sure. I stopped in the visitor center and bought tickets for a Scudmore punting tour and an entrance ticket to King’s College Chapel. Cambridge is compact and easy to explore. Make the visitor center your first stop for maps, admission tickets, and helpful advice. From there I headed to the river dock.
I highly recommend the punting tour; it’s a lazily wonderful way to see the River Cam and the college backs. The guides are friendly, casual, and informative. Each touring punt holds up to 12 people, so you may share the tour with others who arrive at the dock the same time as you. Blankets are available on the boats—even on a sunny day, there’s a cool breeze in the shadows.
King’s College Chapel’s vaulted ceiling, stained glass, and sheer height make it worth the stop, especially if you’re an architecture buff. Rick’s London guide includes a self-guided tour you can follow.
Finding a place to eat on a busy Saturday in Cambridge is not easy. I grabbed a sandwich at a small side street café, popped in a few shops, and walked back to the train station to catch a return train to London. I couldn’t have asked for better weather for a day trip! Also, it was the first time I’d seen the countryside east of London, and it’s quite scenic. Plenty of rolling pastures.
Back in town I transferred to the Hart House Hotel on Gloucester Place just a few streets from the Sherlock Holmes, unpacked, and enjoyed yet another cup of tea. That night, five of us from the group shared one last meal at the Beehive pub. After dinner, three of us rode the Tube to Piccadilly Circus to see the lights before we called it a night. A fitting, final adieu to London.
King’s College Chapel’s vaulted ceiling, stained glass, and sheer height make it worth the stop, especially if you’re an architecture buff. Rick’s London guide includes a self-guided tour you can follow.
Finding a place to eat on a busy Saturday in Cambridge is not easy. I grabbed a sandwich at a small side street café, popped in a few shops, and walked back to the train station to catch a return train to London. I couldn’t have asked for better weather for a day trip! Also, it was the first time I’d seen the countryside east of London, and it’s quite scenic. Plenty of rolling pastures.
Back in town I transferred to the Hart House Hotel on Gloucester Place just a few streets from the Sherlock Holmes, unpacked, and enjoyed yet another cup of tea. That night, five of us from the group shared one last meal at the Beehive pub. After dinner, three of us rode the Tube to Piccadilly Circus to see the lights before we called it a night. A fitting, final adieu to London.