Journeys Through The English Countryside

The Norwich Cathedral

The fascinating journey through the English countryside continued as the vagaries of weather added to the experience. One day it was windy and cold and the next day incessant rain and on yet another day you’re surprised to see the thin flakes of snow slowly cascading earthwards. The best part is that most of the times the weather predictions are fairly accurate. After a visit to the sleepy town of Ely our next destination was was Norwich.

The corridors of the Norwich Cathedral

A short walk from our place of stay the Cambridge railway station was the best way to reach these destinations and the group tickets, a sensible decision to cut on the fares. The British rail system works very efficiently and even if one has to take the interconnecting trains, it is just a breeze.

The Norwich Castle

The trains depart from the station at the precise time. The view outside was very fascinating with miles if carpeted meadows, an occasional sighting of the cows and sheep grazing, milk processing plants, some windmills and countless small brooks. The train interchange at  Ely gave us an opportunity to pick up some chocolate doughnuts and a strawberry pie from the adjacent Tescos. The journey continued through small towns like  Brandon, Thetford and Attleborough before arriving at Norwich. It was raining so we picked up some hot coffee and stepped out of the station.The station was fairly big with many trains connecting several destinations.

A short walk from the station brought us to the picture postcard setting of the 900-year-old Norwich cathedral. The entry to the magnificent structure is free. The etched glass panes portray the stories from the Bible. The domes, pillars and arches are beautifully sculpted.

Not far from here is another iconic landmark the Norwich Castle cum art gallery.The tall imposing structure is visible from most parts of the city. The City Hall, New Market and the by lanes are strewn with cosy pubs, cafes and curio shops. The city is also well known for knitting wool and gastronomic delights ranging from tea, coffee, Indian and Chinese cuisine. The city was decked up like a bride for the Christmas and the New Year! We took the evening train after spending a day in the beautiful town.

Bury St Edmunds Cathedral

After a day's break, we set our eyes on a yet another awesome destination called Bury St Edmonds that is another 45-minute train ride from the Cambridge. The historical town is located in Suffolk and is an important cultural and pilgrimage centre. Besides the cathedral, a fortress there is a war memorial to honour the veterans of the Second World War associated with the Normandy landings and a lovely Abbey Garden.

Entrance to Abbeys Garden

Near the gardens stands the Britan's first internally illuminated street sign, the Pillar of Salt, built in 1935.Among noteworthy buildings are the Bury St Edmunds Cathedral and  St. Mary's church. There are museums of witchcraft and art galleries for the tourists who would love to explore things which are different! The town has also unusual offerings of breweries and beet sugar factory too!This town also prides in being associated with the famous writer, Charles Dickens where one can find mention in his book ' The Pickwick Papers'. A rewarding trip it was, in many ways.

Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge

The next days were spent in exploring the Cambridge town which has so much to offer and the meadows like the Granchester, Fitzwilliam Museum, a treasure trove for art lovers and the bylanes and quaint markets that surround the town. The everlasting memories of the places we visited are now firmly etched

PS This post is a continuation of the earlier post 'The English Countryside'