EastLife Autumn 2022
So, after a long hot summer, autumn is here. There is so much to love about the new season with colourful landscapes, falling conkers, stunning sunsets, and comfort food in cosy pubs.
So, after a long hot summer, autumn is here. There is so much to love about the new season with colourful landscapes, falling conkers, stunning sunsets, and comfort food in cosy pubs.
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
www.eastlife.co.uk<br />
Thursford Christmas Spectacular<br />
45 Years Anniversary Celebration<br />
Reading Retreats<br />
A getaway for bookworms to<br />
unwind and relax<br />
Fright Nights<br />
The ultimate spine-chilling<br />
experiences throughout the region<br />
5 Great things<br />
utumn<br />
to do with your dog this autumn
Chalkwell<br />
Grange<br />
LUXURY CARE HOME<br />
IN LEIGH-ON-SEA<br />
HOME-FROM-HOME<br />
LIVING<br />
WELLBEING-<br />
FOCUSED CARE<br />
COMPASSIONATE<br />
EXPERT TEAM<br />
MAKE NEW FRIENDS, BE PART OF A<br />
COMMUNITY AND LIVE MEANINGFULLY AT<br />
CHALKWELL GRANGE.<br />
TO REGISTER YOUR INTEREST,<br />
CALL OUR FRIENDLY TEAM:<br />
01702 482252<br />
OPENING<br />
OCTOBER G R
Chalkwell Grange<br />
LIVE MEANINGFULLY AT CHALKWELL GRANGE<br />
The Home<br />
NESTLED COMFORTABLY WITHIN THE QUAINT<br />
COASTAL TOWN OF LEIGH-ON-SEA,<br />
CHALKWELL GRANGE IS THE LATEST LUXURY<br />
CARE HOME IN THE SANDERS SENIOR LIVING<br />
COLLECTION TO OFFER QUALITY<br />
RESIDENTIAL AND DEMENTIA CARE TO ITS<br />
RESIDENTS.<br />
THE CHALKWELL GRANGE EXPERIENCE<br />
MEANS WE WILL ALWAYS HELP YOU FEEL<br />
PART OF OUR COMMUNITY, A COMMUNITY<br />
WHERE FRIENDSHIPS FLOURISH AND THRIVE.<br />
CHALKWELL GRANGE IS SET OVER TWO<br />
FLOORS, AND FEATURES A PLUSH CINEMA<br />
ROOM, SERENE SPA SUITE, HAIRDRESSING<br />
SALON, FULLY-EQUIPPED COCKTAIL BAR,<br />
BISTRO LOUNGES AND COSY FAMILY ROOMS.<br />
The Town<br />
VOTED AS ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO LIVE<br />
IN ENGLAND, THE QUAINT AND CHARMING<br />
COASTAL TOWN OF LEIGH-ON-SEA IS RICH IN<br />
BOTH CHARACTER AND HISTORY.<br />
RESIDENTS OF CHALKWELL GRANGE CARE<br />
HOME WILL HAVE FRUITFUL OPPORTUNITY TO<br />
EXPLORE THE TOWNS’ CHARMING CAFÉS,<br />
COBBLED STREETS AND BOUTIQUE SHOPS.<br />
TREAT YOURSELF TO A DAY ON THE<br />
BROADWAY, WHICH IS HOME TO A PARADE<br />
OF LOCAL SHOPS AND QUIRKY CAFÉS.<br />
FOR LOVERS OF NATURE, THE BELFAIRS<br />
WOODLAND NATURE DISCOVERY PARK IS A<br />
TRANQUIL LANDSCAPE OF BEAUTIFUL<br />
WOODLAND AND LEIGH BELL WHARF BEACH<br />
IS A PICTURESQUE SPOT TO WATCH THE TIDE<br />
COME IN.<br />
The People<br />
EVERYTHING WE DO WILL MAKE YOU FEEL<br />
RIGHT AT HOME AT CHALKWELL GRANGE.<br />
WITH AN EXPERIENCED TEAM, CHALKWELL<br />
GRANGE SETS A NEW STANDARD OF<br />
COMFORT AND CONNECTION WITHIN A CARE<br />
SETTING.<br />
AT CHALKWELL GRANGE, THE CARE WE<br />
PROVIDE, THE ACTIVITIES WE ORGANISE, AND<br />
THE AMENITIES WE HAVE ARE TAILORED TO<br />
MAINTAIN A FOCAL EMPHASIS ON THE<br />
WELLBEING, DIGNITY, RESPECT AND<br />
COMPASSION OF RESIDENTS.<br />
TO REGISTER YOUR INTEREST,<br />
CALL OUR FRIENDLY TEAM:<br />
01702 482252<br />
ENJOY A STROLL THROUGH THE ONCE<br />
BUSTLING FISHING PORT OF OLD LEIGH, STOP<br />
FOR A DRINK, ADMIRE THE VIEWS OF THE<br />
WATERFRONT, AND TRY THE FAMOUS<br />
COCKLES!
A W A R D W I N N I N G H E A L T H C L U B<br />
A N D D A Y S P A<br />
S E T I N T H E H E A R T O F T H E<br />
R O L L I N G S U F F O L K C O U N T R Y S I D E<br />
R E L A X - U N W I N D - E S C A P E<br />
w w w . t h e g a i n s b o r o u g h . c o . u k<br />
0 1 7 8 7 2 7 9 0 0 9
Welcome<br />
Magazine Production<br />
PUBLISHER Christa Hallam<br />
christa@eastlife.co.uk | 07827 015170<br />
EDITOR Jacqui Hagen<br />
jacqui@eastlife.co.uk<br />
DESIGN Doug Dawson<br />
doug@dougdawson.co.uk<br />
SALES ENQUIRIES<br />
Jim Leishman<br />
jim@eastlife.co.uk | 07872 469669<br />
We’re working hard to provide accurate<br />
content, but these are unusual times<br />
so please check opening times and<br />
availability before heading out. Follow<br />
social distancing guidelines at all times.<br />
EASTLIFE is published by Local Media<br />
Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.<br />
Reproduction, in part or in whole, without<br />
the written permission of the publisher is<br />
strictly prohibited. The views expressed by<br />
contributors are not necessarily those of the<br />
publisher. All times, prices and dates of events<br />
were correct at the time of going to press but<br />
readers are advised to ring and check before<br />
setting out.<br />
So, after a long hot summer,<br />
autumn is here. There is<br />
so much to love about the<br />
new season with colourful<br />
landscapes, falling conkers,<br />
stunning sunsets, and comfort<br />
food in cosy pubs.<br />
As the nights draw in, it’s the<br />
perfect time to curl up with a<br />
good book. If this is your<br />
idea of heaven, you might<br />
like to take it to the next level<br />
with a reading retreat. In this<br />
issue, we show you how to get<br />
away and indulge in hours of<br />
uninterrupted page-turning<br />
bliss.<br />
If you prefer to celebrate the season with a spine-chilling thrill,<br />
we’ve rounded up the best Halloween Fright Nights across the<br />
region too. From horrifyingly haunted houses to shockingly scary<br />
mazes, visit them if you dare!<br />
There is also plenty of family fun to enjoy throughout autumn with<br />
pumpkin patches, apple events, ghoulishly good days out for<br />
Halloween and spectacular firework displays. It’s a great time to<br />
pull on your wellies and get outside with the kids.<br />
Our county pages bring the best in your locality with highlights<br />
including beautiful autumn walks in Hertfordshire, cosy spots for<br />
comfort food in Essex and breathtaking views from Bedfordshire’s<br />
Dunstable Downs.<br />
Jaci and þe Eastlife Team<br />
AUTUMN <strong>2022</strong> www.eastlife.co.uk<br />
www.eastlife.co.uk<br />
<strong>Autumn</strong><br />
DON’T FORGET<br />
TO DOWNLOAD THE<br />
EASTLIFE APP AND FOLLOW<br />
US ON SOCIAL MEDIA<br />
(SEARCH “EASTLIFE”)<br />
5
YOU’LL LOVE<br />
THE BIG SKIES<br />
AND THE LITTLE DETAILS...<br />
Our pubs, inns, and restaurants, all have a strong sense of place.<br />
Menus inspired by season and ingredients the area has to offer, interiors<br />
brimming with atmosphere, stylish details and thoughtful touches.<br />
Sun filled terraces and gardens perfectly pitched to deliver our<br />
Chestnut outdoor hospitality.<br />
Time to linger? Book a room. There’s plenty to choose from –<br />
coastal, country and market town locations, perfectly placed<br />
for a wander and an explore.<br />
We look forward to welcoming you soon,<br />
just get in touch so we know when to expect you!<br />
chestnutgroup.co.uk<br />
@ChestnutCraftedHospitality<br />
THE PACKHORSE<br />
MOULTON<br />
thepackhorseinn.com<br />
THE RUPERT BROOKE<br />
GRANTCHESTER<br />
therupertbrooke.com<br />
THE NORTHGATE<br />
BURY ST EDMUNDS<br />
thenorthgate.com<br />
THE THREE BLACKBIRDS<br />
WOODDITTON<br />
threeblackbirds.co.uk<br />
THE BLACK LION<br />
LONG MELFORD<br />
theblacklionlongmelford.com<br />
THE WESTLETON CROWN<br />
WESTLETON<br />
westletoncrown.co.uk<br />
THE SHIP<br />
DUNWICH<br />
shipatdunwich.co.uk<br />
THE EIGHT BELLS<br />
SAFFRON WALDEN<br />
theeightbellssaffronwalden.com<br />
THE WEEPING WILLOW<br />
BARROW<br />
theweepingwillow.co.uk<br />
THE CROWN<br />
STOKE BY NAYLAND<br />
crowninn.net<br />
THE GLOBE INN<br />
WELLS-NEXT-THE-SEA<br />
theglobeatwells.co.uk<br />
THE CRICKETERS<br />
CLAVERING<br />
thecricketers.co.uk<br />
THE FEATHERS<br />
HOLT<br />
thefeathersholt.com<br />
THE CARPENTERS ARMS<br />
GREAT WILBRAHAM<br />
carpentersarmswilbraham.co.uk<br />
THE MALTINGS<br />
HOLT<br />
themaltingsweybourne.com<br />
THE WIVETON BELL<br />
BLAKENEY<br />
wivetonbell.co.uk
Contents<br />
16<br />
40<br />
010 Reading Retreats<br />
Relaxing Getaways for Book Worms<br />
016 Fright Nights<br />
The Ultimate Spine-chilling Experiences<br />
021 Little East<br />
Seasonal Family-Fun Activities and<br />
Events<br />
035 Education<br />
News from Around the Region<br />
040 Tails about Town<br />
5 Things to Do with your Dog this <strong>Autumn</strong><br />
065 Area Focus<br />
News, adventure, restaurant<br />
recommendations and travel inspiration<br />
for each county<br />
065 Bedfordshire<br />
075 Cambridgeshire<br />
091 Essex<br />
105 Hertfordshire<br />
117 Norfolk<br />
131 Suffolk<br />
046 Along for the Ride<br />
Cycling the Tour of Cambridgeshire<br />
46<br />
052 On the Canvas<br />
A Round up of the Region’s Exhibitions<br />
057 Weddings<br />
Fairs & Shows throughout East Anglia<br />
76<br />
7
Brand new & exclusive Bungalow style development<br />
The Grange<br />
Moorbarns Lane, Lutterworth LE17 4QJ<br />
IMMEDIATE<br />
OCCUPATION<br />
AVAILABLE<br />
Homes available<br />
from £189,995 *<br />
● Over 45’s retired and semi-retired community<br />
● 100% current market value part exchange<br />
● Bespoke design your home<br />
call: 0330 133 1950<br />
sales@montecarloparks.co.uk<br />
www.montecarloparks.co.uk<br />
Through our Part Exchange Scheme we are able<br />
to offer you 100% market value for your property<br />
so you don’t have to worry about completing a<br />
sale before purchasing your park home.<br />
Thanks to this seamless transition you can also<br />
save the estate agents fees and all the stress that<br />
goes with it, by selling your property through us.<br />
Let us make your move a wonderful experience<br />
so you can concentrate on all the important<br />
things in life.<br />
*Terms and conditions apply. The park homes advertised are on a first come first served basis and limited availability.<br />
Picture for illustration purposes only.
Orthopaedic<br />
services<br />
Nuffield Health Brentwood Hospital<br />
We provide a range of services locally for patients who<br />
require orthopaedic surgery. We are passionate about<br />
health and the care we provide and are here to reassure<br />
and help you, throughout your journey.<br />
Treatments include:<br />
Hip and knee surgery<br />
Hand, wrist, elbow or shoulder injury<br />
Back and spinal or sport injury<br />
Foot and ankle surgery and joint injections.<br />
For more information call 01277 886706<br />
or visit nuffieldhealth.com/hospitals/brentwood
Reading<br />
etre
Imagine escaping from the hectic demands of<br />
everyday life to a peaceful place where you can<br />
indulge in hours of uninterrupted, guilt-free, pageturning<br />
bliss. A place where you can get lost in books<br />
because all you do is read.<br />
Reading retreats, or holidays devoted entirely to reading,<br />
are a growing trend and an ideal way to unwind and relax.<br />
With its rolling countryside, tranquil towns and scenic<br />
coastline, the east of England is the perfect reading retreat<br />
destination.<br />
Plan a DIY retreat<br />
Whether you’re travelling alone or in a group a reading<br />
retreat is relatively easy to organise, especially in East Anglia<br />
with its many holiday homes nestled in idyllic spots. With<br />
so many options, it’s worth focussing your search on these<br />
main considerations:<br />
1. Accommodation<br />
You’ll need plenty of quiet places to sit and read – think<br />
cosy sofas, armchairs by the fire, window and garden seats.<br />
Comfy beds are a must and a luxury bath, for reading<br />
with bubbles, is a bonus. Consider mealtimes – a wellequipped<br />
kitchen can make these easier or factor in<br />
takeaways if you can’t tear yourself away from your book<br />
long enough to cook.<br />
2. What to pack<br />
ats<br />
A getaway for bookworms<br />
to unwind and relax<br />
Written by Jacqui Hagen<br />
You’ll spend the majority of the time lounging and reading<br />
so here are the essentials:<br />
Books – classics you’ve always been meaning to read,<br />
new bestsellers or old favourites<br />
A cosy blanket or throw for snuggling<br />
Loungewear – your clothes need to be loose and comfy<br />
Pyjamas and slippers – you may decide to stay in these<br />
all day<br />
Chocolate – the ultimate reading accompaniment<br />
More books – you don’t want to run out<br />
3. Where to go<br />
There are so many peaceful options: from north Norfolk’s<br />
unspoilt coastline with spectacular sunsets to Suffolk’s<br />
breathtakingly beautiful open skies; the calm saltwater<br />
marshes in Essex or Cambridgeshire’s marshy fenland<br />
and cathedral cities. Not forgetting the rural landscapes of<br />
Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire with the chalk hills of the<br />
Chilterns and the valleys of the River Ouse. For a true book<br />
lover’s experience, you could choose somewhere with a<br />
literary connection.<br />
Southwold<br />
This picturesque seaside town on the Suffolk Heritage<br />
Coast is where George Orwell wrote A Clergyman’s<br />
Daughter, while still living with his parents. The River Orwell,<br />
11
which flows through the county, provided his pen<br />
name. Another Southwold resident was renowned<br />
crime writer PD James who had a holiday home on the<br />
market square. Several of her detective novels are set<br />
in Suffolk.<br />
The Brecks<br />
Straddling the Norfolk-Suffolk border, The Brecks<br />
are characterised by gnarly pines and dry heathland.<br />
It was here that Helen Macdonald was inspired to<br />
write H is for Hawk. “I love it because of all the places<br />
I know in England, it feels to me the wildest. It’s not<br />
an untouched wilderness like a mountaintop, but a<br />
ramshackle wilderness in which people and the land<br />
have conspired to strangeness,” she wrote in her<br />
memoir H is for Hawk.<br />
Long Melford<br />
Edmund Blunden was one of the longest serving First<br />
World War poets and saw continuous action on the<br />
front line between 1916 and 1918. Best known for his<br />
masterpiece Undertones of War, Blunden retired to a<br />
former mill house in Suffolk for the last decade of his<br />
life. Now a B&B, you can stay and read in Blunden’s<br />
former study which has a log burner and private<br />
garden. themill-longmelford.com<br />
Great Missenden<br />
The quaint village of Great Missenden, set within a<br />
valley of the rolling Chiltern Hills, is where Roald Dahl<br />
found inspiration for many of his books including<br />
George’s Marvellous Medicine, The Twits and The<br />
Witches. Gipsy House, an 18th-century farmhouse on<br />
the edge of the village, was home to Dahl for 36 years<br />
until his death in 1990. His regular walks in the nearby<br />
Angling Spring Wood helped to create one of his most<br />
charismatic characters, Fantastic Mr Fox.<br />
Book a packaged retreat<br />
If organising your own retreat seems too much like<br />
hard work, there is an easier option. Described as a<br />
literary pampering delight, Suffolk-based Reading<br />
Retreats offers guests a getaway where the single<br />
priority is to give space and time to read. Their venues<br />
12
are chosen for their tranquil settings and have<br />
relaxing spaces, other than your room, where you<br />
can just sit and read.<br />
You can choose a weekend retreat which runs from<br />
Friday to Monday, or a weekday retreat from Tuesday<br />
to Friday. All meals are prepared, tea and coffee is<br />
on tap and guests can choose solitude or shared<br />
time with other readers. A published author joins the<br />
guests for a three-course home-cooked meal where<br />
you can discuss books to your heart’s content – or a<br />
supper tray can be provided if you’re in the middle<br />
of a particularly gripping part of your novel. There<br />
is even an optional Tailored Reading Prescription<br />
available if you can’t decide which books to take.<br />
The retreats encourage relaxation and unlimited<br />
reading for pure pleasure. As such, phones and<br />
other electronics are discouraged so that you can<br />
enjoy a completely distraction-free stay. However, if<br />
leaving your phone at home feels too scary, they also<br />
offer a ‘device sitting’ service to keep distraction to a<br />
minimum.<br />
Upcoming Reading Retreats include a seaside home<br />
in Norfolk in November and a quirky beachfront<br />
house in Suffolk in January. New dates and venues<br />
are announced throughout the year and can be<br />
found at readingretreat.co.uk<br />
If you’re someone who feels lucky to snatch<br />
10-minutes with nose in book before sleep or find<br />
yourself re-reading pages or even chapters to remind<br />
yourself of the plot, a reading retreat might be the<br />
perfect holiday for you… an escape from reality into a<br />
world of fiction where you can rediscover your love<br />
of books.<br />
Reading retreats, or holidays devoted<br />
entirely to reading, are a growing trend<br />
and an ideal way to unwind and relax.<br />
13
Most older people, if given the choice, wish to<br />
remain living in their own home, why?<br />
This is a question we should not need to ask because the reasons are simple:<br />
1. Home is a familiar environment, a place where we are happiest.<br />
2. Independence, even when it begins to become limited through ill health or frailty is<br />
still there in your own home.<br />
3. Living at home, means you still feel part of a community.<br />
4. Having care support in your own home means you are still in control as to how that<br />
support is delivered.<br />
5. The choice of home care support is wide and flexible, from just a few hours a week,<br />
to live-in care when dependency levels become more complex.<br />
Able Community Care is a live-in, care provider and has enabled thousands of older and<br />
disabled people to remain living in their own homes since 1980 by providing Live-in Care<br />
Services throughout the UK and the Channel Islands.<br />
For an information pack or a chat about our Live-in Care, support, please call 01603 764567,<br />
email to info@ablecommunitycare.com or visit our website at www.ablecommunitycare.com
The Cost of Care for People with High Dependency Care Needs<br />
People who have high dependency care needs usually want someone to be in<br />
close contact and to offer support throughout a 24-hour period.<br />
For a person needing this type of care support there are two choices. First, a<br />
move into a residential care setting or secondly, to have care in the home 24/7.<br />
The majority of people, many surveys tell us, that if given a choice, the option<br />
to stay in their own home, is the favourite.<br />
24/7 care in a person’s home can be provided in two ways. By care workers on<br />
a shift system. Shift systems can vary for example a 12-hour shift, a three-day<br />
shift. Usually, the cost of having care on a shift system is based on an hourly<br />
rate. Hourly rates can vary, but from April <strong>2022</strong> the UKHCA (United Kingdom<br />
Home Care Association) suggests that an hourly rate of £23.20 is appropriate.<br />
The second option is to have a Live-In Care Support Package. This will involve<br />
a carer moving into a person’s home from one week upwards, who will offer<br />
domestic, personal and social care support with the cost usually based on a<br />
weekly, commercial rate rather than an hourly rate. The objective for most care<br />
providers of Live-in Care Packages is to find two or three carers whom the<br />
individual is happy to have in their home, finds their support appropriate and a<br />
rotational system is then established<br />
The difference between having care support 24/7 based on an hourly rate and a<br />
weekly rate can be in excess of £2000.00 per week.<br />
Able Community Care has been providing Live-in Care Packages since 1980<br />
and has enabled thousands of older and disabled people to remain living in their<br />
own home using a weekly care rate.<br />
We provide our care services in England, Scotland, Wales and the Channel<br />
Islands. For a discussion about our care provision or to request an information<br />
pack, please call us on 01603 764567 or email to info@ablecommunitycare.com<br />
www.ablecommunitycare.com
FRIGHT<br />
NIGHTS<br />
Halloween, the spookiest time of the year, is creeping closer. From<br />
horrifyingly haunted houses to shockingly scary mazes, we’ve rounded up<br />
the ultimate spine-chilling experiences throughout the region. Not for the<br />
squeamish, claustrophobic, frail or faint-hearted, these terrifying events<br />
will leave thrill-seekers screaming for more!<br />
16
PrimEvil<br />
Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure,<br />
Lenwade, Norwich, NR9<br />
5JE<br />
The award-winning scare<br />
experience returns this<br />
October for 13 terrifying<br />
nights in its 13th year of<br />
fear, featuring five terrifying<br />
haunts with unimaginable<br />
scares.<br />
Full of suspense and shocking surprises, PrimEvil<br />
promises to take the scare factor to another terrifying<br />
level this year, as street performing actors wander the<br />
park ready to scare anyone who walks by.<br />
With four haunts already confirmed for <strong>2022</strong>, many of<br />
which have been upgraded since last year, there is one<br />
mystery haunt yet to be announced.<br />
From Mayham Manor Hotel where there are mazes<br />
within mazes, endless corridors and a host of nasties<br />
who think they own the place to Route 666, where<br />
a hillbilly family is waiting for visitors to join them for<br />
supper – or be supper – but first visitors must escape<br />
the new terror that lurks in the woods.<br />
There’s also the Crypt, where the hidden chambers<br />
have been opened, releasing a new evil into the ruins<br />
and the Circus of Terror, a carnival of fear as the eerie<br />
jester Malvado has moved into the circus and disposed<br />
of the old inhabitants.<br />
For those who don’t run away screaming, there will be<br />
food to enjoy along with a bar serving blood-curdling<br />
cocktails and additional entertainment.<br />
The Howl<br />
Mead Open Farm,<br />
Billington Leighton<br />
Buzzard, Bedfordshire,<br />
LU7 9JH<br />
Prepare for a night you<br />
won’t forget, as The Howl<br />
returns this year for 14<br />
nights of frights. Be ready<br />
for a night filled with<br />
dazzling special effects,<br />
immersive scenery, live actors, live music, great food<br />
and drink and one hell of an atmosphere.<br />
The five award-winning haunts are back for <strong>2022</strong> plus<br />
a new one soon to be announced. Climb the stairs of<br />
The Attic to experience a house of horrors with unlucky<br />
victims and toxic experiments. Beware of Red, lurking<br />
in the woods where live creatures will make your skin<br />
crawl as you twist, turn and run for your life. In Topper’s<br />
Twist, creepy clowns will turn your laughs into screams<br />
and shouts, making you wish you had never entered<br />
the scary nightmare. The Shed is a dark, dreadful place<br />
where the vengeful undead lurk, while the boys in<br />
Squealer’s Yard, who like the taste of blood, will give<br />
you a head start before they start the chase.<br />
Street theatre, with creatures you’ve only seen in<br />
your nightmares, a Circus of Horrors, featuring acts<br />
performed to live rock music, and a theatrical fire show<br />
will ensure it’s a night to remember.<br />
Prices £15-£75. Recommended for 15+. 12-14s must be<br />
accompanied by an adult. thehowl.co.uk<br />
Prices £25-£35. Recommended for aged 12+. Under<br />
16s must be accompanied by an adult at all times.<br />
primevil-scare.com<br />
17
The Bunker Below<br />
Kelvedon Hatch<br />
Secret Nuclear Bunker,<br />
Brentwood, Essex, CM15<br />
0LA<br />
Experience new depths<br />
of fear with a Halloween<br />
special in a real exgovernment<br />
nuclear<br />
bunker 125ft underground.<br />
Descend into the depths<br />
and explore the bunker in an hour-long terrifying<br />
experience.<br />
A top secret military organisation, based deep<br />
underground, has been conducting classified research<br />
into the science of fear and a terrifying discovery has<br />
been made. Known only as The Signal, this audio<br />
recording drives anyone who hears it mad, twisting their<br />
brain and creating visions from the depths of their worst<br />
fears. To make matters worse, the device creating The<br />
Signal can no longer be shut down.<br />
The Bunker Below is created by industry veterans with<br />
over 20 years of experience working in TV, film and<br />
scare events. The team uses film quality props, tech and<br />
professional actors to create a one-of-a-kind immersive<br />
experience in one of the most unique locations in the<br />
UK. Minimum age 14. thebunkerbelow.co.uk<br />
If you miss the Halloween special, head to the bunker<br />
on other dates throughout the year for the ultimate<br />
undead experience. The Last Survivors is an actionpacked<br />
zombie horror experience featuring story-driven<br />
combat against the zombie invasion. Armed with<br />
only your torch and your weapon, will you survive?<br />
thelastsurvivors.co.uk<br />
Scaresville<br />
Kentwell Hall, Long Melford, Suffolk, CO10 9BA<br />
One of the scariest Halloween experiences takes<br />
place in the heart of Suffolk when a haunted village<br />
mysteriously appears in the grounds of Kentwell Hall,<br />
with frights at every turn. This year Scaresville is back,<br />
bigger and more terrifying than ever before.<br />
Entering in small groups during set time slots, visitors<br />
follow a winding route through woodland, historic<br />
buildings and open farmland, lit only by flares and<br />
candles. Scares might be round every corner, in every<br />
tree or even below you.<br />
Be prepared for an evening of adventure, filled with<br />
screams and laughter. As you cross over into a<br />
twilight world, where reality and imagination merge,<br />
you will encounter thrills, spills, scares and dares, as<br />
you traverse the woods, buildings, and parkland of<br />
Scaresville.<br />
Visit at your peril to enjoy over an hour of pure<br />
adrenaline as you journey through dark rooms, forests<br />
and open farmland. From killer clowns through to pitch<br />
black mazes, there is no let-up or ‘safe’ zones in which<br />
to recover.<br />
Prices £17.95-£31.95. Under 18s must be accompanied<br />
by an adult over 21 years of age.<br />
scaresville.co.uk<br />
18
Cursed<br />
Horror at Hinchingbrooke House<br />
Wat Tyler Country Park, Pitsea Hall Lane, Basildon,<br />
Essex, SS16 4UH<br />
Billed as Essex’s No. 1 Halloween event, Cursed<br />
provides the ultimate scare experience where<br />
visitors journey through a series of themed mazes<br />
encountering spooky characters lurking in the dark.<br />
The night begins with a ‘mEAT and greet’ with the<br />
FestEVIL Freaks, but don’t hang around or you’ll be<br />
their latest victim. You’ll then be thrown into the Safe<br />
Zone – will you find your way through the farm filled<br />
with the undead? If you make it this far, you’ll enter the<br />
AmpiFEARtre where another four terrifying mazes await.<br />
You’ll be able to catch your breath, have a bite to eat<br />
and be entertained by fire performers and DREADful DJ<br />
throughout the night.<br />
Are you ready for a night filled with horror mazes,<br />
surprise characters, twists, turns and trails that could<br />
lead you to an early demise? Only the bravest survive…<br />
will that be you?<br />
Min age 14. 14-16 years must be accompanied by an<br />
adult. thecursed.co.uk<br />
Brampton Rd, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, PE29 3BN<br />
Voted one of the scariest events in the UK, Horror at<br />
Hinchingbrooke House returns this year and promises<br />
to be more terrifying than ever before.<br />
Located in the famous haunted grounds and house<br />
in Huntingdon, the immersive horror experience has a<br />
brand new maze and scare zones for <strong>2022</strong> to push you<br />
beyond your limits of fear.<br />
Find out what it’s like to be in a horror movie as famous<br />
characters from the genre come to life within the house<br />
to produce a unique, terrifying venture where you<br />
become the victim.<br />
Experience pure adrenaline and terror as you journey<br />
through dark rooms, forests and hedge mazes being<br />
chased by axe-wielding freaks, chainsaw maniacs, killer<br />
clowns and demonic creatures.<br />
With numerous theatrical sets and actors lurking in<br />
the darkness, it’s an absolutely terrifying experience<br />
as visitors embark on a terrifying journey, without any<br />
guide, through a labyrinth of hair-raising shocks and<br />
surprises.<br />
Now you can experience the terror of horror movies as<br />
you explore the darkest corners of the house. Can you<br />
survive the nightmare and make it out alive?<br />
Prices from £19.50 -£32.50. Minimum age 12.<br />
enterifyoudare.co.uk<br />
19
OPEN ALL YEAR<br />
ROUND<br />
Visit our<br />
Website<br />
to Pre-Book<br />
your tickets<br />
www.thrigbyhall.com<br />
THRIGBY HALL FILBY GREAT YARMOUTH<br />
NR29 3DR<br />
% 01493 369477<br />
www.thrigbyhall.com<br />
The place<br />
to visit
Little East
fun<br />
things to do<br />
this autumn<br />
14family<br />
With pumpkin patches,<br />
falling conkers, fireworks<br />
and apple events, autumn<br />
is the perfect time for<br />
outdoor adventures with<br />
the kids. And, if torrential<br />
rain stops play, there are<br />
options for indoor fun<br />
too. Here are our favourite<br />
family activities to try this<br />
season.<br />
1. Splash in puddles<br />
Wrap up, pull on your wellies, and<br />
head outside to enjoy the stunning<br />
colours of the changing season. With<br />
muddy puddles to splash in, leaves<br />
to kick and conkers to collect, there’s<br />
plenty to keep your little ones happy<br />
while they let off steam. To find a<br />
woodland walk or forest trail near you<br />
visit forestryengland.uk<br />
2. Celebrate our orchards<br />
National Apple Day is 21 October with<br />
events running all through the month<br />
to celebrate all things apple related.<br />
Fun and traditional activities include<br />
apple bobbing, hog roasts (with apple<br />
sauce), longest peel competitions,<br />
apple picking and apple pressing for<br />
juice and cider. Join in with our rich<br />
apple-growing heritage by visiting<br />
an apple event in the region. Both<br />
Bromham Mill in Bedfordshire and<br />
Cambridge University Botanic Garden<br />
will be hosting Apple Day on 23<br />
October botanic.cam.ac.uk<br />
3. Pick a pumpkin<br />
Pick your own pumpkin is a fun<br />
family day out and a great start to<br />
Halloween. These popular events<br />
have grown in recent years with<br />
some sites offering hay bales to<br />
climb, crafts activities, playgrounds,<br />
tractor rides, maize mazes, and food<br />
trucks creating a must-do seasonal<br />
event. Here’s our round-up of the<br />
best pumpkin patches in East Anglia:<br />
www.eastlife.co.uk<br />
4. Get spooky!<br />
There’s lots of Halloween-themed<br />
family fun to be had throughout East<br />
Anglia so gather your little monsters<br />
for a ghoulishly good day out with<br />
creepy trails, spooky stories and a<br />
frighteningly fun fancy dress. Board<br />
the Halloween Express at Audley<br />
End Miniature Railway or the Ghost<br />
Train at Epping Ongar Railway and<br />
search for more Halloween events<br />
near you at English Heritage or the<br />
National Trust.<br />
22
LITTLE EAST<br />
6. Play a game<br />
The great outdoors has lots to offer<br />
but there are times when we’re stuck<br />
inside for one reason or another, such<br />
as torrential rain! Go old skool with<br />
a board game and gather everyone<br />
around for some good, competitive<br />
fun. Fed up with the same games?<br />
Head to one of the region’s game<br />
cafés. Geek Retreat has franchises in<br />
Stevenage, Bedford, Chelmsford and<br />
Ipswich or head to Ready Steady Roll<br />
in Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire for board<br />
games and amazing homemade cake.<br />
7. Explore our history<br />
5. Make a den<br />
<strong>Autumn</strong> is an ideal time to build a<br />
den as there are lots of fallen leaves<br />
and branches to use. Whether you<br />
choose to make a teepee-shaped<br />
den, a tent-shaped den or even a<br />
mini den, it’s the perfect activity<br />
for the whole family to enjoy. The<br />
Woodland Trust has a great den<br />
building guide to get you started.<br />
Heritage Open Days is the largest<br />
festival of our history and culture. Every<br />
September volunteers across England<br />
organise events giving you the chance<br />
to see hidden places and try out new<br />
experiences – all of which are free<br />
to explore. This year’s festival runs<br />
from 9 to 18 September. Search for<br />
family events, including the Airships,<br />
Parachutes & Stowaways workshop<br />
in Diss and the St Neots Living History<br />
Festival at heritageopendays.org.uk<br />
8. Go on a bug hunt<br />
A minibeast hunt is a great way for<br />
children to get up close to nature. You<br />
can find creepy crawlies anywhere if<br />
you look closely so peak under stones,<br />
logs and leaves, check cracks in the<br />
bark of trees and poke your nose into<br />
the long grass. Head into your garden<br />
or your local wood to see what you<br />
can find or try one of the region’s<br />
popular nature trails. Look out for<br />
organised events at your local country<br />
park too.<br />
9. See spectacular<br />
fireworks<br />
Throw on your winter woolies and<br />
get ready to “oooh” and “aaaah” as<br />
spectacular fireworks fill the night’s sky<br />
with beautiful colours. There are lots of<br />
professional displays throughout East<br />
Anglia – just make sure you get your<br />
tickets early! Some of our favourite<br />
annual displays are the award-winning<br />
Kimbolton Castle Fireworks Show,<br />
St Albans Fireworks in Verulamium<br />
Park and the Cliff Top Fireworks<br />
Display at Hunstanton.<br />
23
10. Visit a deer park<br />
October and November are great<br />
months to visit a deer park when you<br />
may be lucky to witness the deer rut.<br />
The rut is an autumn ritual when the<br />
young males compete to attract the<br />
most females by battling it out with<br />
their antlers. Look out for the bucks<br />
standing side by side, assessing their<br />
rival, before they turn head-to-head<br />
in a clash. Head to one of the region’s<br />
deer parks: Norfolk’s Snettisham<br />
Park, Dunwich Heath in Suffolk<br />
and Woburn Abbey & Gardens in<br />
Bedfordshire are all well worth a visit.<br />
13. Cook on a campfire<br />
There’s something magical about<br />
cooking over an open flame in the<br />
middle of nature. You can cook<br />
anything from toasted marshmallows<br />
to fried bacon and eggs. Wrap jacket<br />
potatoes or other root vegetables in<br />
foil and enjoy a campfire singsong<br />
while they cook in the embers of the<br />
fire. Campfires are brilliant fun but<br />
remember they need to be handled<br />
with care. Once your campfire is lit,<br />
have some water nearby in case of<br />
emergency and keep an eye on the<br />
bonfire until it’s completely gone out.<br />
11. Go to a museum<br />
A museum might not immediately<br />
spring to mind when thinking of<br />
fun activities but, with so many<br />
fascinating venues offering<br />
interactive experiences, think again.<br />
Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse<br />
is a working farm and Victorian village<br />
with a schoolroom and museum of<br />
workhouse life while the Sedgwick<br />
Museum of Earth Sciences takes<br />
you on a 4.5 billion-year journey<br />
through time with thousands of<br />
fossils that illustrate the evolution of<br />
life. For even more fun, head to Great<br />
Missenden where you can come<br />
face-to-face with Fantastic Mr Fox<br />
and pull a power pose next to Matilda<br />
at the Roald Dahl Museum.<br />
12. Try star gazing<br />
With darkness setting in earlier<br />
each evening, autumn is the perfect<br />
time of year to go stargazing with<br />
your children. Big open skies in the<br />
countryside are best where light<br />
pollution is low. Download an app<br />
like Star Walk (iPhone) or Google Sky<br />
(Android) to your mobile device, and<br />
they will tell you what stars you can<br />
see from your current location. Don’t<br />
forget to take a blanket or camping<br />
mat to lie on and food and drink to<br />
keep everyone happy.<br />
14. Have a tree top<br />
adventure<br />
If you’re looking for an exhilarating<br />
challenge, try a high ropes course.<br />
With intricate tree-to-tree crossings,<br />
wobbly bridges and brilliant zip<br />
wires, it’s adrenaline-filled fun in the<br />
great outdoors. Most sites offer a<br />
variety of heights and challenges to<br />
suit all ages. Vertigo Adventures<br />
in Welwyn Garden City, Hill Top<br />
Outdoor Centre in Sheringham and<br />
Go Ape at Woburn and Thetford<br />
Forest are great places to start.<br />
24
A computer and video game<br />
exhibition the whole family will enjoy!<br />
A hands-on museum, offering an<br />
exciting range of educational<br />
workshops, activities and events.<br />
Most importantly, we make the history<br />
of computing relevant and fun for all!<br />
@computermuseum<br />
ComputingHistory<br />
@thecentreforcomputinghistory<br />
01485 532252<br />
princesshunstanton.co.uk<br />
Shone_<strong>2022</strong>100_Cinderella_Hunstanton_107x148mm_+3mmBleed.indd 1 28/07/<strong>2022</strong> 19:48
LITTLE EAST<br />
Mum’s the Word<br />
The autumn of<br />
my parenthood<br />
Written by Dolly Osborne<br />
raggydollywrites.wordpress.com<br />
We are moving into autumn: my favourite time of the<br />
year, especially spooky season. I’ve always been a fan of<br />
Halloween from a (healthy) childhood interest in the occult<br />
and the macabre, to an adulthood passion for horror films and<br />
especially jump scares. There’s just something about feeling<br />
scared whilst knowing you’re safe and sound. It’s addictive.<br />
So, you would think I’d be well equipped for the autumn of<br />
my parenthood; by October both of my stepdaughters will<br />
be adults and my son is hurtling towards his 15th birthday. I’d<br />
kind of thought that, by this stage of parenthood, the scary<br />
bits would be behind me: no more obsessing over weight<br />
charts and developmental milestones, no longer fearful of the<br />
clumsy childhood injuries that used to be so commonplace.<br />
But I was a fool and I’ve been blindsided because the scariest<br />
part of being a parent is when they start to move away from<br />
you. It doesn’t help that I understand the science behind my<br />
child removing himself from my apron strings and building his<br />
own community of friends, and a huge part of me is glad that<br />
he has his freedom. I’m proud to see the man he’s becoming.<br />
But that doesn’t mean I’m equipped for the sick feeling you<br />
get in your stomach when you’re not sure where your child is<br />
and whether he is safe.<br />
Trust is a very important thing in our household. I’ve always<br />
given my children privacy and had faith that they would come<br />
to me if they had something they needed to tell me. And, in all<br />
fairness, that has always been the case. We have navigated<br />
problems in my family that I wouldn’t wish on my worst<br />
enemy and my children have always trusted me with their<br />
problems knowing that I (and my husband) would always<br />
advocate for them and do the best to help them.<br />
So now, as I sit gazing at my phone waiting for the text to tell<br />
me that my son is safe, we are constantly negotiating new<br />
rules that will feed my need to not picture him beaten up by<br />
gangs or lying somewhere with a knife in his back, whilst also<br />
allowing him the space to grow, to have privacy and to be his<br />
own person.<br />
You often hear people say, “If you love something set it free”.<br />
Yet many fail to mention the second part of the saying: “If they<br />
return, they were always yours and if they don’t, they never<br />
were”. And whilst I call this the autumn of my parenthood, in<br />
reality, I will be a mother for the rest of my life. To ensure that<br />
our relationship blossoms all the way through the winter, I<br />
have to find a way to nourish it, even through the jump scares.<br />
Find Dolly on Twitter @Osborneosaurus<br />
27
<strong>Autumn</strong><br />
play dates<br />
HALLOWEEN SPECIAL<br />
BEDFORDSHIRE<br />
Halloween Fun<br />
23-31 October<br />
Woodside Animal Farm, Slip End LU1 4DG<br />
Find the witches and ghosts hidden around the farm and<br />
win a spooky treat. Make a Halloween decoration to take<br />
home and keep, decorate a yummy spooky cookie, find the<br />
golden pumpkin hidden at the farm and win a super special<br />
prize and more. Tractor rides, hands-on animal encounters,<br />
funfair rides, crazy golf and indoor soft play will be running<br />
as normal.<br />
woodsidefarm.co.uk<br />
Halloween at Marston Vale Forest<br />
Spooky Farm<br />
22-31 October<br />
Church Farm Ardeley, Stevenage SG2 7AH<br />
Spooky Farm Pass includes: Farm trail to see the animals,<br />
creepy fairy woodland play, pumpkin hunt, Halloween<br />
activity pack, scarecrow trail, stickers for best fancy dress<br />
costumes and free parking. There will be additional<br />
activities including pick your own pumpkin and carving,<br />
spooky woodland trick or treat, ghoulish goat walking and a<br />
spooky trailer ride which will need to be booked separately.<br />
churchfarmardeley.co.uk<br />
CAMBRIDGESHIRE<br />
Scarewell at Sacrewell!<br />
25-30 October<br />
Marston Vale Forest, Marston Moretaine MK43 0PR<br />
Join in the spooky fun with Halloween themed crafts, a kids’<br />
disco and a spooky activity trail this half term.<br />
marstonvale.org<br />
HERTFORDSHIRE<br />
Spook-Fest<br />
15-31 October<br />
Aldenham Country Park, Elstree WD6 3BA<br />
This year Spook-Fest returns, bigger and better than ever.<br />
Discover frightfully fun offerings such as pumpkin picking<br />
and carving, horrid hay tractor rides, spooky trail, pumpkin<br />
bingo, decorations throughout the farm and much more!<br />
aldenhamcountrypark.co.uk<br />
22 – 30 October<br />
Sacrewell Farm, Thornhaugh PE8 6HJ<br />
Daily fun, crafting, and games! Dare you enter the spooky<br />
farmhouse and meet the ghouls and ghosts from yesterday!<br />
Find the witches and enjoy learning wizard and witch skills<br />
in the Potion and Spell school. Pick you own pumpkin from<br />
the pumpkin patch and make some chocolate goodies!<br />
New to this year is an adult evening scare – join in with your<br />
torches and wind your way around a guided ghost tour full<br />
or jumps and scares!!<br />
Online bookings on sacrewell.org.uk<br />
Keep an eye on Facebook for more details!<br />
sacrewell.org.uk<br />
28
LITTLE EAST<br />
Spooky Express<br />
30-31 October<br />
Nene Valley Railway, Stibbington PE8 6LR<br />
Come and ride the Spooky Express this Halloween<br />
weekend. You will be joined on board the train by a few<br />
spooky characters who might make the train go bump in<br />
the dark. As you travel through the tunnel keep an eye out<br />
for the Wansford Ghost. He is known to frequent the tunnel<br />
at this time of year. Look out for his spooky glow as you<br />
pass through the darkness of the tunnel.<br />
nvr.org.uk<br />
come alive with the spirits of All Hallows Eve when it<br />
gets dark. There will be extra treats for any children in<br />
fancy dress.<br />
eatransportmuseum.co.uk<br />
Halloween Half Term<br />
NORFOLK<br />
The Glorious Glowing Lantern Parade<br />
15-31 October<br />
BeWILDerwood, Norfolk<br />
A glorious opportunity to see BeWILDerwood by night and<br />
meet all your forest friends. Start your adventure at Hazel’s<br />
Hideaway, then journey through the WILD woods as<br />
lanterns light your way through the enchanting woodland.<br />
See if you can spot the Grubbles as they pitter-potter<br />
around their campsite. Listen to the “PAQUAAAAAR!” of<br />
the Parasquawk in his nest before venturing on to meet<br />
Swampy, the Marsh Boggle<br />
norfolk.bewilderwood.co.uk<br />
Dippy’s Halloween Days<br />
22-30 October<br />
ROARR! Dinosaur Adventure, Norfolk NR9 5JW<br />
A magical spell has been cast this year with some exciting<br />
new activities. It’s time to make the most of your half term<br />
by joining Dippy’s School of Witches and Wizards! On<br />
arrival, you will be allocated to one of the four houses, Terry,<br />
Raz, Paris and Dippy where you will find out your school<br />
colour and animal. You will then need to attend lessons<br />
throughout the day to earn your wand. With potions, creepy<br />
crawlies, broomsticks and pumpkins, your day will be full of<br />
magical spells and adventure.<br />
roarrdinosauradventure.co.uk<br />
SUFFOLK<br />
Halloween at East Anglian Transport<br />
Museum<br />
29 October<br />
East Anglian Transport Museum,<br />
Lowestoft NR33 8BL<br />
No tricks – just treats, but there’s<br />
some spooky goings on around<br />
the site with a free witch hunt<br />
for the children with a prize for<br />
every child. The late running of<br />
our trams trolley buses and train<br />
into the evening will be a chilling<br />
experience for all, as the woods<br />
23-31 October<br />
Easton Farm Park, Woodbridge IP13 0EQ<br />
Come along and enjoy the pumpkin patch and decorating,<br />
a magic workshop, trick or treat hunt, slime making, arts and<br />
crafts, hall of mirrors and a spooky maze.<br />
eastonfarmpark.co.uk<br />
ESSEX<br />
Halloween Half Term at Audley End<br />
22-30 October<br />
Audley End House and Gardens, Saffron Walden CB11 4JF<br />
Gather your little monsters and prepare for a ghoulishly<br />
good day out at Audley End. Follow Dennis, Gnasher and<br />
friends to solve creepy clues on the fun family quest around<br />
the gardens. Meet costumed performers to hear tall tales of<br />
the strange, the supernatural and the downright silly. With<br />
so much spooky stuff to see and do, it’s a phantomtastic,<br />
great value day out for families.<br />
english-heritage.org.uk<br />
Halloween Festival<br />
15-16 and 22-30 October<br />
Marsh Farm, South<br />
Woodham Ferrers,<br />
CM3 5WP<br />
Who will you spot around<br />
the farm this Halloween?<br />
Witches, wizards,<br />
vampires? Maybe even<br />
Frankenstein! Come in<br />
fancy dress and creep<br />
through the devilishly<br />
decorated farm and<br />
enjoy funfair rides,<br />
pumpkin picking patch,<br />
adventure play, bouncy<br />
pillows, spooky 3D<br />
cinema and soooo<br />
much more.<br />
marshfarm.co.uk<br />
29
The Sunday Times East Anglia State Secondary School of the Decade<br />
Colchester Royal Grammar School<br />
Compassion - Respect - Generosity - Support<br />
Sixth Form Open Evening<br />
for prospective day students and boarders<br />
Tuesday 18th October, 6.30pm - 9pm<br />
No booking required Limited parking at rear of school<br />
Deadline for Sixth Form applications is 1st December <strong>2022</strong><br />
6 Lexden Road, Colchester CO3 3ND 01206 509 100 crgs.co.uk
I discovered<br />
my passions<br />
at The Leys<br />
Achieve the exceptional at Cambridge’s<br />
leading co-educational boarding and<br />
day school for ages 11-18<br />
www.theleys.net<br />
Scholarships<br />
Academic<br />
Music<br />
Choral<br />
Sport<br />
Art<br />
STEM<br />
Drama
80<br />
Subjects to<br />
choose from<br />
Enrolment begins on the<br />
25th August <strong>2022</strong><br />
eastnorfolk.ac.uk<br />
99%<br />
Pass Rate<br />
92%<br />
*<br />
A - C<br />
Pass Rate<br />
75%<br />
*<br />
A Level<br />
A - B grades<br />
#DestinationGorleston<br />
Stay social - @EastNorfolk
Gretton School welcomes autistic<br />
children and young people aged from<br />
5—19 years old, as weekly boarders or<br />
as day students.<br />
“Children at this school<br />
feel immensely well cared<br />
for. By the child’s own<br />
admission, the school has<br />
changed his life beyond<br />
what he thought possible.”<br />
- Ofsted<br />
To visit to the school please contact us:<br />
T: 01223 277438<br />
E: info@grettonschool.com<br />
www.grettonschool.com<br />
Part of the Cavendish Education Group<br />
Open Days<br />
Book Your Place<br />
Visit our family<br />
of independent<br />
co-educational<br />
schools from<br />
nursery to<br />
sixth form in<br />
Cambridge and<br />
Saffron Walden.<br />
We have open days in<br />
September and October.<br />
To find out more and book your place please visit stephenperse.com<br />
Richard Girvan, Principal
A forever<br />
home is where<br />
the heart is<br />
For a young child in care, change isn’t<br />
necessarily a great thing. What they<br />
need is the stability of a forever home<br />
and the support and understanding<br />
of adoptive parents prepared to love<br />
them for life.<br />
Start your adoption journey<br />
today, simply call 01603 638343 visit:<br />
www.norfolk.gov.uk/adoption<br />
A proud partner of…
NEWS FROM AROUND<br />
THE REGION<br />
East of England Pupils are Winners at<br />
The Big Bang<br />
The Cavendish School Celebrates its<br />
First Year<br />
Ryan Stubbs and<br />
William Bradshaw<br />
Lily-Mai Spinks<br />
Pupils of three East Anglian schools scooped prizes at the<br />
finals of The Big Bang UK Young Scientists & Engineers<br />
Competition which rewards young people’s achievements<br />
in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).<br />
Lily-Mai Spinks, a year 12 student from Sir Isaac Newton<br />
Sixth Form Free School in Norwich, won the senior<br />
engineering category for her project titled ‘ISOPOD’. Lily-<br />
Mai made a tent with a concertina design, aiming to provide<br />
a user and eco-friendly festival camping alternative.<br />
Anastasia Herries, a year 11 student from St George’s<br />
School in Harpenden, was awarded the winner’s prize in<br />
the intermediate science category. Her project ‘Essential<br />
Oils as Slug Repellents’ was designed to address the need<br />
for alternative and eco-friendly slug repellent.<br />
Ryan Stubbs and William Bradshaw, year 8 students from<br />
St Faith’s School in Cambridge, won the junior engineering<br />
category with their project titled ‘ElectroPi’: a seed-planting<br />
robot designed to plant and water seeds based on soil<br />
moisture levels.<br />
The Big Bang competition is open to 11 to 18-year-olds<br />
from across the UK who have completed a project or<br />
activity in any field of STEM. The winners were announced<br />
at The Big Bang UK Young Scientists & Engineers Fair, the<br />
largest celebration of STEM for young people in the UK.<br />
thebigbang.org.uk<br />
Students and their families joined staff at The Cavendish<br />
School, Cambridgeshire’s first and only state-maintained<br />
special free school for young people with autism,<br />
to celebrate the end of their first ever summer term at<br />
the school.<br />
Students enjoyed a series of games and sensory activities<br />
designed for individuals with autism, including bouncy<br />
obstacle course, football shootouts and cup stacking. It<br />
was also an opportunity for parents and family members<br />
to meet other members of the autism community and<br />
explore the school’s purpose-built campus, which opened<br />
in January <strong>2022</strong>.<br />
Since opening in September 2021, the school<br />
has welcomed 60 autistic students from across<br />
Cambridgeshire. 20 new students will join this school<br />
this September. Stephanie Smith, Deputy Head at The<br />
Cavendish School, said: “I am tremendously proud of<br />
the community that we have built here at the school and<br />
the day was a fantastic opportunity to come together to<br />
celebrate our students’ achievements throughout the last<br />
academic year.”<br />
35
Superstar School Guitarist Scoops<br />
Essex Title<br />
Career-related Programme and will also benefit from<br />
specialist coaching and training delivered by UEFA and<br />
FA qualified coaches. The programme also gives students<br />
the opportunity to represent Norwich City FC RDP, with<br />
students taking part in the National Alliance Youth League,<br />
English College League and Cup competitions.<br />
Victoria Hearn, Principal of Impington International College,<br />
said: “The programme means that our students can gain a<br />
highly regarded international education while they pursue<br />
their passion for football. I am looking forward to welcoming<br />
our next cohort of football scholars to the college!”<br />
impingtoninternational.org.uk<br />
Performing Arts School Premieres<br />
Open Days<br />
Brentwood School guitarist, Tom Hodgkinson, is the winner<br />
of the prestigious Essex Young Musician of the Year <strong>2022</strong>.<br />
Seventeen-year-old Tom, who is also a student at the Junior<br />
Trinity Laban Conservatoire, captivated the audience at the<br />
final with his magical playing – also winning the Audience<br />
Prize. In addition to the prize of £1,000 and the Essex Young<br />
Musician of the Year trophy, Tom will be offered various<br />
professional recital engagements.<br />
A delighted Brentwood School Director of Music and<br />
Performing Arts, Mr Florian Cooper, said: “This competition<br />
has an age category of U25, and Tom was up against<br />
many post-graduate conservatoire students and young<br />
professional musicians. To win is testament to Tom’s<br />
sincere musical gift, his dedication and an uncompromising<br />
work ethic – bravo Tom!”<br />
College kicks off another partnership<br />
with Norwich FC<br />
Tring Park School for the Performing Arts is delighted to<br />
invite talented youngsters from across the UK to attend its<br />
first Open Days, for 2023 entry into the school. The Open<br />
Days will take place on Thursday 6 and Friday 7 October<br />
<strong>2022</strong> and include both a morning session for younger<br />
students entering Years 3 to 11 and an afternoon session<br />
for those applying for the Sixth Form.<br />
The school is a day and boarding school for students aged<br />
7 to 19. Students receive broad training in the performing<br />
arts with a variety of courses including dance, acting,<br />
commercial music and musical theatre, alongside a full,<br />
extensive academic curriculum.<br />
All Open Day sessions will include a guided tour of the<br />
school, a welcome talk by the Principal, Stefan Anderson,<br />
and the opportunity to meet pupils and staff. There will also<br />
be a live performance featuring pupils who are currently<br />
studying across the many courses available at the school.<br />
For more information and to book your place on one of the<br />
<strong>Autumn</strong> Open Days, visit tringpark.com<br />
Impington International College has renewed its twoyear<br />
contract with Norwich City Football Club Regional<br />
Development Programme to provide its post-16 Football<br />
and Education Scholarship, which enables students to<br />
combine their academic studies with specialist football<br />
coaching. Impington International College is just one of four<br />
providers across Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire.<br />
Students undertaking the Scholarship will study the<br />
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and<br />
Royal Recognition for Prep Pupil’s<br />
Kindness<br />
A Brentwood Preparatory pupil’s volunteering work,<br />
supporting a Barking & Dagenham-based foodbank, has<br />
received royal recognition.<br />
Eleven-year-old Raghav Sharma started working at the<br />
Humdum foodbank when he was just six years of age and<br />
36
with a painting which the pupils in Ghana had created as a<br />
special ‘thank you’. During the assembly, the children also<br />
saw some lovely photos of the pupils in Kenya wearing the<br />
Pilgrims uniform with pride.<br />
Jo Webster, Headteacher at Pilgrims School, said: “We<br />
will build on the strong links we have with both schools in<br />
Africa; it is lovely for the children to have a connection to<br />
other children who live so far away.” pilgrims-school.info.<br />
he and fellow volunteers were thrilled to be awarded The<br />
Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.<br />
Whirlpool Competition Winners<br />
Announced<br />
Raghav said he was inspired by his dad, Tarun Sharma,<br />
to start volunteering: “My dad has been volunteering for<br />
years and one day he asked me to accompany him. When<br />
I realised how good it was for others and how satisfying it<br />
was for me, I continued to do it by choice.”<br />
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest<br />
award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and<br />
is equivalent to an MBE. The volunteers at Humdum, a<br />
Community Interest Company, prepare fresh, nutritious, hot<br />
meals several times a week for local people who are facing<br />
hardship.<br />
Preparatory School Headmaster, Jason Whiskerd, said:<br />
“Raghav is a kind and considerate boy in every respect.<br />
We are particularly proud of him, and his work resonates<br />
strongly with our values.”<br />
School Donates Uniforms to Youngsters<br />
in Africa<br />
Team Power Washing Ranger from Sir Robert Pattinson<br />
Academy has been announced as the winner of the<br />
first-ever Whirlpool Purposeful Innovation competition,<br />
which challenged secondary school children to redesign a<br />
popular appliance to be more environmentally friendly.<br />
Over 40 students from schools across Cambridgeshire and<br />
the surrounding areas attended the live final hosted at the<br />
World of Whirlpool centre in Peterborough to present their<br />
designs to a panel of expert judges, while taking part in<br />
STEM-themed activities.<br />
A pre-preparatory school in Bedfordshire has spread joy to<br />
children thousands of miles away – after donating uniforms<br />
to two schools in Africa.<br />
Pilgrims School in Bedford has sent dozens of second-hand<br />
uniforms to Riverside Academy, in Kakamega, Kenya, and St<br />
Nicholas Preparatory School, Tema New Town, Ghana over<br />
the last two years.<br />
The scheme has been supported by Bedford Modern<br />
School student D’Arcy McGlashan, who has been washing,<br />
ironing and packing uniforms ready for shipment as part<br />
of her Duke of Edinburgh award. D’Arcy recently took part<br />
in an assembly at Pilgrims School to present the children<br />
Each member of the winning team received a new kitchen<br />
appliance of choice for their homes, as well as one<br />
appliance for their school, for their re-design of a washing to<br />
use both less water and energy. The team will also receive a<br />
behind-the-scenes tour of Whirlpool’s Yate factory in Bristol.<br />
The runners up were Sawtry Village Academy and Arctica<br />
from Nene Park Academy and who will also receive a tour<br />
of the factory as well as an appliance for their schools. In<br />
addition, Whirlpool will donate an appliance to the chosen<br />
charity of the winners and the runners up.<br />
Ian Moverley, Communications Director at Whirlpool<br />
Corporation said about the winners: “Their idea was<br />
brimming with purposeful innovation! The team designed<br />
a washing machine with two drums, which means both a<br />
white and coloured wash can be done together, cutting<br />
down on energy and water while appealing to the timestrapped<br />
consumer.”<br />
37
New Hall School<br />
A Catholic independent ‘diamond model’<br />
boarding and day school for girls and boys aged 1-18<br />
The best start in life<br />
for your child<br />
Open Morning: Saturday 24 September<br />
The Avenue, Boreham, Chelmsford, CM3 3HS<br />
newhallschool.co.uk | 01245 236 192 | admissions@newhallschool.co.uk
‘With gifted leadership, OBH is enjoying a deserved surge<br />
in popularity.<br />
Pupils flourish academically and socially.<br />
The Good Schools Guide - <strong>2022</strong><br />
Lower Farm Bed and Breakfast is situated in<br />
the attractive East Northamptonshire village of<br />
Barnwell, three miles from the historic town of<br />
Oundle. We can provide you with a comfortable<br />
and relaxed country retreat tucked away from busy<br />
roads in a picturesque and traditional farm setting.<br />
www.obh.co.uk<br />
Brettenham Park Brettenham Ipswich Suffolk IP7 7PH<br />
01832 273220<br />
lowerfarmbandb@btconnect.com<br />
www.lower-farm.co.uk<br />
£99 BREAKS<br />
ARE BACK<br />
Book a 2 night midweek stay in a Gold<br />
Grade Luxury Holiday Home for only<br />
£99 including Breakfast*<br />
Waldegraves Family Holiday Park,<br />
Waldegraves Lane,<br />
West Mersea,<br />
Colchester,<br />
Essex<br />
CO5 8SE<br />
01206 382898<br />
holidays@waldegraves.co.uk<br />
www.waldegraves.co.uk<br />
Take a break on the beautiful Mersea Island at Waldegraves Family Holiday<br />
Park. Enjoy walks along the sparkling Blackwater Estuary, sample the<br />
famous Mersea Oysters and take time out to relax in a luxury holiday home.<br />
*Breaks are valid to arrive Mon, Tues or Weds throughout November, and December (up to 14th). The accommodation sleeps up to 6 people.<br />
Breakfast includes 4 people - additional people need to pay full menu price.
Tails about Town<br />
Great things<br />
to do with<br />
your dog<br />
this autumn<br />
Written by Abby Knight<br />
Now the heat of the summer months is over, it’s the perfect<br />
time to head out for some furry-friend activity. Here’s what’s<br />
on offer in East Anglia this autumn.<br />
1. CHECK IN FOR A FURRY BREAK<br />
Tucked away on the banks of Oulton Broad and set within<br />
21 acres of gardens, ponds, marshes and thatched barns,<br />
all with easy access to the glorious broads, the Ivy House<br />
Hotel in Suffolk makes an ideal stop for dog walkers<br />
exploring the area.<br />
Serving a delicious range of food sourced with locally<br />
produced ingredients, their dishes include corn-fed chicken<br />
wrapped in pancetta, halloumi burgers as well as tasty<br />
salads and there are dog-friendly eating and drinking<br />
spots throughout.<br />
Feeling refreshed? Head off to nearby dog walks that<br />
circle the Waveney River Centre and Carlton Marshes or to<br />
Lowestoft’s beaches which are most dog friendly from the<br />
end of September. ivyhousecountyhotel.co.uk<br />
2. HEAD TO THE MOVIES<br />
Abbeygate Cinema in Bury St Edmunds loves dogs so<br />
much it’s putting on screenings you can enjoy with your<br />
canine companions. Every few weeks, well-behaved dogs<br />
and their friendly owners are welcome at a select film<br />
screening – usually on a Monday morning. It’s a great way<br />
for dog owners to enjoy the cinema without having to leave<br />
their best friend at home.<br />
As well as a great movie to watch, there are snacks and<br />
water for dogs who are invited to sit on a blanketed seat<br />
to avoid any hair or mess. After the screening, the venue<br />
is thoroughly cleaned. Gareth Boggis, General Manager,<br />
said: ‘Bury St Edmunds is such a dog-friendly town, this<br />
seemed like a no-brainer for us – we even dip the volume<br />
for our furry friends.’ Check all the details and book tickets<br />
at abbeygatecinema.co.uk<br />
3. GET OUT IN THE WILD<br />
Dr Ciara Clark, in-house vet for fresh pet food company<br />
Butternut Box, says: ‘Spending time outside improves<br />
mood, reduces stress and counts towards your daily step<br />
count and because dogs need regular exercise it’s the<br />
perfect reason for you to enjoy some healthy time together.’<br />
In Thetford Forest dogs can go lead-free as long as you<br />
keep a watchful eye – there are several walking routes to<br />
40
Tails about Town<br />
HOME AND AWAY<br />
follow and there’s nothing nicer than crunching up the<br />
autumn leaves. Or head to Norfolk’s stunning Knettishall<br />
Country Park; with 375 acres of Breckland Heath and mixed<br />
woodland, it’s the perfect place to take a long dog walk<br />
and they can even head into the river to cool off. Be sure to<br />
check the signposts for dog-friendly guidance too.<br />
Around 33% of UK homes now have a dog, and<br />
online home swap site Love Home Swap has seen<br />
a big jump in the demand for pet-friendly swaps.<br />
So much so, they’ve launched a travelogue film<br />
with the help of pet behaviourist Professor Peter<br />
Neville. The five-minute film investigates what<br />
makes a good place for a pooch to stay, including<br />
their sensory experience and the locality, which<br />
can make all the difference to the success of your<br />
stay. What’s more, many of the properties are in<br />
great places for exploring East Anglia with your dog.<br />
lovehomeswap.com<br />
4. TAKE YOUR PUP TO THE SHOPS<br />
Weather not up for a walk? Why not head off for some retail<br />
therapy and take your dog along! At the Braintree Village<br />
outlet shopping experience in Essex, around 80% of the<br />
stores welcome well-behaved dogs and water bowls can<br />
be found at the Guest Services suite as well as in some<br />
stores and cafés. The stores are recognisable at Braintree<br />
Village via a small ‘Dogs Welcome’ vinyl in the windows.<br />
There are over 75 premium stores including Ted Baker and<br />
Polo Ralph Lauren and the outlet village is open seven days<br />
a week. For more details, visit braintree-village.com<br />
5. ALL ABOARD<br />
Take a relaxing punt along the River Cam with your dog in<br />
tow. Scudamore’s Punting has been offering river trips since<br />
1910 and welcomes your pooch on tours and its private<br />
hire boats. If you are on a shared boat and someone is not<br />
happy for a dog to be onboard you may have to wait for<br />
the next one but otherwise, Fido is welcome to join you.<br />
scudamores.com<br />
41
natural diet & healthcare for dogs in east Anglia<br />
Founded in March 2012 as Naturally Healthy Dogs, we stock quality, affordable, ethical pet products<br />
from well established suppliers for a natural, healthy diet, and natural healthcare<br />
www.naturallyhealthypet.co.uk
WILDLIFE<br />
• Quality Wild Bird Foods<br />
• Bird Feeders and bespoke Bird Tables<br />
• Large range of Nest Boxes<br />
• Hedgehog Homes • Bat Boxes<br />
DOG CARE<br />
• Harnesses, Collars & Leads<br />
by EzyDog<br />
• Quality Dog Beds<br />
by Earthbound<br />
• Kong Toys<br />
• Healthy Foods, Treats<br />
& Supplements<br />
• Canagan & Betty Miller<br />
Bird Ventures, The Wildlife & Pet Shop<br />
9B Chapel Yard, Albert Street, Holt, Norfolk NR25 6HG<br />
01263 710203 • www.birdventures.co.uk
YARWELL<br />
MILL<br />
Country Park<br />
Cambridgeshire<br />
RETIREMENT<br />
DREAMS NOW<br />
A REALITY<br />
Park homes from £179,995 *<br />
● OVER 55’S RETIRED AND SEMI-RETIRED PARK COMMUNITY<br />
● OVERLOOKING THE RIVER NENE ● PET FRIENDLY<br />
● LANDSCAPED GARDENS ● 2 PARKING SPACES<br />
● 5 ACRE FISHING LAKE ON SITE<br />
● MOORINGS (Subject to availability)<br />
● SECURE MOTORHOME AND CARAVAN STORAGE (Subject to availability)<br />
● 24HR SECURITY<br />
01733 736737<br />
FOR ALL SALES ENQUIRIES *<br />
Mill Road, Yarwell, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire PE8 6PS<br />
*Calls made to this number are charged at your call providers standard rate. Terms and conditions apply.<br />
Limited availability on a first come first served basis. Pictures for illustration purposes only.<br />
Luxuriously furnished<br />
Residential Park Homes<br />
Yarwell Mill Country Park is a stunning<br />
NEW over 55’s residential development,<br />
located in the picturesque village of<br />
Yarwell, besides the River Nene.<br />
Why not enjoy your golden years by<br />
downsizing to a Park Home, releasing<br />
equity, reducing costs and outgoings, so<br />
you can live the retirement dream here at<br />
Yarwell Mill.<br />
No stamp duty!<br />
No Estate Agent fees!<br />
Your home £260,000<br />
New park home £179,995<br />
Cashback £80,005<br />
On completion of part exchange.<br />
sales@yarwellmill.co.uk<br />
www.yarwellmill.co.uk<br />
yarwellmillcountrypark
EPOWERED BY<br />
Townsends-210209.indd 1 09/02/<strong>2022</strong> 08:29:17<br />
ROYTHORNE & SON LTD<br />
Quality Service For A Sensible Price<br />
Roythorne and Son is a friendly, family run<br />
garage situated in the village of North<br />
Wootton, 10 minutes from King's Lynn<br />
town centre.<br />
Our aim is to always look after you as well<br />
as your car, in the most courteous and efficient<br />
way, with all your motoring requirements.<br />
Our workshop is well equipped to deal with<br />
your vehicle repairs and servicing, we are also<br />
BMW specialists.<br />
We have a variety of used cars on display for<br />
you to view and test drive.<br />
Forecourt petrol and diesel sales –<br />
where we still serve you.<br />
TEL:01553 673000<br />
Nursery Lane, North Wootton, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 3QB<br />
EMAIL: sales@roythorneandson.co.uk • WEB: www.roythorneandson.co.uk
Along<br />
for the<br />
Ride<br />
Tour of Cambridgeshire<br />
With The Sharnbrook Cyclist<br />
The people of Cambridgeshire made my first 100-mile<br />
closed roads Sportive particularly special.<br />
It’s hard to comprehend the numbers until you see the<br />
riders at the start line. My nerves had only increased when<br />
I saw the scale of the Tour of Cambridgeshire Sportive,<br />
which included 50, 70 and 100-mile routes. There were<br />
thousands of cyclists who, unlike me, looked like they knew<br />
what they were doing. I felt like the classic “all the gear, no<br />
idea” imposter.<br />
We had arrived early at the showground in Peterborough<br />
and had time to enjoy coffee and breakfast before making<br />
our way to the start of our 100-mile event. We joined<br />
individuals and cycle clubs from Whitby, Cumbria, Carlisle<br />
and no doubt all other parts of the country and beyond.<br />
And to be honest, after the half-hour walk and roll to the<br />
start, I was wondering if the faff would be worth the<br />
effort they had made to travel the length of the country to<br />
get there.<br />
I needn’t have worried. Once over the line the field broke<br />
wide open and everyone set off at their own pace. Including<br />
our group where, despite promises to ride together, our<br />
two strongest riders shot off like rockets. It took me about<br />
ten seconds to decide I could never keep up, so away they<br />
went and our six became four! The experience of riding on<br />
closed roads was excellent. It’s very liberating to know there<br />
will be no vehicles coming towards you and only fast riders<br />
coming from behind, usually shouting “on your right” as<br />
they fly past. It was slightly unnerving to be on the road with<br />
so many other cyclists as you need to be vigilant; with feet<br />
clipped into pedals accidents can develop very quickly.<br />
The varied route took in a number of pretty villages out to<br />
the east of Peterborough, through rolling countryside and<br />
over one or two climbs which made most of us puff. The<br />
majority of the 698m of climbing happened out here, at the<br />
start of the ride. To me, late spring is the best time of the year<br />
and we were joined by skylarks, goldfinches and other birds<br />
enjoying the hedgerows. After an interesting circuit around<br />
some of the Alconbury air base we headed out to the Fens<br />
where it was the wind, not terrain, which made us blow.<br />
The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the incredible<br />
support from the residents of the villages we passed<br />
through. I wasn’t expecting it at all, but I must thank the folks<br />
46
of Alconbury Weston, Buckworth, Leighton Bromswold,<br />
Ramsey St Mary’s and many others who clapped, cheered<br />
and clattered pots and pans as we went by. And then later in<br />
the day the cheers became louder from the pub gardens as<br />
the customers stayed well lubricated. It was a continuation<br />
of the Jubilee atmosphere, with parties and picnics out by<br />
the roadside, and we even spotted a dinosaur… in Upwood!<br />
As a novice cyclist, back to riding for the first time since my<br />
teens, I completely enjoyed the day. Riding 100 miles is<br />
always an achievement and I’m happy that I made it, with the<br />
help of my mates. It was tough riding across the Fens with<br />
the wind blowing but the camaraderie between riders kept<br />
everyone going. As did the fantastic staff and volunteers<br />
who looked after us at the food and drink refuelling stops.<br />
There were four on the route; all good places get out of the<br />
saddle to stretch the legs and get some food and water on<br />
board. There are professional photographers around the<br />
route; sadly, they captured the spare tyre I always carry. And<br />
they might even have snapped the most unfortunate riders<br />
of the day who were asking which way the 70-mile route<br />
went, ten miles past the junction. They would have had to<br />
carry on. I’m not sure an unexpected thirty would have been<br />
too welcome! After 6 hours and 19 minutes we crossed the<br />
line and were handed our medals, with time to spare for<br />
a beer before heading home. Cambridgeshire, you were<br />
wonderful and I’ll be back soon.<br />
Follow Ant’s rides around East Anglia<br />
@thesharnbrookcyclist on Instagram<br />
Tried & Tested<br />
The Tour of<br />
Cambridgeshire was<br />
the first time I’d used<br />
the Wahoo Elemnt<br />
Bolt bike computer.<br />
Easy to set up and<br />
configure with the<br />
Elemnt app, this piece<br />
of kit is a gem.<br />
For an amateur like<br />
me right through to<br />
the pros, the Bolt keeps the most important ride metrics<br />
at a glance. I found the excellent screen easy to see,<br />
even in the bright June sunshine, and there’s 16GB of<br />
memory to store plenty of routes.<br />
The re-route capabilities are superb; in an instant the<br />
Bolt gets me back on track when I take a wrong turn.<br />
The engineering and mount is superb too, keeping<br />
the cockpit on point. And after seven hours of use,<br />
the battery remained over half full. I love the colour<br />
gradients and the seamless pairing with Strava.<br />
I can’t wait to work out all the features that are still<br />
undiscovered! Highly recommended.<br />
wahoofitness.com<br />
47
Read every<br />
issue on<br />
our app<br />
Download from<br />
Internet Prices<br />
IN STORE<br />
A huge range of Divans, Mattresses,<br />
Bed Frames & Accessories<br />
In Stock and ready for<br />
Free Next Working<br />
Day Delivery. *<br />
Find us on Facebook,<br />
for news & competitions!<br />
Call us NOW on our Order Hotline 0333 5775773<br />
* Orders above £45 qualify for Free Next Working Day Delivery made before 4pm Monday to Thursday, and Divans ordered before 3pm.<br />
Find your local Store online at: www.mattressman.co.uk
ARTUNEQUALLED<br />
EVENTSTO SHOWCASESUPERBARTANDCRAFT<br />
19 Market Place, Olney<br />
Tel: 01234 240003<br />
Open 6 days Tuesday to Sunday<br />
11am till 4pm<br />
<strong>Autumn</strong> just around the corner, cooler days<br />
and nights.<br />
www.artunequaled.co.uk info@artunequaled.co.uk<br />
SalyDunham,Organiser:07850286566<br />
Maybe you will be needing some ambient<br />
lighting, or perhaps some new wall art to<br />
enhance your surroundings. Here at Leo<br />
Antiques we have various table lamps and plenty<br />
of pictures to give extra light and colour to your<br />
rooms. Decorative and useful glass wares from<br />
decanters to vases. Small occasional furniture<br />
is one of our specialities, we can even deliver<br />
to your home, wine tables, small desks and<br />
odd chairs, or even sets of six for dining. We<br />
also offer re-upholstery to give your existing<br />
furniture a new lease of life! Come along and pay<br />
us a visit, you will be made most welcome.
On the Canvas<br />
Discover the latest art exhibitions in the region<br />
Pictures Around Cromer, The National Gallery Collection<br />
2 September <strong>2022</strong> – 30 April 2023<br />
Cromer, Norfolk<br />
An outdoor exhibition across the seaside town of Cromer in Norfolk, comprising<br />
up to 30 life-size replica artworks from the National Gallery Collection.<br />
Following the successful Bigger Picture initiative devised by Cromer Artspace<br />
whereby reproductions of great works of art from all over the world were<br />
displayed in various outdoor locations around the town of Cromer during<br />
lockdown, this second iteration will see National Gallery Collection works in<br />
multiple locations throughout the town. The exhibition can be explored with the<br />
aid of a printed guide and map, while additional resources can be found online via<br />
QR codes displayed next to each work. nationalgallery.org.uk<br />
Visions of Ancient Egypt supported by Viking<br />
3 September <strong>2022</strong> – 1 January 2023<br />
Sainsbury Centre, University of East Anglia, Norfolk Road, Norwich NR4 7TJ<br />
A major new exhibition exploring the enduring appeal of ancient Egypt in art,<br />
design and the cultural imagination featuring nearly 200 works drawn from<br />
collections in the UK and internationally. Painting, sculpture, photography and<br />
design will be shown alongside rare books, film, fashion and jewellery, with<br />
objects spanning two millennia.<br />
From antiquity, when the Great Pyramid was revered as a wonder of the ancient<br />
world, to the Cleopatra of Shakespeare’s stage, this ground-breaking exhibition<br />
explores this ongoing engagement with ancient Egypt and charts its many forms<br />
across centuries of art and design. The exhibition examines how the iconic<br />
motifs and visual styles of Egypt have been re-imagined and re-invented over<br />
time – revealing a history closely entwined with conquest and colonial politics.<br />
sainsburycentre.ac.uk<br />
Mehdi Jalalaghdamian: Art in Exile<br />
3 September <strong>2022</strong> – 3 September 2023<br />
Firstsite, Lewis Gardens, High Street, Colchester, Essex, CO1 1JH<br />
A special year-long exhibition by Iranian rug maker, Mehdi Jalalaghdamian.<br />
Currently living in temporary accommodation in Bournemouth after being moved<br />
from Colchester, Mehdi is seeking asylum in the UK.<br />
Art in Exile features three rugs, made during Mehdi’s time as a refugee in<br />
Stockholm, Sweden. Each rug illustrates a part of his journey from Iran to the UK.<br />
The pain-staking method of making each piece is a metaphor for Mehdi’s journey<br />
to establish a new life far from his home in the city of Tabriz, one of the centres of<br />
the hand-made carpet industry in Iran.<br />
The largest of the three rugs (150cm x 174cm) is titled Tragedy of Refugees<br />
and took 18 months to make, with Mehdi working alone for eight hours a day to<br />
complete it. The rug includes woven depictions of high-profile images featured in<br />
the media, alongside depictions of Mehdi’s lived experience as an asylum seeker.<br />
firstsite.uk<br />
52
Frederic Kitton – From Pickwick to Preservation<br />
16 September <strong>2022</strong> to 2 January 2023<br />
St Albans Museum + Gallery, Town Hall, St Peter’s Street, St Albans, AL1 3DH<br />
A talented artist and journalist, Frederic Kitton was also an expert on Charles<br />
Dickens and published a number of books on the celebrated author.<br />
After moving to St Albans, Kitton’s growing fascination with the historic buildings<br />
of the town saw him becoming involved with the foundation of the County<br />
Museum. An early advocate of the heritage movement, Kitton moved from<br />
drawing the historic past of St Albans to actively trying to preserve it.<br />
© St Albans Museums<br />
This exhibition considers Kitton’s time in St Albans including his work on Dickens,<br />
his illustrations of the area and his developing interest in preserving the town’s<br />
historic past. stalbansmuseums.org.uk<br />
From Southwold to Alice Springs: Selected Works from<br />
the Collection of Robert Cripps<br />
21 September – 11 October <strong>2022</strong><br />
Magdalene College, University of Cambridge, The Old Schools, Trinity Lane,<br />
Cambridge, CB2 1TN<br />
A small snapshot of the paintings, drawings and engravings acquired over many<br />
years by a remarkable collector, reflecting both his deep roots in the countryside<br />
and coast of East Anglia and his championing of the indigenous art and artists of<br />
his adopted Australian home.<br />
For the landscapes of Norfolk and Suffolk, the exhibition ranges from the early<br />
nineteenth-century art of the ‘Norwich School’, through Harry Becker’s scenes<br />
of rural life, to British impressionism and post-impressionism, and modern<br />
realist works. For Australia, the exhibition displays examples of Lionel Lindsay’s<br />
engravings, the vibrant watercolours of the Hermannsburg School, and modern<br />
pictorial responses to the indigenous peoples’ dreaming landscapes of the<br />
continent’s arid core. magd.cam.ac.uk<br />
Norfolk Open Studios <strong>2022</strong><br />
Countywide<br />
24 September – 9 October <strong>2022</strong><br />
Hundreds of artists will open their studio doors across Norfolk to share their<br />
creative processes this autumn. Visitors can explore the county in early autumn<br />
through studio visits and an array of art trails, events and demonstrations.<br />
Artists at all stages of their careers will be taking part, from school and college<br />
students through to emerging artists and established and professional creators<br />
and makers. Visitors will find painters, sculptors, weavers, furniture makers, wood<br />
workers, jewellery makers, ceramicists, textile artists and lots more throughout the<br />
varied landscapes of Norfolk.<br />
Many artists will be offering additional events, demonstrations and workshops<br />
to share their skills and practice. Norfolk Open Studios is free to attend.<br />
norfolkstudios.org.uk<br />
53
INDEPENDENT DIA B E TES TRUST<br />
DIABETES - HERE TO HELP<br />
E P E N D E N T D I A B E T E S T R U S T<br />
These booklets provide you with help<br />
and advice about everyday aspects of<br />
living with diabetes<br />
ASK FOR YOUR FREE<br />
COPIES TODAY<br />
Type 1 Diabetes<br />
Know the Facts<br />
A charity supporting and listening to people who live with diabetes<br />
HELPLINE: 01604 622837<br />
www.iddtinternational.org<br />
I NDEPEND ENT DI ABETES T RUST<br />
I N D E P E N D E N T D I A B E T E S T R U S T<br />
Diabetes<br />
Everyday Eating<br />
“I want to be told what I can eat – not what I can’t”.<br />
This booklet provides you with help and advice<br />
about everyday eating and a four week menu plan.<br />
HELPLINE: 01604 622837<br />
Email: enquiries@iddtinternational.org<br />
www.iddtinternational.org<br />
martin@iddtinternational.org<br />
Type 2 Diabetes<br />
Management and Medication<br />
Understanding<br />
Your Diabetes<br />
HELPLINE: 01604 622837<br />
www.iddtinternational.org<br />
A charity supporting and listening to people who live with diabetes<br />
HELPLINE: 01604 622837<br />
www.iddtinternational.org<br />
ELEPHONE: 01604 622837 or<br />
MAIL: martin@iddtinternational.org<br />
InDependent Diabetes Trus<br />
P O Box 294, Northampton NN1 4XS<br />
www.iddtinternational.or<br />
Charity Number: 105828<br />
Registered Number: 314836
What to expect on a life coaching journey – my diary, by Anna Hilton, aged 39¾<br />
The day before<br />
Got my first life coaching session tomorrow - bit<br />
nervous as even though I’ve been considering it for a<br />
while I’ve no idea what to expect and no idea what I’m<br />
going to talk about! Just know I feel like I need some<br />
direction and want to stop feeling so helpless.<br />
Session 1<br />
Carrie put me at ease straight away as soon as we<br />
started the session (via Facetime on my iPad) - I said I<br />
was excited but also nervous and she told me not to<br />
worry and to see this as taking time out for myself.<br />
Carrie’s easy to talk to, kind and professional. She let<br />
me talk so I could ramble on and find out what my<br />
goals might be without even realising it! I felt different<br />
straight away after the session and it feels like there’s<br />
already been a change in the way I’m thinking about<br />
things.<br />
Session 2<br />
I was looking forward to my appointment and felt<br />
comfortable again right away. I was able to open up<br />
without feeling self-conscious. Carrie’s helping me see<br />
things in a new light, without pushing her own opinions<br />
on me. I cried and felt very emotional at certain points.<br />
But it felt good. I don’t think I’d have been able to<br />
recognise some important issues if she hadn’t been<br />
there to guide me. She’s naturally intuitive, genuine,<br />
honest and inspirational. I feel I can trust her not to<br />
judge me - no matter what I say! I spoke about things<br />
I’d not thought about for a long time which was quite<br />
eye opening.<br />
Session 3<br />
Today felt liberating. I can totally feel my mindset<br />
changing and I have Carrie to thank for that. If I say<br />
something I’m not sure about, she asks why I’m<br />
feeling a certain way without making me feel silly or<br />
wrong. She’s helped me recognise things I’ve been<br />
ignoring without realising it... I actually feel hopeful<br />
for the first time in a long while and I’m looking<br />
forward to the revelations that might come out next<br />
time. Talking to Carrie is like talking to a<br />
knowledgeable friend, without the judgement.<br />
Session 4<br />
Tonight’s session was really helpful as we went back<br />
over lots of things we’d already talked about - a great<br />
reminder of what I should be thinking about for my<br />
goals. It was an emotional session, and even though<br />
there were no tears, I feel stronger thanks to Carrie’s<br />
wise words – she’s giving me the tools I need to<br />
coach my own life, I’m not quite there yet - I know I<br />
need to thoroughly believe what she’s telling me<br />
first.<br />
Final session<br />
Final session this evening and I feel so much<br />
stronger thanks to everything Carrie’s been coaching<br />
me through. Carrie says she can see a difference in<br />
me, even though we were conducting the sessions<br />
over video call, and I believe her. She created a safe<br />
space for me to talk, to let me to see things from a<br />
different perspective and helped me realise my own<br />
self-worth - for this I will be eternally grateful.
Cambridgeshire (2, 3, 4, 5)_Cambridgeshire 25/08/2015 16:38 Page 1<br />
Cambridgeshire (2, 3, 4, 5)_Cambridgeshire 25/08/2015 16:38 Page 1<br />
We mainly specialise in silver, gemstone<br />
and leather jewellery for both men and<br />
women. We also have a lovely range of new<br />
baby gifts, handbags, purses, scarves,<br />
and gifts for all occasions.<br />
Weddings<br />
Ceremonies & Evening Receptions<br />
In the heart of rural Bedfordshire<br />
Spacious Wedding Suite<br />
Wedding Garden for Outdoor Photographs<br />
Wedding Ceremony Licence<br />
Dedicated Wedding Team<br />
Free Parking for Guests<br />
INDULGE YOURSELF<br />
Whether you’re after the perfect piece for an exclusive event, the holiday of a lifetime or simply because you<br />
deserve a treat, Elouise 13 Lingerie Market has a stunning Hill, collection St Ives, that is hard PE27 to match. The 5AL Cambridgeshire-based<br />
designer boutique stocks sophisticated lingerie from international brands, along with glamorous swimwear,<br />
luxury nightwear and fine hosiery - everything you need to feel extra special. Gift-wrapping available.<br />
Buy Online www.elouiselingerie.co.uk<br />
01480 495198<br />
Elouise Lingerie, 40 High Street, Buckden, Cambs PE19 5XA<br />
www.cloudninegems.com<br />
Telephone: 01480 812740 Email: sales@elouiselingerie.co.uk<br />
/CloudNineGems<br />
Treat our space<br />
INDULGE<br />
like a blank<br />
YOURSELF<br />
canvas and make it your own<br />
Whether you’re after the perfect piece for an exclusive event, the holiday of a lifetime or simply because you<br />
We don’t have set packages or insist you use particular suppliers<br />
deserve a treat, Elouise Lingerie has a stunning collection that is hard to match.The Cambridgeshire-based<br />
designer boutique stocks sophisticated lingerie from international brands, along with glamorous swimwear,<br />
Buy The<br />
luxury<br />
Rufus<br />
nightwear Online Centre,<br />
and fine hosiery www.elouiselingerie.co.uk<br />
Steppingley<br />
- everything you need<br />
Road,<br />
to feel extra<br />
Flitwick,<br />
special. Gift-wrapping<br />
MK45<br />
available.<br />
1AH<br />
Elouise Tel: 01525 Lingerie, 631905 40 High Email: Street, events@therufuscentre.co.uk<br />
Buckden, Cambs PE19 5XA<br />
Telephone: 01480 www.therufuscentre.co.uk<br />
812740 Email: sales@elouiselingerie.co.uk
Weddings<br />
Wedding fairs<br />
BEDFORDSHIRE<br />
The Bedford Wedding<br />
Fair at The Swan<br />
16 October<br />
The Bedford Swan Hotel<br />
1 High Street<br />
Bedford<br />
MK40 1RW<br />
The Moggerhanger Park<br />
Wedding Elegance Fair<br />
5 November<br />
Moggerhanger Park<br />
Park Road<br />
Moggerhanger<br />
MK44 3RW<br />
HERTFORDSHIRE<br />
Pendley Manor<br />
Hertfordshire Wedding<br />
Show<br />
23 October<br />
Pendley Manor<br />
Tring<br />
HP23 5QY<br />
The Luxury Wedding Fair<br />
at Hatfield House<br />
20 November<br />
Hatfield House<br />
Hatfield Park<br />
Hatfield<br />
AL9 5NQ<br />
CAMBRIDGESHIRE<br />
The Grand Wedding Fair<br />
at Madingley Hall<br />
16 October<br />
Madingley Hall<br />
Madingley<br />
CB23 8AQ<br />
Kimbolton Castle<br />
Wedding Spectacular<br />
30 October<br />
Kimbolton Castle<br />
Kimbolton<br />
PE28 0EA<br />
NORFOLK<br />
Wedding Showcase &<br />
Open Day at Titchwell<br />
Manor<br />
1 October<br />
Main Road<br />
Titchwell Manor Hotel<br />
Titchwell<br />
PE31 8BB<br />
The Octagon Barn<br />
Wedding Show<br />
23 October<br />
Octagon Barn<br />
Little Plumstead<br />
Norwich<br />
NR13 5FH<br />
SUFFOLK<br />
The Suffolk Wedding<br />
Show at Wherstead Park<br />
2 October<br />
Wherstead Park<br />
The Street<br />
Wherstead<br />
Ipswich<br />
IP9 2BJ<br />
Smeetham Hall Barn<br />
Wedding Show<br />
23 October<br />
Smeetham Hall Barn ,<br />
Smeetham Hall,<br />
Sudbury<br />
CO10 7EU<br />
ESSEX<br />
Channels Estate Wedding<br />
Show<br />
9 October<br />
Channels Estate<br />
Pratts Farm Lane East<br />
Belsteads Farm Lane<br />
Chelmsford<br />
CM3 3PT<br />
Fennes Estate Wedding<br />
Show<br />
13 November<br />
Fennes Estate,<br />
Fennes, Fennes Road,<br />
Braintree,<br />
CM7 5PL<br />
57
RETIREMENT APARTMENTS FOR SALE<br />
Less worry,<br />
less maintenance,<br />
more time for<br />
your loved ones...<br />
Downsizing to a<br />
brand new Churchill<br />
Retirement Living<br />
apartment with fewer<br />
maintenance worries and<br />
lower day-to-day running<br />
costs could be the best<br />
decision you make this<br />
summer, so what’s<br />
stopping you?<br />
If you want to travel to<br />
new places in the UK or<br />
abroad, without concerns<br />
about security at home or<br />
unexpected<br />
bills when<br />
you return,<br />
perhaps a<br />
Churchill<br />
apartment is<br />
the answer.<br />
Typical Living Room<br />
Churchill offers an<br />
independent lifestyle in<br />
an apartment where any<br />
external maintenance is<br />
covered by an annual service<br />
charge. With high standards<br />
of insulation and energy<br />
efficiency, the good news<br />
is that the service charge<br />
is likely to be lower than<br />
your current outgoings. And<br />
included in that is upkeep<br />
of the beautiful landscaped<br />
gardens, so you can enjoy<br />
the outdoor space without<br />
the responsibility of keeping<br />
it neat and tidy.<br />
With your own front door<br />
you’ll have privacy when you<br />
want it, with friendship and a<br />
sense of community close at<br />
hand whenever you choose<br />
to spend time socialising in<br />
the warm and welcoming<br />
Owners’ Lounge. There’s<br />
always something to get<br />
involved in, or someone to<br />
chat to over a cuppa, and<br />
there’s no pressure. You’re<br />
free to get involved as much<br />
or as little as you wish.<br />
If the thought of downsizing<br />
feels overwhelming don’t<br />
worry, Churchill can offer<br />
a helping hand every step<br />
of the way. This includes a<br />
tailored Home Exchange<br />
service, which provides<br />
a simple and effective<br />
alternative to selling on the<br />
open market, so you’ll be in<br />
control of the sale of your<br />
property without worrying<br />
about the possibilities of<br />
your chain breaking down.<br />
To find out more call<br />
0800 086 1600 or visit<br />
churchillretirement.co.uk<br />
NOW SELLING<br />
• Haverhill • Hitchin • Huntingdon - LAST CHANCE<br />
• Pinner - LAST CHANCE
Drayton Estates Group are proud to offer quality services<br />
completed to a very high standard.<br />
We are specialists in:<br />
Landscaping work<br />
Quality Fencing work including Trellises<br />
Patios<br />
Resin Driveways<br />
Front and Back Garden renovations<br />
Herbicide and pesticide application.<br />
Specialising in Japanese knot weed and giant hogweed<br />
All our work is carried out with Love and care<br />
Patios for example can be planed and laid out from start to finish and also we can tidy up<br />
existing patios which have been completed by other contractors and are not up to the<br />
standard required by the customer.<br />
Contact Drayton Estates group<br />
01487 208 573 | 07595 342 392<br />
Email: ben@draytonestatesgroup.com
Now only<br />
£895<br />
for a fully<br />
fitted electric<br />
garage door.<br />
WAS £1,354 INCLUDING VAT.<br />
Gotta get a Garolla.<br />
WHAT’S INCLUDED WITH EVERY DOOR:<br />
• FREE EXPERT MEASURING & FITTING<br />
• 2 REMOTE CONTROLS<br />
• ACOUSTIC & THERMAL INSULATION<br />
• FREE DISPOSAL OF YOUR OLD DOOR<br />
• AVAILABLE IN 21 COLOURS<br />
Garolla garage doors are expertly<br />
made to measure in our own UK<br />
factories, they’re strong and solidly<br />
built. The electric Garolla door rolls up<br />
vertically, taking up only 8 inches inside<br />
your garage, maximising valuable space.<br />
Our experienced installers will fit your<br />
new door and they’ll take away the<br />
old one too, so there’s no mess.<br />
Give us a call today and<br />
we’ll come and measure up<br />
completely FREE of charge.<br />
CALL US TODAY ON:<br />
01284 220 092<br />
MOBILE:<br />
07537 149 128<br />
*Offer valid for openings up to 2.6m wide & including 2 remote controls, 55mm white slats, internal manual override.<br />
We have a great range of agricultural parts, garden equipment, hand tools, country clothing<br />
and footwear, ride on toys, branded merchandise plus much more available in our online shop.<br />
SCAN HERE<br />
Visit our online shop:<br />
BenBurgess.co.uk<br />
Follow us:
GREENFINGERS…<br />
the Alan Titchmarsh column<br />
He’s a brilliant presenter,<br />
accomplished gardener,<br />
talented novelist and<br />
all-round horticultural<br />
inspiration. This month,<br />
Alan Titchmarsh discusses<br />
the changing seasons, and<br />
why he ventures out into<br />
his garden in any weather.<br />
62
HOME&GARDEN<br />
I’ve been talking to a number of people over these summer<br />
months and it’s always a pleasure. Naturally, it feels like<br />
the part of the year where we all come out and celebrate<br />
what it is to have a space that is all ours – we all share in the<br />
successes and, okay, some of the failures too!<br />
Yet what’s interesting is the fact the longer the summer<br />
goes on, the more the chat seems to evolve to become<br />
nervy and negative. There is an unspoken devil in the<br />
air, and it goes by the name of winter, where gardeners<br />
all across the UK dread not just the hibernation of some<br />
of the creatures in their garden, but their own removal or<br />
withdrawal from service as the skies grow darker and<br />
rain threatens.<br />
Of course, I can see why so many of us sink into this<br />
mindset of what is effectively a subconscious filling of time<br />
before things start to pick up again in early spring. Though<br />
as I have said on many occasions, there are still so many<br />
plants that flourish across the winter months that we can<br />
take real pleasure from, so I would be firm in encouraging<br />
people to look at winter as a lot more than just a time when<br />
we feel like stepping off the gardening carousel.<br />
As people, we are so used to conflict and contrast, and<br />
embracing that only serves to highlight the good stuff when<br />
it comes round.<br />
Mostly, what I tell people about their gardens is that the<br />
most special feeling you can have will never be whether or<br />
not you can produce some floral spray of colour and texture;<br />
nor will it be if your water feature resembles something like<br />
the Victoria Falls.<br />
Ultimately, what it’s all about is being out there, and<br />
believing you are making a difference. I’ve always thought<br />
however tiny a patch of ground you have, if you look after it<br />
well when you shuffle off your mortal coil you’ve paid your<br />
rent for your life on Earth.<br />
To leave that space just a little bit better than how it was<br />
previously is a very special thing, and no wintry rainstorm<br />
should stop us from wanting to achieve that!<br />
Certainly, my routine in those quieter months never<br />
changes. Whether rain, hail, sleet or snow, I will always<br />
potter around the garden. Okay, so in the winter months<br />
it’s a lot more difficult to sit still in a garden anyway, but just<br />
getting out there, soaking up the air and feeling the natural<br />
goodness around you, is really inspiring.<br />
I get mucky every day when I’m at home, and if I’ve got<br />
a day of work or filming that will take me away from the<br />
house, I’ll always make sure I step out and spend some<br />
peaceful time alone before I leave – it sort of sets me up for<br />
the day.<br />
What I will say about late autumn and winter in the garden is<br />
its arrival follows much the same school of thought as going<br />
out in the rain – namely that it makes you appreciate the<br />
summer, or the sunshine, all the more.<br />
63
Elegant<br />
Garden Rooms<br />
www.ElegantGardenRooms.com<br />
20% OFF List Prices in Summer/Spring<br />
Home Office<br />
Home Gym<br />
Extra Space<br />
Man Cave<br />
Games Room<br />
Interest Free<br />
Options<br />
Available<br />
FREE<br />
CAD<br />
Design<br />
What You Get As Standard<br />
Reinforced, Waterproof Concrete<br />
Base<br />
Fully Insulated Walls<br />
Fully Insulated EPDM Roof<br />
‘A’ Rated High Security Doors<br />
‘A’ Rated Windows<br />
Choice of Upvc or Composite<br />
Cladding<br />
Electric Points, Led Lighting<br />
and Heating<br />
Call Us Today For A Free No Obligation Quotation 0800 669 6537<br />
Brand New Showroom Now Open in Milton Keynes<br />
5 Deeping Gate. Stonebridge. Milton Keynes. MK13 0DE. Open 6 Days. 9.30am - 4.30pm<br />
Bespoke solutions. Surprising value.<br />
Open Monday - Friday<br />
9am to 5pm.<br />
Open by appointment<br />
evenings and weekends.<br />
01638 354267<br />
Visit us today to see how much you could save.<br />
07954341777<br />
www.gardenology.uk<br />
29b Peartree Estate, Stanway,<br />
Colchester, Essex CO3 0JN<br />
Tel: 01206 573200 Tel: 01206 577333<br />
www.rgcole.co.uk<br />
Over 100 types of Porcelain Paving<br />
• Composite Decking<br />
• Cedar & Larch Decking &<br />
Cladding<br />
• Clay Pavers<br />
• Woven Steel Fencing<br />
• Artificial Frass & Green Wall<br />
Panels<br />
Visit us • Ice Baths today to see how<br />
much you could save.<br />
Pizza Ovens For Hire!<br />
• Metal Wall Panels<br />
• Pizza Ovens<br />
• BBQ’S & Grills<br />
• Outdoor Kitchens<br />
• Fire Pits<br />
• Water Features<br />
• Hot Tubs<br />
View full sized porcelain paving slabs, compare materials and feel the<br />
quality of the products all under one roof. We have 4 indoor display<br />
gardens to give you inspiration and ideas for your own project.<br />
Showroom location: Unit 3 Acorn Business Centre, Oaks Drive, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 7SX.<br />
THE SPECIALISTS IN FITTED FURNITURE<br />
EASTLIFE_MAY22.indd 1 11/05/<strong>2022</strong> 13:11
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire<br />
Dunstable Downs<br />
in <strong>Autumn</strong><br />
Nestled in the Chiltern Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty,<br />
the National Trust’s Dunstable Downs is the highest point<br />
in Bedfordshire. And from its elevated position, it is possible<br />
to see five counties on a clear day; the views are simply<br />
breathtaking.<br />
Comprised mainly of chalk grasslands, designated as<br />
Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for their nature<br />
conservation importance, there are miles of footpaths<br />
that criss-cross this beautiful landscape. As well as an<br />
abundance of wildlife to discover, there are historical<br />
features to explore such as the Five Knolls Neolithic burial<br />
grounds and medieval rabbit warrens, both Scheduled<br />
Ancient Monuments.<br />
The cooler autumn days can see the mist and fog roll<br />
in across the valley giving Dunstable Downs a very<br />
atmospheric feel. The wide-open skies make it a perfect<br />
place for cloud watching and you can often see the<br />
rain clouds roll in. It is not unusual at this time of year to<br />
experience all four seasons in one day so definitely pack<br />
your waterproofs, just in case. As the leaves on the trees<br />
turn from green into hues of reds, oranges and browns,<br />
the lower autumn light in late afternoon can really make<br />
them glow.<br />
Take a walk along the hedgerows and keep a look out for<br />
birds feeding on fruiting hawthorn and blackberries. If you<br />
are lucky, you might see flocks of fieldfare and redwing<br />
feeding and taking shelter in the hedgerows. Both species<br />
are very social birds and can often be seen together in large<br />
flocks in grassland and woodland areas. These birds fly<br />
south from northern Europe spending the winter here in our<br />
much milder climate.<br />
Red kites can be seen soaring above the Downs, riding the<br />
thermals on warmer days. Easily identifiable with its forked<br />
tail, this large bird of prey was nearly hunted to extinction<br />
in the UK but thanks to recent reintroduction programmes,<br />
this magnificent bird can now be seen most days above<br />
Dunstable Downs. The Chilterns are a particular stronghold,<br />
and the red kites remain one of the biggest conservation<br />
success stories in history.<br />
About a one mile walk from the Chilterns Gateway Centre<br />
at Dunstable Downs is the intriguing Whipsnade Tree<br />
Cathedral. Planted by Edmond Blyth in the 1930s, he built<br />
a medieval cathedral from trees, hedges, and shrubs, in<br />
the spirit of ‘faith, hope and reconciliation’ in response<br />
to his memories of the First World War. The first religious<br />
service was held at the site in 1953, and an annual service<br />
continues to this day.<br />
66
Bedfordshire<br />
©National Trust Images/John Millar<br />
For those with impaired mobility, trampers are available<br />
to hire from the National Trust enabling you to explore<br />
the Downs. These are free but donations are welcomed<br />
towards their upkeep. Booking is recommended at least<br />
three days prior to your visit to avoid disappointment. To<br />
book, call 01582 500920 or email dunstabledowns@<br />
nationaltrust.org.uk<br />
If you prefer getting about on two wheels, then the National<br />
Cycle Network Route 574 starts from Dunstable Downs.<br />
This short route takes you along the Icknield Way towards<br />
Dunstable and then connects to other routes nearby. For<br />
more information, see sustrans.org.uk<br />
Family Activities<br />
The National Trust has loads on offer for families looking to<br />
make the most of the autumn weather. A naturally windy<br />
spot, Dunstable Downs is perfect for kite flying and there<br />
is even a designated kite-flying area. If you don’t have your<br />
own then there is a selection of kites, from beginners to the<br />
more advance, available to purchase from their shop.<br />
A new geocaching trail is available for those looking to<br />
explore and take on this treasure-hunting challenge. This<br />
trail is roughly one mile long with six hidden boxes for you<br />
to discover. Swap and change items in these boxes and<br />
leave a note for the next intrepid adventurer.<br />
Throughout October half term there will be a Halloweenthemed<br />
trail for the whole family to enjoy.<br />
If exploring is not for you, then you sit and relax with a<br />
warm hot chocolate inside The View Café whilst enjoying<br />
the landscape. Throughout the autumn the café offers a<br />
variety of seasonal hot drinks and food and is open daily,<br />
10am to 4pm.<br />
Explore nearby<br />
Sharpenhoe Clappers just north of Luton is also a<br />
wonderful place in the autumn. Beech woodlands are<br />
synonymous with the Chiltern Hills and Sharpenhoe<br />
Clappers is no exception. Its beech woodland sits on the<br />
site of an Iron-Age hillfort and provides stunning autumn<br />
displays of colour.<br />
For more information about Dunstable Downs visit<br />
nationaltrust.org.uk<br />
©National Trust Images/Justin Minns<br />
©National Trust Images/John Miller<br />
©National Trust Images/Robert Morris<br />
67
Bedfordshire<br />
Food&Drink<br />
Dinner & Cocktails<br />
written by Lydia Pettet<br />
The leaves in the trees have started to<br />
change from green to the vibrant oranges,<br />
reds and browns of autumn. As the evenings<br />
are drawing in and we swap sunny days out<br />
for cosy settings, what better way to spend<br />
an evening than indulging in delicious food<br />
and a few drinks? Check out our run down<br />
of some of the best places for dinner and<br />
cocktails in the county.<br />
The Oakley Arms<br />
98-104 High St, Harrold, MK43 7BH<br />
Nestled in the picturesque north<br />
Bedfordshire village of Harrold, the Oakley<br />
Arms is a rustic village pub that has been given a new<br />
lease of life by owners Andy and Lizzie. The menu offers<br />
modern, elevated comfort food and makes the most of the<br />
fantastic local produce from the surrounding areas such<br />
as Harrold venison and Bevistan Dairy. Expect comforting<br />
pies, effortless twists on classic dishes and freshly baked<br />
bread and sweet treats. The menu changes regularly, often<br />
daily, so there is always something new and exciting to try.<br />
The cocktail menu changes with the seasons too, perfectly<br />
pairing with your meal.<br />
Open Wednesday to Saturday for breakfast, lunch and<br />
dinner. Sunday lunch is served 12-4pm.<br />
www.theoakleyharrold.co.uk<br />
FatCap Smokehouse<br />
15 Castle Lane, Bedford, MK40 3NT<br />
Bedford’s only all-American barbecue joint is a must-visit. It<br />
is the place to go for good vibes, big portions and a cocktail<br />
or two. The meat, fresh from the smoker, is the specialty<br />
here. Think thick St. Louis ribs that fall off the bone and<br />
juicy brisket. The FatCap Feast is an outrageous sharing<br />
platter for two, piled high with all the smoked meats and<br />
a selection of sides. For £49, it will fill you up and give you<br />
leftovers for another day. There’s also a hearty list of burgers<br />
and other dishes straight out of the USA. The cocktail list<br />
has all the classics to get the party started, as well as a great<br />
choice of mocktails. For the ultimate experience, upgrade<br />
your favourite bourbon to an old fashioned.<br />
Open Wednesday to Sunday. Bottomless brunch<br />
is available at the weekend. Happy hour is every<br />
Friday, 5-7pm.<br />
www.fatcapsmokehouse.co.uk<br />
Fratelli Cicchetti<br />
First Floor, 111 Dunstable St, Ampthill, MK45 2NG<br />
Head up the glamorous staircase at the Fratelli restaurant<br />
in Ampthill and you’ll find its effortlessly stylish sister<br />
restaurant, Fratelli Cicchetti. This modern Italian restaurant<br />
has a focus on simple flavours and top-quality produce,<br />
68
Bedfordshire<br />
Open seven days a week from 7am during the<br />
week and 8am at weekends. Breakfast, lunch,<br />
afternoon tea and dinner are available.<br />
www.knifeandcleaver.co.uk<br />
The Foresters Arms<br />
either sourced locally or straight from Italy. Indulge in big<br />
bowls of handmade pasta, fresh seafood or share a few<br />
Cicchetti dishes with a cocktail. The cocktails are worth the<br />
trip alone. Book in for bottomless brunch for the ultimate<br />
cocktail and dining experience.<br />
Open Thursday to Saturday from 5.30pm. 2 for 1 cocktails<br />
on Thursdays. Brunch is available on Saturdays, 12-4pm.<br />
Sunday lunch is available 12-5pm.<br />
www.fratelli-italian.co.uk/cicchetti<br />
The Knife & Cleaver<br />
The Grove, Houghton Conquest, MK45 3LA<br />
Houghton Conquest is a quiet village tucked away in the<br />
rolling Bedfordshire countryside, and at its centre is the<br />
bright and airy Knife & Cleaver. It’s a pub that does it all,<br />
from breakfast to afternoon tea, to a Sunday roast. It’s also a<br />
hotel and wedding venue. The menu has a combination of<br />
pub grub and fine dining. Start with small plates, tackle the<br />
sharing surf & turf and finish with a hearty pudding. There<br />
are plenty of options for cocktails too: start the meal with an<br />
aperitif and a couple of oysters or try a specialty hot drink to<br />
warm you up.<br />
41 Union Street, Bedford, MK40 2SF<br />
The Foresters Arms reopened over the summer to bring<br />
something new and exciting to Bedford town centre. In<br />
collaboration with local cocktail company, Liquid Mobile<br />
Bar, the pub is now offering an exciting menu of small plates<br />
and delicious cocktails. The pub has plenty of cosy nooks<br />
for whiling away the hours whilst working through the vast<br />
cocktail list. The menu is designed for sharing, including<br />
Spanish-inspired dishes such as quesadillas and patatas<br />
bravas. Order a few sharing platters between friends.<br />
Another spot for indulging in a cocktail-fueled bottomless<br />
brunch. The cocktails are available without alcohol too.<br />
Open seven days a week from midday till late. Details of<br />
monthly events including bottomless brunch, happy hour<br />
and live music can be found on the website.<br />
www.forestersarmsbedford.com<br />
Find Lydia on Instagram @lydeatsfood<br />
69
Bedfordshire<br />
BEDFORDSHIRE NEWS & EVENTS<br />
News<br />
Join the Walking Festival and Explore<br />
the County<br />
The Bedfordshire Walking Festival returns this year from<br />
10 to 18 September with walks every day across the<br />
county. Routes vary from short heritage walks to half<br />
and full-day walks, right up to the 40-mile Greensand<br />
Challenge.<br />
The informative heritage walks include Leighton<br />
Buzzard, Aspley Guise, Marston Vale Forest Centre,<br />
Henlow and also Stewartby, a once polluted village<br />
that is now clean and picturesque. For those who<br />
prefer something a little different, there is a flexible walk<br />
and river cruise along the Great Ouse and there are a<br />
number of longer routes for more seasoned walkers,<br />
including the North Bedfordshire Village meander.<br />
For those who like a challenge, the 40-mile Greensand<br />
Ridge over two days should appeal. The walk crosses<br />
the county from west to east through the picturesque<br />
Greensand Country.<br />
Bedfordshire has a very varied landscape with the<br />
chalk hills of the south, the wooded ridge of Greensand<br />
Country in the middle and the wold-like landscape<br />
of the north. Most walks are free and do not require<br />
booking. www.bedswalkfest.co.uk<br />
Community Boat Receives The<br />
Queen’s Award<br />
to benefit their communities. It was created in 2002 to<br />
celebrate The Queen’s Golden Jubilee.<br />
Since its launch in 2013, The John Bunyan Community<br />
Boat has carried more than 45,000 passengers on<br />
its scenic river cruises along the River Great Ouse in<br />
Bedford, enabling both local people and visitors to<br />
Bedford access to the wonderful river environment.<br />
The boat’s public cruising season starts in April and<br />
runs through until the end of October each year.<br />
bmkwaterway.org/johnbunyanboat<br />
Construction of New Leisure Centre<br />
to Start<br />
Plans have been approved for a new £25 million<br />
Houghton Regis Community and Leisure Centre which<br />
will offer residents a range of modern sports facilities and<br />
community amenities within the Kingsland Campus.<br />
The two-storey community and leisure hub will include<br />
a 25-metre eight-lane pool, a fitness suite, a spinning<br />
bikes studio, multi-use exercise studios and two squash<br />
courts. The new centre will be sited near to the new<br />
Houstone School with the school’s first-class sports<br />
facilities also available for the community to use. School<br />
facilities will include a new sports hall as well as a range<br />
of outdoor grass pitches and a 3G artificial floodlit pitch.<br />
Construction is expected to start this autumn with the<br />
new centre opening in 2024.<br />
50 Things to Do Before you’re Five<br />
An exciting app for families in Bedfordshire has been<br />
launched by HEART Academies<br />
Trust in collaboration with Bedford<br />
Borough Council.<br />
50 Things is a free, universal,<br />
smartphone app-based initiative<br />
available to families with children<br />
under the age of five. It offers<br />
suggestions for easy, low cost and<br />
free play and experiences that<br />
support children’s language and<br />
learning.<br />
The John Bunyan Community Boat, a completely<br />
volunteer-based group in Bedford, has been awarded<br />
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. This is the<br />
highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the<br />
UK and is equivalent to an MBE.<br />
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to<br />
recognise outstanding work by local volunteer groups<br />
The app is localised to Bedfordshire, giving tips on a<br />
wide range of resources such as parks, woodlands and<br />
museums as well as the very best local bridges to play<br />
Pooh Sticks and local spots to play with echoes!<br />
For more information visit<br />
bedfordshire.50thingstodo.org where you can also<br />
download the app for free.<br />
70
To download the<br />
app, scan the QR<br />
code with your<br />
smart phone,<br />
or visit:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
KEY:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Bedfordshire<br />
Step into the New Walking Tour<br />
Invisible Folk and Bedford<br />
Borough Council are inviting<br />
people to take a journey into<br />
Bedford High Street’s rich<br />
heritage.<br />
The exciting new scheme,<br />
launched as part of the High<br />
Street Heritage Action Zone,<br />
7<br />
5<br />
6<br />
invites people to discover some<br />
2. Joe Clough<br />
4. Huddleston Bust<br />
of the untold stories of Bedford<br />
5. Bedford Market<br />
https://izi.travel/en/app<br />
7. La Piazza<br />
High Street through a free virtual<br />
walking tour. The stories are<br />
told by local historic figures and<br />
residents who lived through and experienced the events.<br />
Jon Bickley, Director at Invisible Folk, said: “We were<br />
delighted to give a voice to the people of Bedford; their<br />
pride in their town came across strongly. We heard many<br />
interesting stories from a range of backgrounds and<br />
communities.”<br />
This free tour is self-guided, meaning anyone with a<br />
smartphone or tablet can take part at a time that suits<br />
them. Free printed maps are also available at The Higgins<br />
Bedford, although they are not essential for taking part in<br />
the tour. To take part in the tour, visit izi.travel/en<br />
Starship and Co-op roll-out Delivery<br />
Robots<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The Invisible Folk<br />
WALKING TOUR OF<br />
BEDFORD HIGH STREET<br />
4<br />
3<br />
1<br />
2<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
1. John Bunyan Statue<br />
3. Silver Street Faces<br />
6. St. Paul’s Church<br />
Food & Drink<br />
Carlton pub wins CAMRA’s top award<br />
The Fox at Carlton has been<br />
crowned North Bedfordshire<br />
Pub of the Year in the CAMRA<br />
(Campaign for Real Ales) <strong>2022</strong><br />
awards.<br />
The traditional village pub,<br />
which offers home cooked<br />
food and real ales, is run by<br />
Alison who describes herself<br />
as the proud owner of a proper village pub.<br />
A spokesman from North Bedfordshire CAMRA said: “After<br />
many years of winning a variety of awards, this year the<br />
country free house has come away with the top award. We<br />
are delighted to hand Alison this award, as she is committed<br />
to running a fine establishment and always has a selection<br />
of interesting beers available.”<br />
thefoxatcarlton.pub<br />
Coming Soon…<br />
Spookiest Festival Returns<br />
A fleet of grocery delivery robots is heading to local<br />
neighbourhoods in Bedford and Kempston thanks to an<br />
exciting pilot project between Bedford Borough Council<br />
and Starship Technologies, in partnership with the Co-op.<br />
Residents will be able to choose grocery items, schedule<br />
their delivery, then drop a pin where they want their delivery<br />
to be sent. They can watch in real-time via an interactive<br />
map as the robot makes its journey to them. Once the robot<br />
arrives, they receive an alert and can meet and unlock it<br />
through the app.<br />
Starship’s robots are powered by zero-carbon electricity,<br />
with an average delivery consuming as little energy as<br />
boiling a kettle to make just one cup of tea. Orders are made<br />
through the Starship food delivery app, which is available<br />
for download on iOS and Android, with groceries picked<br />
fresh in local Co-op stores and delivered quickly and<br />
conveniently in as little as one hour or less.<br />
The robots are lightweight and travel at the speed of a<br />
pedestrian (no faster than 4mph). They use a combination<br />
of sensors, artificial intelligence and machine learning to<br />
travel on pavements and navigate around any obstacles,<br />
while computer vision-based navigation helps them map<br />
their environment to the nearest inch.<br />
Halloween Town Festival, which launched last year, returns<br />
to The Great Meadow in Bedford for three nights of music<br />
amid spectacular immersive Halloween entertainment from<br />
28 to 30 October.<br />
The Wombats have been announced as the Sunday<br />
headliners with the much-loved indie band taking to the<br />
stage on the final night of the UK’s biggest Halloween<br />
event. Bedford’s own rising star, Alfie Templeman, has been<br />
confirmed as their support act.<br />
Halloween Town Festival takes place in a huge big top,<br />
festival-style tent and takes guests on a journey through<br />
the eerie entertainment to a massive night of music. With<br />
incredible makeup artists ready to turn them into creatures<br />
of the night, and bizarre and scary performances along the<br />
route, guests become part of the Halloween Town itself.<br />
halloweentownfestival.com<br />
71
Now<br />
Open<br />
Riverside<br />
Pub<br />
With<br />
Rooms<br />
01234 270044<br />
enquiries@thekingfisherbedford.co.uk<br />
thekingfisherbedford.co.uk<br />
Barns, Cardington Road, Bedford, MK44 3SA<br />
The<br />
Kingfisher<br />
RIVERSIDE PUB & ROOMS
Bedfordshire<br />
Race Day Air Show<br />
29 October<br />
Join Woodland Manor Hotel for a special Murder<br />
Mystery at the Manor evening. Experience a unique,<br />
theatrical and immersive experience that compliments<br />
a sumptuous three course meal. The interactive show<br />
offers you and your friends a chance to play suspects<br />
in the Murder Mystery, with elements of escape rooms,<br />
panto and a significant amount of drama.<br />
woodlandmanorhotel.co.uk<br />
WHAT’S ON<br />
2 October<br />
The Shuttleworth Collection<br />
Rounding off the <strong>2022</strong> season, Shuttleworth’s Race Day<br />
air show brings together wings and wheels along the<br />
grass runway. Expect to see vintage cars thundering<br />
down the runway in sprint style, before a flying display<br />
with speed firmly on the menu! Not forgetting, there<br />
will be plenty of kids’ activities to keep the little ones<br />
entertained.<br />
shuttleworth.org<br />
Bedfordshire Festival of<br />
Remembrance<br />
Mind, Body & Spirit Fair<br />
16 October<br />
The Olde Watermill<br />
Shopping Village,<br />
Barton-le-Clay<br />
Come and enjoy<br />
a mindful day with<br />
over 20 stalls stalls to<br />
peruse. Reiki, candles,<br />
jewellery, tarot, to<br />
name a few. There<br />
will also be a static<br />
display of live owls<br />
on the day. Set in the<br />
grounds of a beautiful<br />
Dickensian Shopping Village in the heart of Bedfordshire,<br />
where you can walk the local foot paths or come inside<br />
and explore over 20 independent retail boutiques. Maybe<br />
even treat yourselves to a tasty lunch in the Mill House<br />
Coffee Shop.<br />
oldewatermill.co.uk<br />
12 November<br />
Bedford Corn Exchange<br />
The Royal British Legion Bedfordshire invites you to<br />
join with them for a Festival of Remembrance to raise<br />
money for the <strong>2022</strong> Poppy Appeal. This year there will<br />
be a special performance to commemorate the 40th<br />
anniversary of the Falklands War, where they plan on<br />
remembering those service personnel who participated<br />
in this conflict. Join in and remember that their service<br />
and sacrifice is not forgotten in an uplifting evening<br />
of music, song and poetry with a generation that<br />
contributed to our great nation’s victories.<br />
bedfordcornexchange.co.uk<br />
Murder Mystery at the Manor<br />
For more event listings in your county<br />
visit www.eastlife.co.uk/events/<br />
73
Cambridgeshire
Cambridge<br />
A visit to<br />
St Neots<br />
written by Noah Keate<br />
Located in the west of the county, nearly 30 miles<br />
from Cambridge and not far from Bedfordshire, St<br />
Neots is one of the county’s largest towns. With<br />
a quaint setting, nestled around the banks of the<br />
River Great Ouse, this charming market town<br />
offers plenty to see and do and is well worth a visit.<br />
St Neots is steeped in history, with remains from the Iron<br />
Age discovered within the town. The original settlement<br />
was founded by a holy man called Neot while in April<br />
1648, during the English Civil War, a battle commenced<br />
here between the parliamentarians and royalists. With<br />
widespread industries in corn and transport during the<br />
1700s and 1800s, St Neots has a rich past.<br />
Today, like many towns, St Neots’ defining feature is its<br />
High Street. Running through the centre of the busy town, it<br />
boasts a mix of familiar national brands, indie stores, places<br />
to eat and charity shops where you can grab a bargain<br />
while helping a good cause.<br />
Of course, no market town would be complete without<br />
its farmers’ market. Held in the central Market Square on<br />
the High Street, it takes place on the second and fourth<br />
Saturday of every month between 8am and 2pm. A<br />
Thursday Charter Market also runs every week between<br />
9am and 4pm, selling produce and homewares.<br />
For something to please all the family, Crafty Monkey on<br />
Moore’s Walk provides a welcoming space for pottery<br />
painting and for children to build a bear. With a range of fun<br />
craft activities for all ages and abilities, it’s an ideal place to<br />
relax and enjoy some artistic endeavours.<br />
St Neots offers a range of options for eating out. Elsie<br />
May’s Electric Lounge is a café, bar and bakery on Market<br />
Square. Meanwhile, Art & Soul on New Street blends food<br />
with creative art to please any visitors. Back on Market<br />
Square, the Bridge House offers wonderful food within a<br />
historic tavern atmosphere. However, perhaps one of the<br />
best places to eat in St Neots is Buffalo on Huntingdon<br />
Street, offering Mediterranean dishes including falafel and<br />
moussaka. With friendly service and a great atmosphere, it’s<br />
a restaurant well worth your time.<br />
The Priory Centre on Priory Lane offers the perfect culture<br />
fix. Don’t fret about heading to Cambridge or the West End<br />
when local culture is right here. From amateur dramatics to<br />
comedy nights and tribute groups, there’s something for<br />
everyone. Located not far from the main town centre, it<br />
76
Cambridge<br />
provides a great night out to ensure your time in St Neots is<br />
unforgettable.<br />
Urban areas are enhanced by a degree of greenery and,<br />
thankfully, St Neots has that in spades. Sudbury Meadow,<br />
just past the High Street, offers a place of relaxation<br />
surrounded by trees, plants and natural beauty. Similarly,<br />
the expansive Riverside Park offers visitors and residents<br />
a location to unwind and enjoy their environment. With<br />
the Ambience Café Restaurant and Riverside Miniature<br />
Railway, there is plenty of scope for enjoyment.<br />
If you would like to learn more about the town’s history,<br />
head to St Neots Museum on New Street. Housed in a<br />
former police station, it includes the original 1907 cell<br />
block where prisoners were detained. Now, this has aptly<br />
become a popular escape room experience.<br />
Such is the depth of St Neots’ past, that a Living History<br />
Festival will take place on Saturday 10 September<br />
between 11am and 4pm on the Market Square. Part of<br />
the annual Heritage Open Days festival, the event offers<br />
the chance to meet a variety of characters including<br />
medieval knights, Georgian historians and Second World<br />
War soldiers who can tell you all about their period of<br />
history. With replica food to try and games to play, it<br />
promises to be a fun and educational day out.<br />
The rich combination of food, nature, shopping and<br />
culture will ensure you enjoy your time in St Neots and<br />
make you keen to return to the thriving town again.<br />
77
‘..NIVERSITY ARMS AND PARKER’S TAVERN.’<br />
WE SEEM TO BE MISSING U.<br />
VISIT WWW.UNIVERSITYARMS.COM/CAREERS OR<br />
EMAIL APPLY@UNIVERSITYARMS.COM TO FIND OUT MORE.
Christmas at<br />
Anglesey Abbey<br />
Thur 1 December to<br />
Sun 1 January<br />
*Closed 24 - 26 December<br />
Experience a magical Christmas<br />
in the country at Anglesey<br />
Abbey, just 5 miles from<br />
Cambridge. Enjoy seasonal<br />
sparkle as you explore the richly<br />
decorated ground floor rooms in<br />
the House. In the wider estate,<br />
visit the sensory winter garden,<br />
indulge in festive shopping and<br />
embark on a wintry adventure in<br />
the Hoe Fen woodland play area.<br />
Find out more and book your tickets at<br />
nationaltrust.org.uk/ChristmasAtAngleseyAbbey<br />
or call the NT Box Office on 0344 249 1895.<br />
Friday 25th – Sunday 27th November <strong>2022</strong><br />
Huntingdon Market Square<br />
Fri: 12noon – 7.30pm Sat: 10am – 5.30pm Sunday: 10am – 4pm<br />
d Meet Father Christmas d Children’s entertainment d Festive food and drinks<br />
d Live music and performances stage d Christmas gifts & stocking fillers<br />
HUNTINGDON<br />
TOWN COUNCIL<br />
www.huntingdonchristmasmarket.co.uk
Family friendly self catering at Fuller’s Hill Cottages<br />
on a family run farm in South Cambridgeshire.<br />
Featuring 7 unique cottages with hot tubs and pretty gardens<br />
which can sleep individual families or larger gatherings and hen<br />
parties!<br />
For a love of the outdoors, local attractions, dog friendly, a new<br />
sundown spot to watch the beautiful sunsets, and a play area,<br />
choose us for your next staycation!<br />
Download our Little Pink Book for ideas, contacts and discounts!<br />
Please call Kirstie on<br />
Email bookings@fullershillcottages.co.ukshill<br />
www.fullershillcottages.co.uk<br />
@fullershill.cottages Fullers Hill Cottages Official @fullershill<br />
Our products and services we offer are wide and varied and we<br />
are a small independent company which means we can stock<br />
what we want and are not controlled by the manufacturers of<br />
the products we stock.<br />
We hold stock on the most popular ranges of cookware and<br />
bakeware and can order in if required, anything that we do<br />
not hold as a stock item at the time of your visit.<br />
If you ever need our advice we have well trained staff that are<br />
always on hand to help with advice on our product ranges.<br />
If you only require a part for an accessory then please ask as<br />
we also carry many of these on the premises too.<br />
36 Market Place, Oundle<br />
Peterborough, PE8 4BE<br />
Tel/Fax: 01832 275414<br />
All aspects of<br />
tree surgery undertaken.<br />
07595 342392<br />
Contact Ben Lanefor a free, no obligation quote<br />
or 01487 208573<br />
E draytontreecare@hotmail.co.uk<br />
Fully qualified BTEC national diploma. Fully insured
LUXURIOUS UNISEX HAIR SALON<br />
We warmly welcome everyone to<br />
experience the outstanding and<br />
modernised form of indulgence<br />
One of the most significant elements<br />
for us is the consultation process;<br />
we take into account every piece<br />
of information you provide. And<br />
then specialise in providing the best<br />
results. This entails keeping three<br />
important values at the core of our<br />
work.<br />
Taking great care in determining<br />
the right hair style for your facial<br />
structure, your hair type, and your<br />
style.<br />
IC Coiffeur will ensure that you are<br />
entirely pleased with your look and<br />
that you leave feeling confident and<br />
satisfied.<br />
During the Christmas Season<br />
Customers can partake of hot wine<br />
and mince pies.<br />
Mon-Thurs 09.00-18.00<br />
Fri-Sat 09.00-18.30<br />
Sunday Closed<br />
01223 694 812<br />
3 Atkins Corner, Cambridge CB1 3RU<br />
IC Coiffeur<br />
ic.coiffeur
Cambridge<br />
Food&Drink<br />
Comfort food that won’t break the bank<br />
written by Gerla de Boer<br />
www.cbtravelguide.co.uk<br />
Looking for the best comfort food in<br />
Cambridge? Fancy something spicy,<br />
a steaming bowl of pasta, or prefer<br />
to tuck into a pizza smothered with<br />
Nduja or good old pub grub at one<br />
of the locals instead?<br />
Whether it is sizzling hot outside or<br />
freezing cold, there is nothing better<br />
than a plate of comfort food. For<br />
me, it can be anything from spicy<br />
Asian noodles to a delicious pie or<br />
a Sunday roast at one of the great<br />
pubs. Don’t get me wrong, I love a<br />
nice crisp salad, but comfort food is<br />
all about warming the soul.<br />
So, where to find the best places for<br />
comfort food in Cambridge? Move<br />
away from Kings Parade and go to<br />
areas where the locals like to hang<br />
out. Mill Road is top of the list for<br />
them. This quirky road is lined with<br />
spice shops, cafés and fantastic<br />
restaurants. East Cambridge is a<br />
rising star too. Many people flock<br />
here for the beauty of the River Cam,<br />
especially during warmer months.<br />
Instead of aimlessly walking around<br />
Cambridge or scrolling Google to<br />
find the best places for comfort food,<br />
I have munched my way through the<br />
city to bring you the best places and<br />
I can assure you they won’t break<br />
the bank!<br />
The Tiffin Truck –<br />
Regent Street<br />
Serving street food-style dishes, the<br />
Tiffin Truck is one of Cambridge’s<br />
favourites for Indian food. Make sure<br />
you book a table, especially<br />
on Saturdays.<br />
Free Press Pub –<br />
Prospect Row<br />
This quaint neighbourhood pub<br />
is only a stone’s throw away from<br />
John Lewis and the Grafton Centre.<br />
Famous for their Scotch eggs and<br />
excellent pub grub, but their Asian<br />
food comes highly recommended<br />
too. The menu changes four times<br />
per year to include seasonal food.<br />
Noodles Plus – Mill Road<br />
Not difficult to spot as most of the time<br />
there is a long queue outside this local<br />
favourite for their excellent Chinese<br />
food. The star of the show here is the<br />
‘soup dumplings’. These homemade<br />
Xiao Long Baos are a real delicacy.<br />
Noodles Plus is a tiny restaurant and<br />
doesn’t take bookings so be prepared<br />
to queue. It’s worth the wait!<br />
The Mill – Mill Road<br />
Looking for a Greek vibe in<br />
Cambridge? This lovely place on Mill<br />
Road is the only Greek café in the<br />
city. Since opening in March, it has<br />
become one of the local favourites.<br />
Not a surprise with their lovely cakes,<br />
savoury snacks, excellent Greek<br />
deli products and secluded garden.<br />
Don’t forget to order one of their<br />
showstopper pancakes!<br />
82
Cambridge<br />
Maurizio Dining –<br />
Mill Road<br />
Planning a date night or a fun night<br />
out with your friends? Maurizio<br />
Dining should be on the cards! This<br />
Italian restaurant and Negroni bar not<br />
only has the most extensive offering<br />
of Negronis in Cambridge but also<br />
serves comforting home-style Italian<br />
food and excellent pizzas. Must-have<br />
here is their tiramisu!<br />
Zhonghua –<br />
Norfolk Street<br />
Tucked away in Norfolk Street, this<br />
tiny Chinese restaurant is easy to<br />
miss. Serving delicious homemade<br />
dumplings and a good variety of<br />
Chinese mains and desserts, it’s an<br />
excellent choice if you’re looking for<br />
authentic Chinese food. BYO alcohol.<br />
The Wrestlers –<br />
Newmarket Road<br />
Located next to Tesco on Newmarket<br />
Road, The Wrestlers was the first pub<br />
in Cambridge to offer Thai food over<br />
thirty years ago. Serving mains only<br />
and all cooked to order varying from<br />
mild, medium and hot.<br />
The Green Dragon –<br />
Water Street, Chesterton<br />
East Chesterton is not often on the<br />
cards for Cambridge residents,<br />
but the locals here know that the<br />
Green Dragon Pub is a hidden<br />
gem. Boasting one of the best beer<br />
gardens on the river in Cambridge,<br />
it serves excellent Cypriot food and<br />
Sunday lunch cooked by Ozzy, the<br />
son of Carlos from Mill Road. The<br />
kitchen is open from<br />
Tuesday-Sunday.<br />
Othersyde – Riverside<br />
Just a short walk from the Green<br />
Dragon, this quirky restaurant and bar<br />
is one of the places to go for delicious<br />
pizzas. The chef is from Persia so<br />
expect a slight twist. Overlooking the<br />
River Cam, it’s an excellent spot to<br />
meet up with friends.<br />
Street Food at the Station<br />
Looking for something more casual?<br />
On Fridays, foodPark is rocking up<br />
next to the Clayton Hotel from 12 to<br />
2pm with street food vans opposite<br />
the railway station. AlChile Mexican<br />
Street Kitchen is one of them and is<br />
labelled the best tacos in Cambridge.<br />
Fancy something spicy, a steaming bowl of pasta, or prefer to<br />
tuck into a pizza smothered with Nduja or good old pub grub at<br />
one of the locals instead?<br />
83
Beautifully designed, one-of-a-kind apartments<br />
in Eddington, Cambridge.<br />
Stay for one night, one week, one month. Or longer.<br />
Turing Locke is your place to feel free.<br />
lockeliving.com | @lockehotels<br />
Turing Locke, 47 Eddington Ave, Cambridge, CB3 1SE
Iain Batchelor & Associates<br />
01480 290120<br />
Your custom kitchen or<br />
bedroom starts here<br />
At Langtry Fitted Furniture we<br />
design, manufacture and fit<br />
kitchens and bedrooms that<br />
inspire! With over 20 years of<br />
experience we offer a "best-inclass"<br />
local and personal service<br />
where everything is bespoke and<br />
nothing is standard. Get in touch<br />
today for a no obligation chat.<br />
Units 24 & 24A,<br />
Northfield Business Park,<br />
Ely, Cambs. CB7 5UE<br />
Phone 01353 725 380<br />
Visit www.langtryfurniture.co.uk<br />
Iain Batchelor<br />
Single Will £85/Pair of Wills £150<br />
Pair Property Trust Wills £250<br />
Lasting Powers of Attorney<br />
Home Visits / Telephone / Video<br />
Appointments<br />
Please Request Our Brochure<br />
ib.associates55@gmail.com<br />
www.iba-legal.co.uk<br />
Cambridge’s Premier<br />
Giclée Print Provider<br />
With full in-house bespoke<br />
Picture Framing Services<br />
“Their print reproduction<br />
expertise and framing<br />
craftmanship is beyond<br />
professional and my customers<br />
never fail to be delighted with<br />
their work. Highly recommended.”<br />
Andy Robinson, Artist<br />
Rectory Farm, Pampisford, CB22 3EN<br />
www.photoartgb.com<br />
info@photoartgb.com<br />
01223<br />
831144
Cambridge<br />
CAMBRIDGESHIRE NEWS & EVENTS<br />
News<br />
Chicago Bears Spotted in Cambridge!<br />
Local children from Cambridge learned a whole new<br />
ball game as legendary NFL team Chicago Bears held<br />
an American Football masterclass to kick off their Mini<br />
Monsters tour across the UK.<br />
Over 250 children from 12 local schools in the area<br />
attended the activity at One Leisure St. Ives, Outdoor<br />
Centre. Former Bears wide receiver Johnny Knox<br />
helped to put on a session focused on healthy eating,<br />
physical activity and hydration through fun, non-contact<br />
American football drills.<br />
Chicago Bears are one of the most successful teams<br />
in the history of American Football and have brought<br />
their Mini Monsters Clinics from Chicago to the United<br />
Kingdom for the very first time. The Bears arrived in<br />
Cambridge on day three of their nine-date tour, which<br />
will see the 90-minute clinics reach approximately 1,400<br />
kids up and down the country.<br />
Local secondary school students from Hinchingbrooke<br />
School in Huntington helped run the session under<br />
the guidance of the Bears coaches. Aged 14-15, the<br />
students were able to learn from the Bears staff to<br />
improve their leadership and communication skills,<br />
as well as learning more about American football<br />
throughout the camp.<br />
Chariots of Fire is 30 this Year<br />
its name from the famous 1981 film, has been a staple<br />
of the Cambridge event calendar since its inaugural run<br />
in 1992. The first run was held on the grounds of Perse<br />
Boys School but now the race regularly hosts over two<br />
thousand runners and crosses the entire city centre.<br />
Throughout its 30-year lifetime, Chariots of Fire has<br />
gone on to raise over £1.5m for charitable causes<br />
across the region including building the helipad at<br />
Addenbrooke’s Hospital, the purchasing of children’s<br />
ambulances for the Addenbrooke’s Charitable<br />
Trust, and the funding of pioneering research into<br />
heart transplants for Papworth Hospital. This year’s<br />
official charity is the Arthur Rank Hospice Charity<br />
(ARHC), which provides crucial support for people in<br />
Cambridgeshire with life-limiting conditions, and those<br />
at the end of life.<br />
Chariots of Fire starts and finishes on Queens’ Green,<br />
Cambridge on Sunday 18 September. To enter a team<br />
or find out more information visit chariots-of-fire.co.uk<br />
Local Author Publishes Third Book<br />
Hot on the heels of ‘For<br />
The Love of the Land’<br />
and its companion ‘For<br />
The Love of the Sea’,<br />
author and farmer’s<br />
wife Jenny Jefferies has<br />
compiled a third book<br />
full of delicious recipes<br />
and fascinating stories<br />
from the British farming<br />
community.<br />
Her previous titles have<br />
seen amazing success;<br />
For The Love of the<br />
Land was shortlisted for<br />
the Great British Food Awards and won Best Cook Book<br />
by Woman and Home Magazine, while Jenny herself<br />
now writes a column for Rural Life Magazine and is a<br />
member of The Guild of Food Writers.<br />
Celebrating our farmers and the food they produce, her<br />
timely and topical sequel highlights 40 of the UK’s most<br />
influential and innovative farms including Riverford,<br />
Yeo Valley, Belvoir and the Michelin-starred restaurant<br />
L’Enclume, which has its own farm in Cumbria. For<br />
The Love of the Land II also features a foreword by<br />
Jimmy Doherty as well as a chapter on Jimmy’s Farm &<br />
Wildlife Park.<br />
Suitable for home cooks of any skill level, ‘For the<br />
Love of the Land II’ is also the perfect read for anyone<br />
who is interested in where their food comes from. The<br />
192-page hardback, which retails at £22, is available<br />
from bookshops including Waterstones as well as the<br />
author’s own website jennyjefferies.co.uk<br />
Chariots of Fire is back and better than ever, as it<br />
celebrates turning 30 this year. The race, which takes<br />
86
Cambridge<br />
Food & Drink<br />
A Unique Dining and Meeting Space<br />
Weeping Willow in Suffolk, the restaurant includes a striking<br />
glass front, which wraps around the rear of the pub, filling<br />
the colourful interior with light. The history of the building<br />
is celebrated with exposed beams, warm oaks and open<br />
fires while bold modern prints, add snapshots of colour and<br />
texture.<br />
The Carpenters Arms is surrounded by a wealth of local<br />
suppliers and produce and Head Chef, Seb Mansfield, will<br />
be creating a seasonal menu of the best food that East<br />
Anglia has to offer.<br />
The bedrooms have also been newly decorated and<br />
thoughtfully designed to be pooch perfect with doggy<br />
beds and treats as four-legged friends are welcome.<br />
A one-of-a-kind dining and meeting space has opened<br />
in Cambridge’s historic Market Square. Spread over five<br />
floors, Market House comprises an all-day café, a formal<br />
restaurant, an evening wine bar, a food lab, and flexible<br />
meeting spaces plus an alfresco terrace.<br />
The venue also offers private dining and meeting space,<br />
and the Food Lab provides an intimate space for recipe<br />
testing, product tastings and workshops.<br />
Chestnut, one of the UK’s fast-growing hospitality<br />
businesses, has been shortlisted for a number of national<br />
awards in the hospitality sector.<br />
carpentersarmswilbraham.co.uk<br />
Coming soon…<br />
Wimpole Christmas Trail Returns<br />
The Market House team has selected the best local<br />
suppliers including Stir Bakery, Brew Project Coffee,<br />
The Saffron Walden Ice Cream Company, Pump Street<br />
Chocolate, Pol Roger Portfolio, Cambridge Wine Merchants,<br />
Saffron Grange Vineyard, Stickleback Fish Company,<br />
Andrews Butchers Cambridge, The Cambridge Cheese<br />
Company, The Cambridge Juice Company and more.<br />
Market House has been sympathetically restored and plays<br />
tribute to its history with a wall dedicated to Cambridge<br />
gone by and the building’s long standing in the area.<br />
markethouse.co.uk<br />
Village Pub Reveals Vibrant New Look<br />
Following the success of its first year, the Christmas trail at<br />
Wimpole will return between 25 November and 1 January<br />
2023.<br />
The magical trail, which features spectacular light<br />
installations, will enchant visitors with seasonal Christmas<br />
classics and transform the estate’s landscaped grounds<br />
and garden. Curated installations include colourful<br />
Rainbow Trees, glowing Spin me a Yarn, romantic glittering<br />
Heart Arches and the Instagram favourite Christmas<br />
Cathedral, in which more than a thousand pea lights<br />
are woven into the landscape. Independent street food<br />
vendors will offer tasty treats including hot chocolate and<br />
toasted marshmallows.<br />
The Carpenters Arms in Great Wilbraham has reopened<br />
following a dramatic refurbishment.<br />
The 250-year-old traditional village pub has been<br />
transformed incorporating an old stable as the new<br />
open kitchen. Emulating another Chestnut property, The<br />
Christmas at Wimpole provides a special way to celebrate<br />
the festive season with an unmissable outdoor experience.<br />
The trail is designed for visitors of all ages to enjoy, and<br />
tickets are on sale now. nationaltrust.org.uk<br />
87
We mainly specialise in silver, gemstone<br />
and leather jewellery for both men and<br />
women. We also have a lovely range of new<br />
baby gifts, handbags, purses, scarves,<br />
and gifts for all occasions.<br />
13 Market Hill, St Ives, PE27 5AL<br />
01480 495198<br />
www.cloudninegems.com<br />
/CloudNineGems
Cambridge<br />
Wimpole Harv’Fest<br />
Huntingdon Fireworks<br />
WHAT’S ON<br />
September<br />
For the first time, the National Trust’s Wimpole Estate<br />
in Cambridgeshire invites visitors to Harv’Fest, a<br />
celebration of the harvest season and all that is grown,<br />
cultivated, and produced on the Estate. Visitors can<br />
enjoy a programme of events, talks, demonstrations, and<br />
workshops throughout September. Harvest season plays<br />
an important role in the calendar year for Wimpole. As the<br />
National Trust’s only in-hand arable farm, the 1000-acre<br />
farmland produces a large crop of organic produce every<br />
year and is grazed by the rare-breed cattle and sheep<br />
which are cared for on the Estate. The Walled Garden and<br />
Orchard, favourites with visitors to the Estate, produce<br />
fruit, vegetables and over 50 varieties of apple, which are<br />
used to make Wimpole apple juice, for sale at certain times<br />
throughout the year in the shop and restaurant.<br />
nationaltrust.org.uk/wimpole-estate<br />
28 October<br />
Huntingdon Racecourse<br />
Take in a spectacular fireworks display that will take your<br />
breath away, choreographed to the soundtrack of<br />
the circus. Roll up, roll up! Buy your tickets now to join<br />
the greatest show of Huntingdon with spectacular<br />
fireworks, funfair rides and games, entertainment, stalls,<br />
food and drinks.<br />
komodoevents.com<br />
Cambridge Literary Winter Festival<br />
Peterborough Festival of Antiques<br />
17-20 November<br />
A busy weekend filled with seminars, talks, panels,<br />
workshops, readings and a few other ad hoc events.<br />
Thousands of wordsmiths, writers and authors have<br />
graced the festival stages and have enthralled,<br />
entertained, educated and sometimes enraged<br />
audiences. They now welcome over 350 writers and<br />
speakers to Cambridge each year and stage events that<br />
cover a huge variety of topics.<br />
cambridgeliteraryfestival.com<br />
23 September<br />
Peterborough Showground<br />
One of the biggest antiques markets in the country<br />
offering a spectacular array of antiques and collectables<br />
for sale within four permanent buildings, a variety of trade<br />
marquees and several acres of outdoor pitches.<br />
If you love antiques, collectables, vintage, and upcycled<br />
items then this is the antique market for you!<br />
iacf.co.uk/peterborough/<br />
For more event listings in your county<br />
visit www.eastlife.co.uk/events/<br />
89
The ultimate destination<br />
Bar & Restaurant in Chelmsford<br />
GET READY FOR CHRISTMAS!<br />
PARTY NIGHTS IN THE ESSEX BARN<br />
BOOK<br />
NOW<br />
View menus, events & book online at: channelsestate.co.uk | 01245 440 005<br />
Channels, Pratts Farm Lane East, Little Waltham, Chelmsford CM3 3PT (Entrance by the Park & Ride)
Essex
ESCAPE<br />
TO CONSTABLE COUNTRY FOR A RESORT STAY TO REMEMBER<br />
Written by Abby Knight<br />
After a hectic few weeks, I was more than ready<br />
for some R & R and the idea of spending<br />
time in the tranquil surrounds of the Apple<br />
Tree Lodges, part of the family-owned Stoke<br />
by Nayland Hotel, Golf & Spa Resort, was<br />
something I was very much looking forward to.<br />
My husband Chris and I were met at reception by Elaine,<br />
one of their many friendly and knowledgeable staff, who<br />
escorted us via golf buggy to the Apple Tree Lodges. A<br />
short journey, they’re set just enough apart from the main<br />
resort to feel peacefully rural but close enough to enjoy all<br />
the wonderful facilities.<br />
The five eco-lodges are hand-built, using sustainable<br />
materials such as cedar wood roof tiles and iroko wood<br />
walls. They all have spacious, open plan areas with floor-toceiling<br />
glass windows and USA-style wraparound wooden<br />
deck terraces. With solar panels and air-source heat pumps,<br />
all of their power comes from green energy sources.<br />
Elaine showed us to our penthouse style suite on the<br />
second floor and our home for the next 24 hours. It looked<br />
as if it could sleep 10 with a lovely timber vaulted ceiling, a<br />
huge kitchen and living area and a light and airy bedroom<br />
with a king-sized bed and Jack and Jill bathroom with a<br />
luxury shower. From our window we could see the original<br />
water tower that’s been cleverly renovated and now<br />
houses a space for parties, intimate weddings and<br />
corporate events.<br />
We enjoyed a delicious evening meal at The Lakes<br />
Restaurant, an AA double rosette holder but Apple Tree<br />
Lodge visitors can self-cater quite easily with great fridge<br />
and cupboard space, good sized dining table and freestanding<br />
BBQ for warmer nights. The onsite Pippin Shop<br />
sells meal and picnic items as well as fresh berries and<br />
apples from the family orchards.<br />
The Lakes Restaurant is just one of the great places to enjoy<br />
good food at Stoke by Nayland. It also has the Sports Bar<br />
92
offering hearty, casual meals to golfers and visitors, and<br />
the Orchard Lounge and Terrace serving lighter bites. Spa<br />
guests are served lunches and snacks in the Spa Bistro.<br />
The next morning, after enjoying breakfast on the terrace,<br />
we headed to the spa for our longed-for pamper session.<br />
The Signature Spa Days are updated four times a year to<br />
give guests a seasonally inspired experience. Each one<br />
includes a welcome refreshment and afternoon tea or a<br />
lunch platter, both with a glass of prosecco. The spa<br />
has a good-sized pool, jacuzzi and steam rooms with<br />
plenty of relaxer beds, both inside and outside, with<br />
spectacular views.<br />
As well as the two award-winning championship golf<br />
courses, the family plans to create another nine-hole par<br />
three course, while the spa has its own gym which caters<br />
for resort guests as well as members.<br />
Leaving just 24 hours later feeling blissfully relaxed and<br />
happy, I made a note that the venue is perfectly placed to<br />
explore the rest of the county – we will definitely be making<br />
a return visit.<br />
Explore nearby<br />
Visit Dedham Vale, an Area of Outstanding Natural<br />
Beauty (AONB) and take a rowing boat out on the<br />
river Stour.<br />
Take a ramble through the countryside. Box Valley<br />
offers easy walking routes between 9km and 14.5km.<br />
The picturesque Polstead Circular is a 10km ramble,<br />
which takes in Stoke by Nayland’s 15th-century church<br />
(painted by John Constable in the first half of the 17th<br />
century).<br />
Take a trip, just a few minutes down the road, to the<br />
Suffolk Distillery to sample delicious gin, rum and vodka<br />
handcrafted in Suffolk. You could even try your hand at<br />
distilling your own gin!<br />
Stop by Prettyfields Vineyard in nearby Ardleigh. Walk<br />
through the vines and discover how great English wines<br />
are produced here in Essex, before enjoying a tutored<br />
tasting and spot of lunch.<br />
Make the time to visit Flatford Mill, a Grade 1 listed<br />
watermill on the River Stour. Originally built in 1733, it<br />
was owned by John Constable’s father and is noted<br />
as one of the locations for many of the great artist’s<br />
works. It’s a great place to pack a picnic and relax by the<br />
river too.<br />
stokebynayland.com<br />
appletreelodges.com<br />
APPLE TREE LODGES<br />
EXCLUSIVE OFFER<br />
From September to December<br />
Eastlife readers can enjoy the<br />
following on bookings placed by 30<br />
September <strong>2022</strong>:<br />
20% discount on a 3-night stay<br />
arriving on a Friday or a 4-night<br />
stay arriving on a Monday – quote<br />
EASTLIFE20<br />
Excludes Christmas and New Year<br />
dates. T&Cs apply.<br />
For telephone bookings call<br />
01206 265805 or for more information<br />
email info@appletreelodges.com<br />
93
Colchester<br />
Park and Ride<br />
Stress-free commuting,<br />
shopping and visiting<br />
Buses run between 7.00 - 7:30 Mon to Sat<br />
Safe Secure Car Park<br />
WiFi on Bus<br />
Group Ticket (up to 2 adults / 3 children)<br />
Contactless & App Payments<br />
12 tickets for the price of 11<br />
Colchester Park and Ride site<br />
Park and Ride<br />
a<br />
›<br />
Hospital Path<br />
Hospital Path<br />
North Station<br />
›<br />
›<br />
North Station<br />
Middleborough<br />
Middleborough<br />
Head Street<br />
›<br />
St Johns Street<br />
Town Centre<br />
High Street<br />
www.essex.gov.uk/parkandride
The Creek.pdf 1 23/02/<strong>2022</strong> 15:52<br />
Creek<br />
EXPERIENCETHETHRILLOFFLYINGAJET<br />
REALISTICBOEING737FLIGHTSIMULATOR<br />
TESTEDANDRECOMMENDEDBYPILOTS<br />
FREEPREVIEW VISITSAVAILABLE<br />
CORPORATEPACKAGES<br />
GIFTVOUCHERSAVAILABLE<br />
TEL:01371856744<br />
NearBraintreeCM63TH<br />
C<br />
M<br />
Y<br />
CM<br />
MY<br />
CY<br />
CMY<br />
Restaurant<br />
Bar<br />
Lounge<br />
A multi-award winning family run restaurant & bar set in<br />
a beautiful Grade ll listed building in Great Bentley.<br />
British dishes with European influence using only the best<br />
locally sourced ingredients, accompanied by hand picked<br />
wines to help complement your dining experience.<br />
2 Cocktails For £10<br />
Every Wednesday to Friday 6.30pm - 7.30pm<br />
BRAND<br />
NEW<br />
ATTRACTION<br />
K<br />
ONLINEGIFTVOUCHER<br />
WWW.FLIGHTSTUDIO.CO.UK<br />
Colchester CO7 8RE<br />
01255 317950<br />
www.thecreekgreatbentley.co.uk<br />
RESTAURANT OF<br />
THE YEAR<br />
"Where Quality & Freshness Counts"<br />
We're a small family run business, passionate about fresh, local produce and<br />
quality products and we want you to share our passion too!<br />
NS Risdon, a top quality traditional butcher is located in store.<br />
With full traceability his meat is superb. We also now have a cheese counter<br />
serving a wide range of British and continental cheeses.<br />
Something for every taste and occasion!<br />
Monday : Closed Tuesday : 8.30am – 5.30pm<br />
Wednesday : 8.30am – 5.30pm Thursday : 8.30am – 5.30pm<br />
Friday : 8.30am – 5.30pm Saturday : 8.30am – 5.30pm<br />
Sunday : 10am – 2pm<br />
Café Opening hours Tuesday to Saturday 8.30 – 4.30<br />
and Sunday & Monday CLOSED<br />
www.calcotthall.com<br />
Calcott Hall Farm Shop, Ongar Road, Brentwood, Essex, CM15 9HS Tel: 01277 264164
Essex<br />
Food&Drink<br />
Cosy spots for comfort food<br />
Written by Krista Price<br />
There’s nothing like good food in a cosy atmosphere to make us almost glad that the nights are getting darker. As the leaves<br />
start to change colour and autumn approaches, here’s a round-up of a few of my favourite spots in Essex for you to try.<br />
The Hoop<br />
High Street, Stock, CM4 9BD<br />
If anyone asks me for a good pub recommendation,<br />
The Hoop always springs to mind. Situated in the<br />
picturesque village of Stock, The Hoop is an awardwinning<br />
pub with traditional decor, wooden beams,<br />
and an open fire. Tuck into a classic dish such as ‘Toad<br />
in the Hoop’ from the tempting menu, or pop by for an<br />
Essex Spirits Co cocktail (or two!). I highly recommend<br />
trying the mouth-watering Bolognese arancini dusted<br />
with parmesan and truffled mayonnaise. The menu<br />
also offers many plant-based options and a traditional<br />
Sunday lunch. Keep an eye on the pub’s Instagram<br />
account for details of pizza nights when they make<br />
fresh sourdough pizza in an artisan oven.<br />
thehoop.co.uk<br />
The Secret Garden<br />
Writtle Road, Chelmsford, CM1 3BL<br />
The Secret Garden Tea Rooms is one of Chelmsford’s<br />
hidden gems. If you’re looking for a cosy spot to enjoy<br />
a coffee and a slice of delicious homemade cake, this<br />
is the place. Offering breakfast, lunches and afternoon<br />
tea, it’s the perfect place for a special occasion or<br />
catching up with friends. Booking ahead is advised<br />
(24 hours in advance for afternoon tea), especially as<br />
the colder weather starts to creep in and the demand<br />
for the charming inside space increases. If you can’t<br />
find a table inside, and definitely on the warmer<br />
autumn days, take a seat in the large garden where<br />
you will find covered seating and a beautiful pergola.<br />
Should you need them, heaters and blankets are<br />
provided to keep you warm and dry while you enjoy a<br />
scone and pot of tea in this oasis of calm.<br />
secretgardentearooms.co.uk<br />
96
Norfolk Essex<br />
The Peterboat<br />
High Street, Leigh-On-Sea, SS9 2EN<br />
Take a stroll along the waterfront of Old Leigh and<br />
you’ll come across The Peterboat, a popular pub<br />
serving food and drinks with views across the<br />
Thames estuary. No matter what time of year you<br />
visit, you’ll always find people enjoying a beer and<br />
bite to eat on the spacious patio area. If you prefer<br />
to be inside, grab a window seat, and watch the<br />
boats go by. You can’t visit without trying the famous<br />
creamy cockle chowder, served inside an enormous<br />
cob! Takeaway coffee is also available, so grab a<br />
cappuccino and continue your walk in the fresh sea<br />
air. For those visiting for the day, the tide times can<br />
also be found on the pub’s website.<br />
the-peterboat.eastangliapubs.com<br />
The Bakehouse<br />
Wyse’s Road, Chelmsford, CM1 3SN<br />
Just a short drive out of Chelmsford on the A414,<br />
you’ll find this stunning coffee spot surrounded by<br />
beautiful Essex countryside and next door to its sister<br />
restaurant The Fox and Goose (which serves an<br />
amazing Sunday roast). The Bakehouse offers a wide<br />
selection of homemade sweet and savoury treats,<br />
breakfasts, afternoon tea and even its own artisan<br />
‘Bakehouse Barista’ coffee which is roasted nearby in<br />
Writtle. No trip to The Bakehouse is complete without<br />
indulging in a blondie, and there is a good selection<br />
of vegan and gluten-free options. Make sure you<br />
book yourself into one of the fire pit evenings as<br />
the nights close in, where you can snuggle around<br />
the fire toasting marshmallows and sipping hot<br />
chocolate. If Chelmsford is a little far for you, they also<br />
have coffee shops in Maldon and Witham.<br />
bakehousecoffeeshop.co.uk<br />
The Griffin<br />
64 Main Road, Danbury, CM3 4DH<br />
The Griffin is a recently renovated pub and seafood<br />
restaurant in Danbury, which now has its very own<br />
champagne and oyster bar. The grade II listed<br />
building is full of character with carved beams<br />
that were originally ship timbers dating back to<br />
the 15th century, and fireplaces creating a cosy<br />
feel throughout. In partnership with Essex Oyster<br />
Company, fresh seafood is served from its truck<br />
outside and, if you are driving by, you can also pop<br />
in and buy some local oysters. In the restaurant, I<br />
recommend trying the warm octopus salad which<br />
is delicious and beautifully presented as are all the<br />
dishes on the menu. This is definitely somewhere to<br />
put at the top of your date-night list.<br />
griffindanbury.co.uk<br />
Find Krista on Instagram @thehungrykp<br />
97
Traditional craftsmanship, first class products –<br />
a love for wood and an eye for detail<br />
For over 50 years we have been creating beautifully-crafted products<br />
from wood. Every project is as individual as our client’s brief and<br />
designed to complement the home it is for, whether it is a period<br />
property, a barn conversion or a contemporary residence.<br />
For more information call 01206 735287 / 01473 365167<br />
or visit www.hall-brothers.co.uk<br />
CONSERVATORIES | ORANGERIES | KITCHENS | DOORS | WINDOWS | STAIRCASES | BARNS | CONSTRUCTION | FURNITURE
8 b/c Stortford Road<br />
Dunmow Essex CM6 1DA<br />
01371 875840<br />
Pet & Wild Bird Supplies<br />
/ Key Cutting<br />
Director - Jo Rosewell<br />
Moving?<br />
De-cluttering?<br />
Clearing the garage?<br />
YOUR LOCAL STORAGE<br />
SOLUTION BASED IN MALDON<br />
Short and<br />
long term<br />
Boxed storage,<br />
250 Cubic feet<br />
and more<br />
Can collect by<br />
prior arrangement<br />
Monday to Friday access<br />
- Out of hours with prior notice<br />
Tel: 01245 225420<br />
Fax: 01245 227672<br />
Mob: 07799 654107<br />
www.allcrates.co.uk<br />
Luxury Vinyl Tiles & Planks • Rugs • Carpets • Vinyl Flooring<br />
Cowdray Carpet Centre<br />
01206 768376<br />
Unit 5, Cowdray Centre, Mason Road (off Cowdray Avenue), Colchester CO1 1BX<br />
www.cowdraycarpetsltd.co.uk<br />
Home Service Available Select your flooring in the comfort of your own home
Essex<br />
ESSEX NEWS & EVENTS<br />
News<br />
Jane Asher is New Patron of Frinton<br />
Theatre<br />
Frinton Summer<br />
Theatre has<br />
announced<br />
that renowned<br />
theatre, TV and<br />
film actor, author<br />
and entrepreneur,<br />
Jane Asher, is to<br />
become its new<br />
patron.<br />
Asher, who had<br />
her first ever stage<br />
appearance in<br />
Frinton at the<br />
age of 13, has<br />
fond memories<br />
of happy family<br />
holidays to the town, which she credits as the reason<br />
for her stage debut there in 1959. “I acted in film and<br />
on television from the age of five but Housemaster at<br />
Frinton was definitely the first time I was ever on stage.<br />
The happy experiences I had there inspired a life-long<br />
love of working in live theatre. I’ve always felt proud<br />
to be part of the long list of actors who began their<br />
stage careers in Frinton, and I am even more proud to<br />
have been given the special honour of becoming the<br />
next Patron.”<br />
Jane Asher takes over the patronage of Frinton Summer<br />
Theatre from renowned stage and screen actor Richard<br />
Wilson, who has been supporting the Theatre for many<br />
years. frintontheatretickets<br />
£3.5m Facility for University of Essex<br />
Experimental Plant Suite (STEPS) at Essex’s Colchester<br />
Campus to future-proof crop production in a changing<br />
and challenging world.<br />
IAG will be installing its innovative and patented<br />
GrowFrame – a modular system which uses aeroponic<br />
irrigation and closed loop water recycling – as well as<br />
an advanced technology system, which will include<br />
artificial intelligence, environmental sensors and water<br />
management systems.<br />
Through the installation, the University of Essex will<br />
have an unrivalled facility for extended education, UK<br />
outreach, research, experimentation and knowledge<br />
transfer for the real-world application of CEA (Controlled<br />
Environment Agriculture). The £3.5million facility is due<br />
to be open by summer 2023.<br />
Colchester Theatre Hosts Captioning<br />
Exhibition<br />
Mercury<br />
Theatre, led<br />
by Executive<br />
Director<br />
Steve Mannix,<br />
Executive<br />
Producer<br />
Tracey Childs<br />
and Creative<br />
Director Ryan<br />
McBryde, is to<br />
host the world’s<br />
first exhibition<br />
on open<br />
captioning in<br />
the arts from 3 to 29 September.<br />
Created by Stagetext, the deaf-led captioning charity,<br />
Captions Speak Louder guides audiences through the<br />
history of theatre captioning and will be on display at<br />
Mercury Theatre as it embarks on a UK tour following its<br />
debut at the Barbican Centre in November 2021.<br />
Agricultural technology company, Innovation Agri-Tech<br />
Group (IAG) and the University of Essex are creating a<br />
£3.5 million facility to enable the university to continue<br />
its world-leading plant productivity research.<br />
The research has been made possible by a £1<br />
million pledge from The Wolfson Foundation for<br />
the development of a unique Smart Technology<br />
The exhibition shows how captions were brought to<br />
the UK following a captioned American tour of Anthony<br />
and Cleopatra in 1999 and spread to venues across<br />
the country. Following how Stagetext was founded as<br />
a charity, the exhibition charts the evolution and art of<br />
captioning.<br />
The free exhibition explores this history through<br />
the stories and memories of the users, the charity’s<br />
founders, and the staff and supporters who worked to<br />
make the arts accessible to deaf, deafened and hard of<br />
hearing people over the last 21 years.<br />
You can visit the online section of the exhibition and see<br />
the other tour locations at stagetext.org<br />
Future Builders to Launch in Essex<br />
An innovative new scheme is launching in Essex to give<br />
young people first-hand experience of working on all<br />
stages of a construction project, from design and build<br />
through to demolition.<br />
100
Essex<br />
The gourmet kebab chain promises high quality doner<br />
kebabs inspired by those sold in Berlin. Freshly prepared<br />
in front of customers, the kebabs are made using premium,<br />
lean, succulent meats and fresh local vegetables, served in<br />
handmade toasted breads with signature sauces.<br />
The new restaurant in Chelmsford is the brand’s 105th site<br />
in the UK. Daniel Bunce, GDK Global COO, said: “Our gamechanging<br />
kebabs are revolutionising the kebab in the UK,<br />
and we are excited to be bringing a new fast-casual dining<br />
experience to the area, offering great tasting fresh food in a<br />
relaxed and modern setting.” germandonerkebab.com<br />
Essex Inn Reopens its Doors<br />
Future Builders is being established by Chelmsfordbased<br />
charity Essex Youthbuild and Essex-based<br />
housing association CHP to give young people from all<br />
backgrounds a chance to learn construction outside the<br />
classroom.<br />
CHP is supporting the project by providing space at its<br />
Chelmsford office where students will build and demolish a<br />
purpose-built studio flat. Students will construct the studio<br />
flat using timber frame materials and install a working<br />
kitchen and bathroom inside the building. As well as<br />
developing practical skills such as bricklaying, plumbing<br />
and electrical installation, they will also work on design, risk<br />
assessments and cost analysis.<br />
At the end of the project the students will plan and carry out<br />
the demolition of the building, before a new group of Future<br />
Builders starts work on site.<br />
Food & Drink<br />
GDK Opens its Doors in Chelmsford<br />
The White Hart Inn on Mersea Island has reopened,<br />
following a £1m investment which has transformed it into a<br />
contemporary pub and restaurant with rooms, minutes from<br />
the sea.<br />
The White Hart Inn has been brought back to life by local<br />
hospitality leader, Piers Baker of Baker Hospitality which<br />
also owns the award-winning The Sun Inn in Dedham and<br />
Church Street Tavern in Colchester. Eliot Craven joins the<br />
team as Head Chef. He was previously sous chef at Church<br />
Street Tavern. The front of house team will be led by Jack<br />
Tuck, who has been part of the Bakery Hospitality team<br />
since 2019 as a manager at The Sun Inn.<br />
Mersea Island is a lovely place to get away from it and<br />
is only connected to the mainland by a causeway that<br />
disappears at high tide. It feels old fashioned and laid<br />
back, there are unspoiled beaches, creeks, boardwalks<br />
- somewhere to walk, watch the boats go by, relax<br />
on the beach or tuck into delicious native oysters.<br />
whitehartinnmersea.co.uk<br />
German Doner Kebab has opened its doors in Chelmsford,<br />
bringing a new fast-casual dining experience to the city.<br />
The new restaurant, which is located on Moulsham Street,<br />
offers a full dine-in experience, plus takeaway with click and<br />
collect and delivery through GDK’s delivery partners.<br />
101
FRINTON SUMMER THEATRE PRESENTS<br />
LYRICS BY TIM RICE, MUSIC BY ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER<br />
PRODUCED BY ARRANGEMENT WITH THE REALLY USEFUL GROUP LTD<br />
19 TH AUGUST TO 4 TH SEPTEMBER <strong>2022</strong><br />
THE GREENSWARD TENT | FRINTON-ON-SEA<br />
01255 775727<br />
frintonsummertheatre.org<br />
Copyright 1996 RUG Ltd<br />
LukaTDB / iStock<br />
INGATESTONE HALL<br />
Hall Lane, Ingatestone Essex, CM4 9NR<br />
(Take Station Lane off the London<br />
end of Ingatestone High St.)<br />
16 th Century manor house & grounds with a wealth of<br />
history.<br />
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC<br />
From Easter until the end of<br />
September<br />
Sunday, Wednesday and<br />
Bank Holiday afternoons<br />
(Noon – 5 p.m.)<br />
Adults - £8.50/Pensioners -<br />
£7.50/Children - £4<br />
Forthcoming Special Events<br />
Sept. 24 OONCERT –Brabissima Choir<br />
Sept . 29 - Hedges Productions present<br />
to<br />
GLASS HOUSES<br />
Oct. 1<br />
and<br />
STICK OR TWIST<br />
Nov 9<br />
Dec. 1/2<br />
KIDS INSPIRE CHRISTMAS MARKET<br />
PANDEMONIUM THEATRE<br />
Tel. 01277 353010<br />
Email: house@ingatestonehall.co.uk<br />
Website: www.ingatestonehall.com<br />
Celebrate <strong>Autumn</strong> at Markshall Estate<br />
• Stargazing • Bat Walk • Photography Workshops • Pumpkin Trail<br />
• Not So Spooky Stories for Kids • Dark and Twisted Tales<br />
Coggeshall, Essex • www.markshall.org.uk • 01376 563796
Essex<br />
Classics at the Castle - Porsche Event<br />
25 September<br />
Hedingham Castle<br />
Porsche Classics at<br />
the Castle is returning<br />
to Hedingham Castle<br />
this September for the<br />
celebration of road and<br />
competition models<br />
built between 1948 and 1973. This year, to mark the<br />
50th anniversary of its production and presentation to<br />
the public, the main theme of the event will focus on the<br />
1972-73 Carrera RS and RSR with an ambitious display<br />
fronting the Keep Tower. Tickets must be purchased in<br />
advance, with no facilities to take payments on the gate.<br />
porscheclubgb.com<br />
Southend Seafront Free Fireworks<br />
Display<br />
16 October<br />
Colne Valley Railway<br />
Enjoy a day of unlimited rides on the resident diesel<br />
locomotives from the shunters through to the DMU’s<br />
and HST.<br />
colnevalleyrailway.co.uk/diesel-gala/<br />
Epping Ongar Light Fantastic<br />
18 November –<br />
15 January<br />
Epping Ongar<br />
Railway<br />
The magic<br />
begins as soon<br />
as you arrive at<br />
North Weald.<br />
The exterior of<br />
the train looks<br />
fantastic but,<br />
once on board<br />
the train, let the magic unfold as the festive music plays<br />
and the story begins. As you experience the fantastic<br />
illuminations, keep your eyes peeled for amazing<br />
displays that can only be seen from the comfort of<br />
your seat and, if you believe in magic, look out for the<br />
mystical Tomte hiding along the way.<br />
eorailway.co.uk<br />
WHAT’S ON<br />
8 October – 19November<br />
Fizz, pop, bang, whooo! The free Southend BID Seafront<br />
Fireworks are back! Wrap up warm, round up your<br />
friends and family and head down to the seafront every<br />
Saturday night during October and November. Embrace<br />
the exciting atmosphere, the smell of chips, the sounds<br />
of Adventure Island, the buzz of the seafront arcade<br />
machines. Each display lasts approximately. ten minutes<br />
but that’s plenty of time to enjoy the spectacular<br />
night sky.<br />
visitsouthend.co.uk<br />
Diesel Gala<br />
Enlightened<br />
24 November – 1 January<br />
Hylands Estate,<br />
Chelmsford<br />
Enlightened returns<br />
to Hylands Estate<br />
with a new longer<br />
route and even<br />
more magical<br />
lighting installations<br />
for <strong>2022</strong>. Once<br />
again, the grounds<br />
will be transformed<br />
into a magical illuminated trail for visitors to enjoy<br />
with all the family. Book now via the website to see<br />
mesmerising light displays and enchanting moments<br />
along a specially crafted route.<br />
hylandsestate.co.uk<br />
For more event listings in your county<br />
visit www.eastlife.co.uk/events/<br />
103
JOHN LADBURY<br />
Beautiful Handcrafted Kitchens<br />
40 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE<br />
DESIGN • BUILD • INSTALLATION<br />
TEL: 01707 262966 WWW.JOHNLADBURY.CO.UK<br />
Showroom: Unit 11 Alpha Business Park, Travellers Close, Welham Green AL9 7NT
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire<br />
©National Trust Images/Andrew Butler<br />
In autumn the countryside is a<br />
spectacular kaleidoscope of colour<br />
with landscapes of gold, red and<br />
orange. We’ve rounded up some of<br />
the best walks in the county so that<br />
you can grab your coat, pull on your<br />
wellies and venture out into the crisp<br />
autumn air.<br />
1. <strong>Autumn</strong> Colour Trail at<br />
Ashridge<br />
5.9 miles (9.4 km)<br />
In a nutshell:<br />
A circular walk with breathtaking<br />
views, starting and ending at the<br />
Visitor Centre. Ashridge is renowned<br />
for its beech trees which turn from<br />
green to orange to pure gold. The<br />
route includes Lady’s Walk, one of the<br />
most spectacular areas of the estate<br />
during the autumn, and Golden Valley<br />
which was constructed by Capability<br />
Brown in the 18th century. If you’re<br />
lucky, you may catch a glimpse of<br />
some of the resident wildlife, from<br />
muntjacs and fallow deer herds to<br />
nine different species of bat.<br />
5beautiful<br />
autumn<br />
walks<br />
Well-earned refreshment:<br />
Enjoy a coffee and light meal (outdoor<br />
seating only) at the Visitor Centre<br />
before or after your stroll. Walk half a<br />
mile downhill into Aldbury village and<br />
you’ll find The Greyhound Inn offering<br />
home-cooked food and delicious<br />
Sunday roasts.<br />
Download a map:<br />
nationaltrust.org.uk<br />
2. The Lea Valley Circle<br />
4.3 miles (6.9 km)<br />
In a nutshell:<br />
The Lea Valley Walk in its entirety is<br />
an impressive 80.5 km, following the<br />
River Lea all the way from Luton to<br />
©National Trust Images/Michael Caldwell<br />
106
Hertfordshire<br />
London. This route covers a short<br />
section where you can walk over<br />
the River Lea and gaze across its<br />
magnificent valley. The tranquil<br />
trail starts in the pretty village of<br />
Wheathampstead before heading<br />
down a Roman road surrounded<br />
by foliage with autumn hues and<br />
on to Marshalls Heath which is rich<br />
in wildlife. After crossing the river<br />
at Leasey Bridge, the final stretch<br />
back to Wheathampstead takes<br />
you through stunning fields of gold<br />
running parallel to the river.<br />
Well-earned refreshment:<br />
There is a great choice of coffee<br />
shops, pubs and restaurants in the<br />
centre of Wheathampstead where<br />
the trail starts and ends.<br />
Download a map:<br />
wheathampsteadheritage.org.uk<br />
©National Trust Images/Michael Caldwell ©National Trust Images/Andrew Butler<br />
3. The Chess Valley Walk<br />
10 miles (16.1 km)<br />
In a nutshell:<br />
A 10-mile linear walk following the<br />
River Chess, one of the Chiltern’s<br />
chalk streams, from Rickmansworth<br />
to Chesham in Buckinghamshire. The<br />
waymarked route passes through the<br />
beautiful scenery of the Chess Valley<br />
and several picturesque villages.<br />
You’ll discover the site of a Roman<br />
farm-villa at Latimer, pass<br />
the 13th-century Chenies Manor<br />
visited by Elizabeth I and see the<br />
watercress beds at Sarratt, the only<br />
commercial watercress farm left in<br />
the Chilterns. The walk starts from<br />
Rickmansworth Station and finishes<br />
at Chesham Station.<br />
Well-earned refreshment:<br />
There are plenty of pubs and<br />
restaurants close to the route in the<br />
towns and villages along the way.<br />
The Bedford Arms in Chenies is an<br />
ideal halfway stop or treat yourself at<br />
DeVere Latimer Estate, an impressive<br />
manor house.<br />
Download a map:<br />
chilternsaonb.org<br />
4. Three Springs Walk,<br />
Offley 5.4 miles (8.7 km)<br />
In a nutshell:<br />
Explore the gentle hills of the<br />
northern Chilterns with this leisurely<br />
walk which takes in Lilley Hoo<br />
Common, ancient hedges, sunken<br />
lanes and small woodlands. The<br />
circular route takes you through<br />
some of the loveliest countryside<br />
of the Chilterns near Hitchin. For<br />
the best views, follow the walk in a<br />
clockwise direction, turning left out<br />
of the Red Lion pub and taking the<br />
Enjoy the autumn colours<br />
in the Chilterns by joining<br />
in with the next Chilterns<br />
Walking Festival which takes<br />
place from 15 to 30 October.<br />
For more information and<br />
details of the walks visit<br />
visitchilterns.co.uk<br />
footpath on the other side of the lane.<br />
There is also a short route of 1.75<br />
miles (2.8km) if preferred.<br />
Well-earned refreshment:<br />
The walk starts and finishes at the<br />
Red Lion pub making it an ideal<br />
Sunday walk before enjoying a<br />
delicious roast. Or try it the other way<br />
round and walk off your pudding!<br />
Download a map:<br />
chilternsaonb.org<br />
5. Broxbourne Woods<br />
Sculpture Trail<br />
0.6 miles (1km)<br />
In a nutshell:<br />
Broxbourne Woods is one of<br />
four woodlands that make up<br />
Hertfordshire’s only National Nature<br />
Reserve and is home to a host of<br />
wildlife and waymarked walking<br />
routes. These include the Sculpture<br />
Trail, a short easy-access route with<br />
nine stunning sculptures carved out<br />
of oak and inspired by local history<br />
and the woods. It’s an ideal walk<br />
for little ones who have the added<br />
interest of finding the sculptures<br />
along the way.<br />
Well-earned refreshment:<br />
There are no refreshments along the<br />
Sculpture Trail but there are wooden<br />
seats at various points if you would<br />
like to take a picnic.<br />
Download a map:<br />
hertfordshire.gov.uk<br />
©National Trust Images/Hugh Mothersole<br />
107
Hertfordshire<br />
Food&Drink<br />
Chef Interview: Joseph Nesbitt-Larking<br />
Demo chef and<br />
course instructor at<br />
Riverside Barbecue<br />
School in Hertford and<br />
official Traeger Grills<br />
Ambassador<br />
How and when did you<br />
learn to cook?<br />
It’s been a long journey of trial and<br />
error. Russell, the founder of Riverside<br />
whom we sadly lost to cancer in<br />
2019, was extremely generous in<br />
allowing me to play with the grills and<br />
I basically practised until I was good<br />
at it.<br />
Do you create your own<br />
recipes at Riverside<br />
Barbecue School?<br />
Absolutely. Everything is devised<br />
and tested by me or the other chef,<br />
Andrew Dickens. The courses are<br />
technique-driven, with recipes to<br />
reinforce what we’re trying to teach.<br />
There’s a real mix of meat, fish and<br />
vegetables which surprises people<br />
who think barbecues are only for<br />
searing burgers and sausages. Once<br />
people have learnt a few techniques<br />
and realise how versatile their<br />
barbecue is, there’s no stopping them.<br />
Are barbecues just for<br />
summer?<br />
No! I encourage people to use them<br />
at every opportunity. It’s actually<br />
lovely being wrapped up and stood<br />
next to a warm barbecue, especially<br />
when it has snowed. It does help if<br />
you can cover your grill in case of<br />
rain, but a cheap gazebo will suffice.<br />
Is it mostly men who<br />
attend your courses?<br />
Yes, but we have seen a steady<br />
increase in women attending. There<br />
is a perception that barbecuing is<br />
the preserve of men; we do all we<br />
can to ensure that we’re promoting<br />
inclusivity rather than perpetuating<br />
outdated stereotypes.<br />
Tell us your best<br />
cooking tip.<br />
Making the effort to prepare ahead<br />
of time can make a huge difference.<br />
Salting meat the day before will help<br />
season it throughout. Leaving meat<br />
uncovered in the fridge overnight will<br />
allow it to lose a bit of moisture so the<br />
flavour will be intensified and it will<br />
brown more readily.<br />
What are your favourite<br />
foodie places in the<br />
county?<br />
By far the best restaurant is Alex<br />
Parker at The Rose & Crown in<br />
Essendon. That’s the kind of food<br />
for which it’s worth travelling any<br />
distance. French & Day Delicatessen<br />
in Ware is an incredible place to<br />
shop for ingredients, and they also<br />
sell wine by the glass, draught beer<br />
and small plates of cured meat and<br />
cheese. I’ve spent a lot of money in<br />
there as it’s walking distance from<br />
my house! Some other hot spots are<br />
Cawsburger in Hitchin (best burger<br />
I’ve ever had), The Fox & Hounds in<br />
Hunsdon (superb game dishes) and<br />
Casa Lua in Ware (great tapas).<br />
Describe your food style.<br />
It’s rustic and unfussy with big, wellbalanced<br />
flavours. I love cuisines<br />
from all corners of the world and draw<br />
inspiration from those I’ve visited<br />
and ones I’d like to visit. That said, I’m<br />
ultimately invested in championing<br />
the extraordinary produce we have in<br />
this country and celebrating our rich<br />
culinary heritage.<br />
What is your favourite<br />
autumn dish?<br />
Oh, it’s impossible to pick just one.<br />
At the beginning of the season,<br />
it’s nice to cling on to the lingering<br />
summeriness so something from a<br />
hotter climate like satay chicken with<br />
a zingy peanut, lime and coriander<br />
dipping sauce would hit the spot. At<br />
the end of autumn, beautiful root veg<br />
comes into season and my recipe for<br />
a Scotch broth pearl barley ‘risotto’<br />
makes use of this, as well as neck<br />
of old-season lamb, hogget or even<br />
mutton if you can get it.<br />
What do you like to do<br />
when you’re not cooking<br />
or eating?<br />
I write and perform music under my<br />
pseudonym ‘Baron Goodlove’ along<br />
with my band ‘Baron Goodlove &<br />
The Dreadful Noise’. I also love being<br />
outdoors and am getting more into<br />
hiking with the dog. The next thing<br />
to tackle is some wild camping,<br />
hopefully with a bit of fire cooking.<br />
108
Hertfordshire<br />
Joe’s Hasselback Butternut Squash<br />
There is a proliferation of excellent<br />
meaty recipes in the barbecue world<br />
and plenty of inspiration for incredible<br />
vegetable side dishes, but you seldom<br />
come across a vegetarian dish that<br />
holds its own as a main event. Not only<br />
does this hasselback butternut squash<br />
put a smile on the face of the meatdodgers,<br />
but I have also seen even<br />
the most fervent carnivores tuck in for<br />
seconds. The preparation is a bit fiddly,<br />
but the results are well worth it. This<br />
recipe is very autumnal with brighter<br />
flavours built on top of it – perfect for<br />
the warmer days we occasionally get<br />
in September and October.<br />
Equipment:<br />
Barbecue<br />
Large foil tray<br />
Sharp knife<br />
Peeler<br />
Aluminium foil<br />
Two chopping boards of equal<br />
thickness (wooden spoons or<br />
chopsticks will also work)<br />
Basting/pastry brush<br />
Ingredients:<br />
One whole butternut squash<br />
50g butter<br />
Glug extra virgin olive oil<br />
Runny honey<br />
40g chopped walnuts<br />
Large handful chopped parsley<br />
150g good quality feta cheese<br />
(crumbled)<br />
Salt<br />
Method:<br />
1. Preheat the barbecue to about 180°c with an area of indirect heat. On a<br />
charcoal barbecue, this means not directly above lit coal, so bank your fuel to<br />
one side. On a gas barbecue, this means not directly above a lit gas burner,<br />
so have some burners switched off. The cooking area on the Traeger I used<br />
is completely indirect.<br />
2. Peel the butternut squash, leaving the ends intact. Cut in half lengthways and<br />
scrape out the seeds and any stringy bits in the cavity.<br />
3. Place half the squash face-down on the counter with the two boards, spoons<br />
or chopsticks either side. Using a sharp knife, slice every 2-5mm being<br />
careful not to cut all the way through – the board, spoons or chopsticks<br />
should prevent this. Repeat with the other half of the squash.<br />
4. Place the halves face-down in a foil roasting tray and rub with olive oil, before<br />
seasoning generously with good quality sea salt. Wrap the tray in foil and<br />
place on the barbecue where it is not over direct heat. Cook the squash for<br />
about 35 minutes, or until it is soft and cooked through.<br />
5. Increase the heat to 250°c. This could mean adding more lit charcoal,<br />
increasing the heat with the gas burners or turning your Traeger up using<br />
the control panel. Discard the foil covering and add the butter to the foil tray.<br />
Squeeze a generous pouring of honey over the squash, brushing to ensure<br />
full coverage.<br />
6. Place the tray back on the barbecue and allow the squash to cook in the<br />
butter and honey mixture for another 10 minutes before basting again using<br />
the liquid in the bottom of the foil tray. You can achieve a bit of colour on the<br />
bottom of the squash by briefly cooking it over a direct heat but keep a close<br />
eye on it as such fierce heat could burn it in a matter of moments.<br />
7. Continue basting the squash every 3-5 minutes for another 15 minutes or so<br />
and, while it finishes cooking, mix the chopped walnuts with the chopped<br />
parsley and crumbled feta.<br />
8. Remove the squash from the barbecue and allow to cool for five minutes<br />
before transferring to a serving dish. If it breaks (mine did!) you can simply<br />
push it back together on the plate. Cover it with a drizzle more honey before<br />
topping with the walnut, parsley and feta mix.<br />
Follow Joseph on Instagram @cookfood.eatfood<br />
109
Explore, visit, take part and connect<br />
with Creative Hertfordshire<br />
www.creativehertfordshire.com<br />
You’re a click away from a county full of possibilities<br />
Find out what’s on, what to do, where to go and how to take<br />
part across Hertfordshire. Dance, make, sing, visit – Creative<br />
Hertfordshire is the one website that’s got it all covered. All<br />
you need to do is sign-up for our regular news alerts - it’s quick,<br />
easy, and FREE. Are you a creative individual, organisation<br />
or business? Showcase your work, expand your network and<br />
attract new customers by creating a free online profile.<br />
Visit www.creativehertfordshire.com now and start<br />
discovering a county full of possibilities.<br />
Because one site is all you need to get creative.
Hertfordshire<br />
HERTFORDSHIRE NEWS & EVENTS<br />
News<br />
Popular Wildlife Park is Back on<br />
our Screens<br />
TV show One Zoo Three, featuring Paradise Wildlife<br />
Park in Hertfordshire and their sister site The Big Cat<br />
Sanctuary, has returned to CBBC and BBC iPlayer.<br />
The CBBC show is a fun, educational series with<br />
brother’s Cam, Tyler and Aaron taking viewers on a<br />
wild animal adventure. One Zoo Three goes behind<br />
the scenes at Paradise Wildlife Park and The Big Cat<br />
Sanctuary to show the hard work and passion that goes<br />
into the day to day running of the sites as well as the<br />
conservation work undertaken to protect and conserve<br />
the natural world.<br />
One Zoo Three is available now on CBBC and BBC<br />
iPlayer with more episodes coming later in the year and<br />
in 2023.<br />
Rare Opportunity to Visit Manor<br />
House<br />
Rothamsted Manor is a Grade 1 listed manor house, set<br />
in beautiful grounds on the Rothamsted Research estate<br />
in Harpenden. Usually closed to the public, the Manor<br />
is throwing open its doors to visitors on Saturday 17<br />
September as part of Heritage Open Days.<br />
eldest centre for science and innovation. Join them for<br />
self-guided house and garden tours, science activities,<br />
cream teas, lawn games and outdoor activities.<br />
rothamstedenterprises.com<br />
Music Junction comes to<br />
Hertfordshire<br />
The acclaimed London Chamber Orchestra is<br />
expanding its innovative music outreach programme,<br />
Music Junction, into Hertfordshire. Hundreds of young<br />
people in Hertfordshire will benefit from the programme,<br />
which particularly supports young people with<br />
disabilities or from disadvantaged backgrounds.<br />
Music Junction uses shared music making experiences<br />
to bring together young people from different<br />
backgrounds. Now into its 10th year, Music Junction<br />
has helped thousands of young people develop skills<br />
in listening, communication, creativity, leadership,<br />
teamwork, and organisation. Participants also enjoy a<br />
long-lasting relationship with the orchestra by attending<br />
rehearsals, concerts, and playing side by side with LCO<br />
musicians.<br />
In Hertfordshire, Music Junction will operate in one<br />
senior school, two state primary schools, and at least<br />
one SEND school. LCO will work with the schools and<br />
local community over several years to deliver sustained<br />
impact and support local Hertfordshire musicians. For<br />
more information about Music Junction, visit lco.co.uk<br />
Free Mental Health Programme for<br />
Sports Clubs<br />
© Harry Mitchell<br />
Heritage Open Days is England’s largest festival of<br />
history and culture when visitors get the chance to<br />
see hidden places across the country and try out new<br />
experiences for free.<br />
This year, the theme of Heritage Open Days is<br />
‘Outstanding Inventions’ celebrating great British<br />
inventions. And what better place to celebrate than at<br />
Rothamsted Manor, the world’s longest running and<br />
A new partnership between sports clubs and a mental<br />
health platform is aiming to help tackle suicide amongst<br />
younger adults. The Govox Sports Programme will<br />
112
Hertfordshire<br />
initially see Govox offer its platform completely free of<br />
charge to all sports clubs in Hertfordshire for one year,<br />
through a partnership with Herts Sports Partnership (HSP).<br />
This equates to £1m-worth of support from Govox being<br />
offered to around 2,500 sports clubs.<br />
Waltham Cross Pub Reopens with<br />
New Look<br />
Members of the clubs, such as players and coaches,<br />
complete simple ‘check ins’ where they answer a set of<br />
short questions that analyse their overall mental health,<br />
providing a ‘wellbeing score’ and flagging any concerning<br />
findings to their club’s mental health representative. The<br />
platform is not only aimed at saving lives but improving<br />
them, by monitoring and supporting the mental health and<br />
wellbeing of all players and coaches.<br />
Former England football international Andrew Johnson,<br />
who is supporting Govox’s Sports Partnership said, “All<br />
sports and activity clubs need to think about what they<br />
are doing to support their member’s mental health and if<br />
nothing else, make sure they all know that leaders within<br />
the club are there for a chat if they need one – sometimes<br />
that alone can help massively.”<br />
Food & Drink<br />
Hertford Business Scoops Award<br />
Following a stunning refurbishment, The Goffs Oak in<br />
the heart of Waltham Cross has reopened with a stylish<br />
new look.<br />
The updated menu features fresh flavours inspired by the<br />
seasons and world-food trends with a broad range of grilled<br />
dishes, fresh fish that’s delivered daily, Asian influences<br />
and plenty of lower calorie options. The extensive cocktail<br />
menu includes classics with a twist, such as a Koko Colada,<br />
favourite martinis and a selection of spritzers. On Sundays,<br />
diners can enjoy a hearty roast with all the trimmings.<br />
The much-loved eating and drinking spot has received<br />
a full makeover giving it a contemporary feel with a new<br />
layout offering more seating for customers.<br />
thegoffsoak.co.uk<br />
Coming Soon…<br />
New Illuminated Trail at Hatfield Park<br />
Alcohol-free craft beer brand UNLTD. has been recognised<br />
at the Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce annual<br />
business awards ceremony. The Hertford-based business<br />
picked up the Most Promising New Business award at this<br />
year’s Inspiring Hertfordshire Awards, held at the Warner<br />
Bros. Studios in Leavesden.<br />
Despite launching during the global pandemic when the<br />
hospitality sector was predominantly closed, UNLTD. has<br />
continued to go from strength to strength expanding its<br />
range of beers and exceeding crowd-funding campaign<br />
targets, resulting in a 133% YTD revenue growth since<br />
May 2021.<br />
UNLTD was praised for its low-calorie nutritious beers,<br />
which are rich in vitamins B6 and B12, low in sugar, vegan<br />
friendly and gluten-free. The already award-winning brand<br />
is sold to pubs, restaurants and retailers as well as being<br />
available to purchase online via its website<br />
www.unltd.beer and Amazon.<br />
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas with a brand<br />
new after-dark illuminated trail opening at historic Hatfield<br />
Park from 25 November to 31 December. Created by the<br />
producers of Christmas at Kew and Christmas at Blenheim<br />
Palace, over a million twinkling lights and seasonal sounds<br />
will fill the air with festive fun.<br />
With sparkling tunnels of light, giant baubles and glistening<br />
trees drenched in jewel-like colour, the trail is designed<br />
for picture-perfect gatherings. Independent street food<br />
vendors will bring a twist to tempting treats, so that you can<br />
end your walk under the stars with a festive spiced winter<br />
warmer, hot chocolate or toasted marshmallows. Tickets<br />
are on sale now hatfield-house.co.uk<br />
113
Hertfordshire<br />
Firework Champions<br />
Big St Albans Antique & Vintage Fair<br />
20 November<br />
Herts Oaklands<br />
College, St<br />
Albans<br />
Huge indoor<br />
venue packed<br />
full of stalls<br />
selling all manner<br />
of weird and<br />
wonderful items.<br />
From quality<br />
antiques to vintage fashion, furniture to jewellery,<br />
collectables to curios and art.<br />
www.haddonevents.co.uk/<br />
WHAT’S ON<br />
24 September<br />
Come and see what Hatfield House has turned into one<br />
of the best firework events in the UK. Bring a picnic or<br />
grab food and drink at the event. Sit down at the stunning<br />
stately home and soak up the atmosphere while enjoying<br />
the music and interviews before a splendid evening of<br />
four spectacular displays all precisely set to music.<br />
You’ll also witness an amazing drone light show, lasers<br />
and lights.<br />
fireworkchampions.co.uk<br />
Hertford Christmas Gala<br />
Hertfordshire Oktoberfest<br />
25 November<br />
Taking place in Hertford Town Centre from 3.30- 8pm,<br />
the Christmas Gala will kick off the festive weekend on<br />
the Friday evening with market stalls, a performance<br />
stage, entertainment and fairground rides, plus the<br />
Christmas light switch on at 6pm. Running alongside<br />
this Christmas Gala, is the Hertford Castle Christmas<br />
Market which will take place on the Hertford Castle<br />
Lawn on the Friday evening and throughout the<br />
whole weekend.<br />
hertford.gov.uk<br />
30 September – 2 October and<br />
7- 9 October<br />
Hertford Common<br />
An authentic German experience with live oompah<br />
band, Bavarian beer, German food, axe-throwing and<br />
local artists.<br />
hertsoktoberfest.com<br />
For more event listings in your county<br />
visit www.eastlife.co.uk/events/<br />
115
Norfolk<br />
@Ashley Taylor<br />
norfolkphotography
Norfolk<br />
A Mini Adventure on the<br />
a weekend hike from<br />
Sherringham to Happisburgh<br />
© Hayfield Hideaways<br />
Written by Hannah Parry<br />
From boggy marshland to jagged cliffs, the Norfolk<br />
Coast Path transitions through many beautiful<br />
vistas along its 50-mile route. Here’s how to enjoy<br />
a weekend experiencing a bite-sized chunk of<br />
one of the UK’s most beautiful National Trails.<br />
There are many ways to spend the weekend on the<br />
Coast Path. It’s great to start at the most westerly point, on<br />
Hunstanston’s red cliffs, and complete the entire trail. But if<br />
you’re short on time, we’ve just the route for you.<br />
Sheringham is a traditional seaside town some 30 miles<br />
along the route. A beautiful beach, plenty of cute cafés<br />
and convenient transport connections (less than an hour<br />
from Norwich) make it an ideal starting point. There’s an<br />
opportunity to fill up with a full English at Submarine Café<br />
and Takeaway or to grab a hipster coffee at Grey Seal<br />
Coffee, both of which lie almost directly on the marked<br />
Coast Path.<br />
From here, the steps lead down to the promenade and signs<br />
point towards Cromer, with the vast expanse of the North<br />
Sea lying to the left. The colourful beach huts gaze out to<br />
sea for a few hundred metres, before the route rises up and<br />
away from the waterfront. Look out for seals in the water.<br />
Grey seals are common in this area and their heads can<br />
often be seen bobbing above the waves.<br />
The approach to East Runton, with the pristine beach down<br />
below, affords a view of Cromer Pier jutting out into the<br />
bluish-grey sea. As you arrive in this popular town, the hustle<br />
and bustle of fish and chip shops, amusement arcades and<br />
happy visitors enjoying the beach and gift shops greet the<br />
weary hiker. A lunch break at The Rocket House Café might<br />
be in order. The café has stunning views of the beach from<br />
the balcony above the RNLI museum where you can watch<br />
people surfing and bodyboarding in the waves. Plus, there<br />
are vegan and vegetarian options available here too.<br />
Beyond Cromer, there’s a choice. Walk on the sand and<br />
pebble beach when the tide is out or climb back to the<br />
cliffs. When the tide isn’t too high, you’ll want to be on the<br />
lookout for some resident hermit crabs. The Banksy artwork<br />
is on one of the sea defence walls. “Luxury Rentals Only” is<br />
confirmed as an original piece by the famous graffiti artist<br />
and is now coated in a protective varnish to shield it from<br />
weather erosion and defacements.<br />
118
Norfolk<br />
Norfolk Coast Path<br />
© Neil Mewes<br />
© Hayfield Hideaways © Hayfield Hideaways<br />
Both routes pass the bright green expanse of the Royal<br />
Cromer Golf Club before you reach Overstrand. The small<br />
cliff-top café is a reward after the enormous flight of steps<br />
from the beach to reach it.<br />
The next destination is the quaint village of Trimingham.<br />
With an interesting church, the little streets offer some<br />
accommodation options in traditional flint houses<br />
characteristic of the North Norfolk Coast but, for more<br />
amenities, it’s just two more miles to reach Mundesley.<br />
With its post office and village shop, Mundesley is a<br />
quiet village, making up for the charm that Cromer lacks.<br />
Now 12 miles from the starting point of Sheringham,<br />
accommodation options are inviting! The Royal is a truly<br />
historic building, offering a 16th-century bar (frequented<br />
by none other than Lord Nelson apparently) and fourposter<br />
beds. And the award-winning (and dog-friendly)<br />
Ship Inn styles itself as a gastropub – with a sophisticated<br />
menu. Alternatively, to stay connected with nature, Hayfield<br />
Hideaways campsite prides itself on tranquillity just outside<br />
the village – a breath of fresh air compared with the bustling<br />
caravan parks elsewhere along the route.<br />
From Mundesley, continuing east, the route lies atop the<br />
cliffs again. Coastal erosion has been a cause of concern for<br />
residents for many years. Within the last year, a significant<br />
part of the cliff collapsed after heavy rains, leaving mud and<br />
sand piled on the beach and houses above teetering nearer<br />
the edge than ever before. The benefit, however, has been<br />
the unearthing of significant fossils, giving insight into life<br />
thousands of years ago.<br />
The next landmark will be the crucial yet unglamorous<br />
Bacton gas terminal. Supplying up to a third of the<br />
country’s energy, the hydrocarbon plant is the prelude to<br />
a bigger town where shops and cafés are easier to come<br />
by. The historic lighthouse of Happisburgh, seven miles<br />
from Mundesley, will soon be visible – the red and white<br />
striped building dates from 1709 and pierces the skyline.<br />
Happisburgh (pronounced Haze-bruh for any non-locals!)<br />
used to be 250 metres from the sea, but severe erosion<br />
now leaves houses dangerously close to crumbling onto<br />
the beach below. Hill House Inn is fortunately still at a safe<br />
distance. This quirky pub and microbrewery hosts beer<br />
festivals and themed nights – what better place to end an<br />
energetic weekend of hiking the Norfolk Coast Path.<br />
Find Hannah on Instagram @hannah_the_traveller<br />
119
Beccles Sewing<br />
& Handicrafts<br />
DRESSMAKING & CRAFT FABRICS<br />
HABERDASERY & CRAFT REQUIREMENTS<br />
SEWING MACHINES REPAIRS & SALES<br />
Authorised dealer for: JUKI, JANOME, BROTHER,<br />
BABYLOCK, PFAFF, BRITANNIA,<br />
SINGER & JAGUAR<br />
Now in store the New Brother<br />
Innov-IS VR machine<br />
Plus Much More...<br />
Mike Barnes<br />
Trading as<br />
BJM Accountancy Ltd<br />
Approachable, affordable accountants based near<br />
King’s Lynn providing a range of quality<br />
accountancy services to businesses across<br />
Norfolk.<br />
Whatever your accounting or accountancy needs<br />
BJM Accountancy Ltd will be pleased to supply<br />
your business with affordable expert advice and<br />
support.<br />
01485521756<br />
15A Blyburgate, Beccles, Suffolk NR34 9TB<br />
Telephone 01502 714234<br />
mike@bjmaccountancy.co.uk<br />
07969163021 M<br />
SOLAR SHADING<br />
Why not help<br />
cut your fuel bills<br />
with an awning or<br />
blinds? You could save<br />
upto 16% per year by fitting<br />
solar shading to reduce both<br />
heating and cooling costs<br />
throughout the year<br />
FOR ALL YOUR<br />
REMOVAL & STORAGE<br />
REQUIREMENTS<br />
REMOVALS & HOUSE CLEARING SPECIALISTS<br />
John Ryder Removals and Light Haulage is a local family<br />
business based in Wymondham, offering reliable removal<br />
services throughout the UK along with light haulage and<br />
house clearances.<br />
• REMOVALS & STORAGE<br />
• HOUSE CLEARANCES<br />
• FREE ESTIMATES & ADVICE<br />
• 3.5 TON & 7.5 TON VEHICLES<br />
• FULL PACKING SERVICE<br />
• COLLECTING & DELIVERY<br />
FOR WATTON SALESROOMS<br />
• FULLY INSURED<br />
Blinds & Shutters Ltd<br />
sales@cooksblinds.co.uk 01603 410304<br />
Call 01953 605553<br />
www.johnryder.co.uk<br />
3 White Horse Street, Wymondham, Norfolk NR18 0BJ
STOVES | QUARTZ & GRANITE WORKTOPS | GAS & ELECTRIC FIREPLACES | KITCHENS<br />
HIGH QUALITY DESIGNS & SUPERIOR SERVICE<br />
KR FIREPLACES<br />
Home is where the heat is<br />
Austin Fields, King’s Lynn, PE30 1PH<br />
tel: 01553 772564 www.krfireplaces.co.uk<br />
GREAT MENU<br />
SUNDAY LUNCH NOW AVAILABLE<br />
LARGE SELECTION OF WORLD BEERS<br />
BEER GARDEN • CHILDREN’S PLAY AREA<br />
OPEN LATE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS<br />
NEXT DOOR TO THE BIGGEST BEER SHOP IN THE UK<br />
FUNCTION ROOM AVAILABLE<br />
BOOKINGS@THEWAREHOUSETAPROOM.CO.UK TEL: 01553 812000 - @THEWAREHOUSETAP M P<br />
NEXT DOOR TO THE BIGGEST BEER SHOP IN THE UK - BEERS OF EUROPE! GARAGE LANE, SETCHEY, NR KINGS LYNN, NORFOLK. PE33 0BE (Just off A10 - turn at JSW Car Sales)<br />
107x148-Advert-Warehouse.indd 1 25/05/<strong>2022</strong> 16:08
Norfolk<br />
Food&Drink<br />
The latest foodie news from around the county<br />
Written by Zena Leech-Calton<br />
Foodie News from<br />
Norwich<br />
The long-anticipated Jamie O<br />
building takeover in the Royal Arcade<br />
by the people from Mysabar is still<br />
on the cards, just taking a little longer<br />
than anticipated with accessibility<br />
issues, so look out for the new food<br />
hall this autumn.<br />
The Castle Quarter food court is also<br />
on its way with a new street food<br />
concept using local vendors.<br />
Norwich Market Nights continue<br />
with Sir Toby’s Beers opening late<br />
Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays<br />
with two or three street food stalls<br />
including Cocina Mia serving the<br />
best Chilean food. There is also an<br />
additional seating area. I’ve enjoyed<br />
the tapas at Churros for the People<br />
on a few nights lately. They have a<br />
licensed bar menu including white<br />
sangria and some limited seating.<br />
churrosforthepeople.co.uk<br />
New company alert! Surplush is an<br />
electric grocery bike that whizzes<br />
around Norwich delivering locally<br />
from market stall holders.<br />
surplush.co.uk<br />
New opening: Hanks Dirty, a small<br />
family-run chain in East Anglia,<br />
will be serving up vegan fast food<br />
in Norwich. This will be the fourth<br />
Hank’s Dirty in the region alongside<br />
Ipswich, Colchester and Felixstowe.<br />
hanksdirty.com<br />
Hidden gem: tucked away at the<br />
bottom of Elm Hill, behind a medieval<br />
church, is Curious Directive, a theatre<br />
company that not only puts on<br />
amazing professional productions<br />
in the church but opens its botanical<br />
garden to the public for pizza nights<br />
with a fully licensed bar, creative<br />
platters and delicious desserts – all<br />
with a hint of something from the<br />
garden. The last time I was there we<br />
shared a flowerpot dessert which<br />
came with dramatics by way of a<br />
table-presented lavender foam and<br />
edible flowers from the garden.<br />
curiousdirective.com/botanicalgarden-bar<br />
Foodie News from<br />
Norfolk<br />
Fizz and Fromage in Hoveton<br />
have introduced midweek £20pp<br />
bottomless deli and cheese plates.<br />
fizzandfromage.com<br />
Shambles in North Walsham,<br />
which has an attic cocktail bar and<br />
delicious Middle-Eastern food, is<br />
now extending the patio area at<br />
the front of the premises. I’ve also<br />
heard they have a new head chef.<br />
shamblescafenorfolk.co.uk<br />
Over the border in Suffolk, East Point<br />
Pavilion in Lowestoft has opened<br />
with a dedicated bar run by Norwich<br />
boys Sir Toby’s Beers along with<br />
Oishi who have their first restaurant<br />
in Norwich. You’ll also find local<br />
companies serving pizza, ice cream<br />
and Mexican food.<br />
sirtobysbeers.co.uk<br />
New opening: The plant-based<br />
Huggers opened in Long Stratton<br />
a few months ago and are now<br />
extending their hours and menu<br />
choices from brunch to afternoon tea.
Norfolk<br />
Zena’s Light Carrot Cake<br />
Dates for the Diary<br />
Holkham Food and Drink Festival<br />
takes place on 3 and 4 September<br />
from 10am until 4pm. Entry is free but<br />
there is a charge of £5 per car for the<br />
car park.<br />
Norwich and Norfolk Cocktail Week<br />
returns this year after a break with<br />
events and special cocktails on<br />
offer all from Friday 14 to Sunday<br />
23 October. There will be lots of<br />
cocktail-themed events throughout<br />
the county with bars offering Cocktail<br />
Week cocktails at reduced prices plus<br />
an opening night party at Tipsy Jar<br />
and an already booked out Cocktail<br />
Tour beforehand led by me.<br />
Makes 6 slices<br />
2 eggs, large or medium<br />
200g caster sugar<br />
125ml cold pressed rapeseed or sunflower oil<br />
150g grated carrots (180g unpeeled)<br />
175g plain flour, sieved with the dry ingredients below<br />
1/2 tsp cinnamon<br />
1 tsp ground ginger<br />
1 tsp mixed spice (optional)<br />
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda<br />
1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
100g currants or sultanas<br />
The Castle Quarter food court<br />
is also on its way with a new<br />
street food concept using<br />
local vendors.<br />
Preheat oven to gas 4/180°<br />
Whisk the eggs and the sugar in a bowl until very light, creamy and pale in<br />
colour.<br />
Whisk in the oil and then stir in the carrots.<br />
Gently stir in the dry ingredients (except currants) until well mixed, but still<br />
light and smooth.<br />
Lastly, stir in the currants.<br />
Spoon into a greased 2lb loaf tin or other suitable tin (the cake will rise.)<br />
Bake on a middle shelf for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer comes out of the<br />
centre clean.<br />
Cool in the tin for 20 minutes before turning out.<br />
Will keep fresh for a few days and can be frozen.<br />
Variations:<br />
Add 60g of nuts to the mix eg. walnuts, almonds or pistachios<br />
Serve plain, dusted with icing sugar, or spread with a cream cheese,<br />
icing sugar and lemon frosting. Or replace the lemon juice for lime or<br />
orange juice or mango or peach purée.<br />
Top with cream cheese, icing sugar and finely diced stem ginger with<br />
some of the syrup.<br />
Top Tips:<br />
When opening the oven to check if a cake or Yorkshire pudding is<br />
ready, never whip open or slam the oven door. Shut it very gently as a<br />
gust of wind will cause your baking to sink in the middle.<br />
When using dried fruits in cakes, to stop them from sinking, toss them in<br />
a little flour before mixing into the cake batter.<br />
Find Zena on social media Love Norwich Food or lovenorwichfood.co.uk<br />
123
10am-4pm Tuesday to Sunday • Closed Mondays<br />
Tel: 01986 893 423 - Email: earshamhomefurnishings.co.uk - Web: earshamhomefurnishings.co.uk<br />
EARSHAM HALL, BUNGAY, SUFFOLK, NR35 2AN<br />
FURNITURE LIGHTING FIREPLACES GIFTS TEAROOM KITCHENS EVENTS<br />
@EarshamHome earshamhome @earshamhomefurnishings
Norfolk<br />
NORFOLK NEWS & EVENTS<br />
News<br />
East of England’s Biggest Art Fair<br />
Returns for <strong>2022</strong><br />
One of the biggest<br />
contemporary art<br />
fairs outside of<br />
London is set to<br />
return for <strong>2022</strong>. Art<br />
Fair East annually<br />
hosts artists, galleries<br />
and art dealers<br />
from across the<br />
world, attracting<br />
thousands of visitors<br />
to St Andrew’s Hall in<br />
Norwich, Norfolk.<br />
The fair was founded<br />
in 2015 by leading<br />
Norfolk-based<br />
artists Will Teather and Brian Korteling, who will both be<br />
exhibiting at the event. The pair are passionate about<br />
bringing contemporary art to the region, supporting<br />
artists and creating excitement around the visual arts.<br />
With around 1,000 artworks on display, a range of<br />
contemporary art will be exhibited including painting,<br />
sculpture, drawing, photography, video art, installation<br />
and original limited-edition prints. This year’s fair will<br />
run from 2-4 December at St Andrews Hall in Norwich.<br />
artfaireast.com<br />
Redwings takes on World-Famous<br />
Anna Sewell House<br />
Redwings, the biggest<br />
horse sanctuary in<br />
the UK, has taken on<br />
Anna Sewell House –<br />
the birthplace of the<br />
Black Beauty author<br />
- in Great Yarmouth,<br />
Norfolk.<br />
The Grade 2 listed<br />
building has become<br />
a place of pilgrimage<br />
for fans of Anna and<br />
her novel. Gemma<br />
Walpole, Executive<br />
Director for Income<br />
and Engagement<br />
at Redwings, said: “We could not be more honoured<br />
to be able to look after this important building and use<br />
it to showcase Anna’s story and share how our work<br />
addresses the horse welfare challenges of today.”<br />
© Sophie-Laslett<br />
Over 100 years later, in 1984, Redwings Horse<br />
Sanctuary was established and is currently responsible<br />
for over 2,000 rescued horses, ponies, donkeys and<br />
mules across the UK, including 700 living out on<br />
permanent loan in Guardian homes. redwings.org.uk<br />
New Long-Distance Cycling Route for<br />
Norfolk<br />
Cycling UK is launching a new long-distance cycling<br />
route in Norfolk, which will be ready for the public to ride<br />
from October. Called the Rebellion Way, the 228-mile<br />
(364km) route will begin and end in the city of Norwich.<br />
It is designed to be ridden over four to five days in one<br />
go but can be comfortably split in half at King’s Lynn<br />
with easy onward transport options.<br />
The Rebellion Way takes in a varied mix of country<br />
lanes, bridleways, byways, cycle paths and quiet ways<br />
chosen for their suitability for anyone with reasonable<br />
fitness on the vast majority of bikes. The route also takes<br />
in parts of the Peddars Way: an ancient long-distance<br />
trail that has been in use for thousands of years, as<br />
well as the Bure Valley Path, which has recently been<br />
improved by Norfolk County Council.<br />
As well as passing through well-known places such as<br />
Norwich, King’s Lynn and Sandringham, the route also<br />
takes in some local delights including Castle Acre, Little<br />
Walsingham and Holkham. Along the way, riders will<br />
see huge forests, endless coastline and even make a<br />
quick visit to the famous Norfolk Broads.<br />
Food & Drink<br />
Norfolk Distillery voted Best of the<br />
Best<br />
Black Beauty was the only book that Anna Sewell<br />
published. She died shortly after the novel was released<br />
in 1877, and never witnessed its enormous success<br />
or the influence it had on changes to horse welfare in<br />
Victorian Britain.<br />
126
Norfolk<br />
The English Whisky Co has won the TripAdvisor Traveller’s<br />
Choice Best of the Best Award. Based on a full year of<br />
Tripadvisor reviews, the Traveller’s Choice Awards honour<br />
the best in travel, recognising the places that delivered the<br />
most exceptional experiences.<br />
The prestigious Norfolk-based company is known for its<br />
award-winning ‘The English’ range of English Single Malt<br />
Whiskies and is firmly established as England’s oldest and<br />
most prestigious whisky maker.<br />
Katy Nelstrop, Director of The English Whisky Co, said:<br />
“We are absolutely thrilled to have been recognised by<br />
Tripadvisor as a <strong>2022</strong> Travellers’ Choice award winner. This<br />
accolade is a testament to our amazing team at the distillery<br />
and their continued commitment to providing incredible<br />
experiences for our visitors.” englishwhisky.co.uk<br />
The Feathers Reopens after<br />
Refurbishment<br />
Ramsay. This year’s shortlist hails from across the UK with<br />
the twelve nominated chefs showcasing a huge breadth of<br />
cuisines and styles.<br />
The winner of the Chefs’ Chef Award will be crowned at<br />
the AA Hospitality Awards on Monday 26 September at JW<br />
Marriott Grosvenor House London, hosted by celebrated<br />
broadcaster and presenter Gaby Logan. Recognising the<br />
excellence of hotels, restaurants and their teams across the<br />
UK, the AA Hospitality Awards is one of the industry’s most<br />
prestigious and highly anticipated events.<br />
morstonhall.com<br />
Coming soon…<br />
Sandringham Winter Light Trail is Back<br />
The Feathers, situated in the heart of Holt’s bustling High<br />
Street, has reopened its doors to guests after an extensive<br />
refurbishment The traditional pub and restaurant was<br />
bought by East Anglian-based hospitality group, Chestnut<br />
in October 2021.<br />
The interior has been redesigned and now features various<br />
dining spaces, an outdoor terrace, coffee and cocktail bar<br />
as well as a private dining area. The Feathers is perfect<br />
for those venturing inland from the nearby Norfolk Coast<br />
where dogs and muddy boots are encouraged. The<br />
property’s 14 bedrooms have also been redesigned to offer<br />
a welcoming bolthole after a day of exploring the coast.<br />
Chestnut, one of the UK’s fast-growing hospitality<br />
businesses, has also recently acquired The Lawns and The<br />
Wiveton Bell, both in the local area. thefeathersholt.com<br />
Holt Chef Shortlisted for AA’s Chef’s<br />
Chef Award<br />
The AA has unveiled the shortlist for this year’s Chefs’<br />
Chef Award with Galton Blackiston, from Holt’s Michelinstarred<br />
Morston Hall, among those nominated for the<br />
coveted prize.<br />
Selected by AA Rosette-awarded chefs, the Chefs’ Chef<br />
Award is a unique award recognising the best chef in the<br />
UK, as chosen by their peers. Previous winners include Tom<br />
Kerridge, Raymond Blanc, Marco Pierre White and Gordon<br />
Luminate Sandringham returns for its third year this<br />
winter, with new and exciting light play and illuminated<br />
installations.<br />
The spectacular mile-long light trail runs through the Royal<br />
Parkland with illuminated trees and mesmerising light<br />
elements, set to ambient music. Visitors can stroll under<br />
the stars then toast marshmallows by fire pits or indulge in<br />
festive food and drinks from Sandringham Courtyard.<br />
Luminate Sandringham runs nightly from Friday 11<br />
November to Sunday 18 December. Tickets must be<br />
pre-booked online in advance and are on sale now.<br />
sandringhamestate.co.uk<br />
127
Redwings<br />
Horse Sanctuary<br />
A fun,<br />
family day<br />
out<br />
Dog<br />
friendly!<br />
<br />
Wish you were here...<br />
IDYLLIC HOLIDAY COTTAGES ON<br />
THE NORFOLK BROADS.<br />
PET-FRIENDLY. DAY BOAT HIRE<br />
We have two<br />
centres<br />
in Norfolk!<br />
Meet friendly rescued horses and donkeys at<br />
Redwings Aylsham, nr Norwich, NR11 6UE or<br />
Redwings Caldecott, nr Gt.Yarmouth, NR31 9EY<br />
Open 10am to 4pm daily throughout August and September<br />
Please visit our website for more information and to book<br />
www.redwings.org.uk/visiting | 01508 505246<br />
WWW.RIVERSIDE-RENTALS.CO.UK | 01493 368300
Norfolk<br />
Out There Festival<br />
16-18 September<br />
This festival brings the best<br />
in street arts and circus<br />
entertainment to Great<br />
Yarmouth for the weekend<br />
with acrobatics, dance,<br />
juggling, theatre, comedy,<br />
circus acts and more.<br />
The festival has built up<br />
quite the reputation for its<br />
diverse programme, with over 50,000 people attending<br />
throughout the weekend. Best of all, almost everything<br />
at the festival is free! So, it makes for a fantastic day out<br />
while you’re staying in the local area.<br />
outtherearts.org.uk/out-there-festival-<strong>2022</strong>-<br />
programme/<br />
Kelling Heath Star Party<br />
NORCON<br />
25 September<br />
Norfolk Showground, Dereham Road, Norwich NR5 0TT<br />
Norfolk’s TV, film and comic con. Comic, film and TV<br />
fans will be able to enjoy a fantastic mix of exhibits,<br />
celebrity appearances, stage talks and demonstrations,<br />
photo opportunities and a multitude of traders selling<br />
memorabilia and merchandise from every corner of<br />
the galaxy.<br />
nor-con.co.uk<br />
WHAT’S ON<br />
20-27 September<br />
Kelling Heath Star Party is the largest in the UK when<br />
hundreds of amateur astronomers meet under the<br />
dark skies of North Norfolk with various telescopes and<br />
equipment. Public members are welcome to attend as<br />
overnight stargazers staying on-site along with day/<br />
evening visitors.<br />
las-skycamp.org<br />
Sausage and Cider Festival<br />
Cromer Pier Show<br />
Until 1<br />
October<br />
Situated at<br />
the end of<br />
Cromer’s<br />
151-metrelong<br />
pier,<br />
you’ll find<br />
the Pavilion<br />
Theatre. One<br />
of only five end-of-pier theatres in the country and home<br />
to the Cromer Pier Show. The theatre plays host to this<br />
traditional variety show every year. It brings together<br />
performers in fields such as comedy, magic, music and<br />
dance for a magical theatre experience.<br />
In its 42 years, the show has played host to several<br />
well-known entertainers including Darren Day, names<br />
from Britain’s Got Talent and Bradley Walsh who once<br />
claimed that he owed his career to a ‘wonderful theatre<br />
on the end of a pier in Cromer’.<br />
cromerpier.co.uk<br />
24 September<br />
Hosted at The Halls in Norwich, there will be an array of<br />
amazing food and drink on offer plus a fastest sausageeating<br />
contest, a chilli-eating contest, live music, DJs,<br />
gin bar, craft beers and lots more.<br />
sausageandciderfest.co.uk/norwich<br />
For more event listings in your county<br />
visit www.eastlife.co.uk/events/<br />
129
Image credit - SA (I): HC439/A/E/2<br />
21 OCTOBER <strong>2022</strong> – 8 JANUARY 2023 Free entry<br />
Picture Books For All explores pioneering Ipswich printers W.S. Cowell Ltd.<br />
Established in 1818 Cowell’s printed the first UK editions of Babar the Elephant. The printers went on to<br />
become key in the launch of Puffin Picture Books, and worked with leading artists including Kathleen Hale,<br />
Edward Ardizzone, Eric Ravilious and Pablo Picasso.<br />
This exhibition uncovers the journey of W.S. Cowell Ltd through a vibrant selection of books, prints,<br />
and original artwork. Picture Books for All is an engaging exhibition for all ages.<br />
CURATOR TOUR £5/£4 concessions<br />
Go beyond the displays with a special 1 hour tour from our exhibition team. Find out more, hear new stories,<br />
and ask your burning questions. Ticket includes tour and exhibition admission.<br />
11am Sat 5 November, 2pm Wed 9 November, 11am Sat 19 November, 2pm Wed 23 November,<br />
2pm Wed 7 December, 11am Sat 17 December, 2pm Wed 21 December.<br />
@suffolkarchives l www.suffolkarchives.co.uk/whatson
Suffolk
Suffolk<br />
Suffolk<br />
History & Heritage<br />
Discover Suffolk’s past by exploring the county’s ancient sites, castles, museums<br />
and stately homes.<br />
Framlingham Castle<br />
Surrounded by parkland and a picturesque lake, Framlingham Castle was once a<br />
stronghold of the powerful earls and dukes of Norfolk.<br />
©National Trust Images/James Dobson<br />
Visitors can embark on a journey of discovery around the magnificent wall walk.<br />
At over ten metres high, the castle’s curtain wall has stood for more than 800 years<br />
and boasts spectacular views of Framlingham and the surrounding countryside.<br />
Take a look inside Framlingham’s workhouse, the only building remaining inside<br />
the castle walls today. Built around the shell of the castle’s medieval great hall, the<br />
workhouse provided work and lodgings for the town’s paupers from the 17th to<br />
19th centuries. There is also an interactive exhibition where you can discover more<br />
about the history of Framlingham Castle and its former residents, including Mary<br />
Tudor who was proclaimed Queen of England at the castle in 1553.<br />
english-heritage.org.uk<br />
Ickworth, Bury St Edmunds<br />
Ickworth house, with its classical Rotunda, forms the centrepiece of the Ickworth<br />
estate. It was built as an 18th-century palace to showcase the many treasures and<br />
art collected by the flamboyant 4th Earl of Bristol.<br />
Head into the Rotunda see Ickworth’s array of treasures and follow the eccentric<br />
Hervey family’s history through portraits by Gainsborough, Hogarth and Reynolds.<br />
Downstairs, you’ll find the 1930s servants’ basement, restored using real stories<br />
and memories of former staff who kept this country estate running.<br />
The immaculate Italianate gardens surround the Rotunda. The earliest surviving<br />
example of their kind, the 1st Marquess designed the gardens as pleasure grounds<br />
for his family and guests to enjoy. There are also acres of parkland and a new<br />
all-weather path to enjoy. Visit for free from 9 to 18 September as part of Heritage<br />
Open Days.<br />
nationaltrust.org.uk<br />
Kentwell Hall, Long Melford<br />
Kentwell Hall is an impressive Tudor house that stands within an extensive moat<br />
and almost 30 acres of stunning gardens and parkland. The Hall showcases<br />
Tudor portraits, interesting artefacts and historic tapestries while its moat house, a<br />
rare survivor of a 15th-century service building, contains a working dairy, bakery,<br />
brewhouse and stillroom.<br />
Kentwell is renowned for its living history events and this autumn’s highlight is the<br />
Tudor Michaelmas Weekend & Apple Days on 24 and 25 September. Don’t miss<br />
the fully interactive experience with crafts, cooking, music and dancing with a<br />
whole community going about everyday life, as if you had travelled in time back to<br />
the year 1549. Kentwell’s garden team will also be on hand to tell you all about the<br />
many varieties of apples and pears in Kentwell’s Walled Garden. kentwell.co.uk<br />
132
Suffolk<br />
East Anglia Transport Museum, Lowestoft<br />
A living museum where visitors can not only view vehicles of yesteryear but<br />
also ride on public transport from the earlier part of the 20th century. Hop<br />
aboard the working trams, trolley buses and narrow-gauge railway and<br />
experience the atmosphere of days gone by with a walk through the period<br />
street scenes.<br />
The museum accommodates examples of trams, trolleybuses and motor<br />
buses from various parts of the country, with a number of examples of motor<br />
buses built at the Eastern Coach Works in Lowestoft. Other vehicles include<br />
vintage cars, lorries, vans and taxis, some in various stages of renovation. Hear<br />
the swish of trolley poles, the purr of the diesel engine and the rhythmic hiss of<br />
steam, making this a real trip back in time.<br />
Visits are free on Saturday 10 September as part of the Heritage Open Days<br />
eatransportmuseum.co.uk<br />
Sutton Hoo, Woodbridge<br />
This beautiful 255-acre estate, with far-reaching views over the River Deben,<br />
is home to one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of all time, an<br />
Anglo-Saxon royal burial site. Visitors can walk around the site and discover<br />
the incredible story of the ship burial of an Anglo-Saxon king and his treasured<br />
possessions before heading into Tranmer House to find out about the<br />
archaeological work that took place at Sutton Hoo.<br />
A fascinating exhibition brings together original treasures from the Sutton<br />
Hoo Great Ship Burial alongside objects from the Stafford Hoard – the largest<br />
hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver ever found. Swords of Kingdoms: The<br />
Staffordshire Hoard exhibition runs until 30 October <strong>2022</strong>.<br />
© National Trust Images / Phil Morley<br />
The estate also offers several walking trails including the River View Walk<br />
which takes you through tranquil woodland with a sculpture trail, featuring<br />
beasts of Anglo-Saxon design.<br />
nationaltrust.org.uk<br />
Halesworth Airfield Museum<br />
During its short four-year run of active service, Halesworth Airfield played host<br />
to some of World War Two’s most influential participants. The airfield was<br />
mainly used as an American base and both the 56th Fighter Group and the<br />
489th Bomb Group stayed there. Towards the end of the war and afterwards,<br />
the base took on a rescue and training function before finally closing in<br />
February 1946. The Airfield Museum houses an extensive collection of World<br />
War Two memorabilia<br />
Visit during Heritage Open Days when free talks will be given about the airfield,<br />
the ground-breaking Market Garden raids and the development of the Long-<br />
Range Fuel Tanks first used at Halesworth so that the fighters could escort the<br />
bombers to the target and back.<br />
Other events are planned in Halesworth and the surrounding villages for<br />
Heritage Open Days when you can visit Holton’s Grade II listed Windmill,<br />
Walpole Old Chapel, and join in with the Halesworth to Southwold<br />
Narrow Gauge Railway Society’s open day at Blythburgh Station.<br />
halesworthairfieldmuseum.co.uk<br />
Heritage Open Days, England’s largest festival of history and culture, takes<br />
place between 9-18 September <strong>2022</strong>. To find out more and discover events<br />
near you, visit heritageopendays.org.uk<br />
133
Exceptional care for the individual<br />
Grove Court is a purpose-built care<br />
home set in 15 acres of landscaped<br />
grounds near Woodbridge, Suffolk,<br />
offering a home from home for<br />
guests who appreciate comfort,<br />
quality and exceptional care.<br />
The home’s 61 en suite rooms offer both<br />
nursing and personal care, on a permanent<br />
or short stay basis. Its high levels of service<br />
and facilities include award-winning<br />
restaurant style dining, beautiful gardens<br />
and industry-leading social engagement.<br />
Grove Court<br />
Open for visits<br />
and admissions.<br />
Call Magda Kurdziel on:<br />
01394 446500 or email:<br />
grovecourt@efhl.co.uk<br />
TOP<br />
AW<br />
www.efhl.co.uk<br />
GROVE COURT Beech Way, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 4BW<br />
making luxury affordable<br />
Proud to be East Anglia’s only<br />
Master Installer of luxury vinyl tiles<br />
and an Amtico endorsed fitter<br />
and retailer<br />
Fully Inclusive Flooring Service<br />
Carpets • Luxury Vinyl Tiles<br />
Engineered Wood • Design Flooring<br />
Motifs • Vinyl • Natural Flooring<br />
Domestic and Contract Specialists<br />
Contact us today to find out more<br />
01379 870190 | www.eyeflooring.co.uk
Book your Perfect Suffolk Escape<br />
“Ideally located to explore Suffolk’s heritage coast”<br />
Self Catering Cottages and Studios<br />
& Caravan and Motorhome Club CL<br />
Mollett’s Farm, Main Road, Benhall,<br />
Saxmundham, Suffolk IP17 1JY<br />
+44 1728 604547<br />
www.molletts.com bookings@molletts.com
Suffolk<br />
Food&Drink<br />
Chef Interview: Lydia Chipperfield<br />
Pastry Chef at Two Magpies Bakery<br />
From small beginnings with a bakery<br />
in Southwold, Two Magpies now has<br />
a central bakery and Bake School<br />
in Darsham plus bakery cafés all<br />
over Norfolk and Suffolk including<br />
Aldeburgh and Woodbridge. Eastlife<br />
caught up with pastry chef, Lydia<br />
Chipperfield, to find out more.<br />
Who or what inspired you<br />
to become a pastry chef?<br />
It would be my dad. He’s a chef<br />
and growing up we’d always be<br />
in the kitchen making and talking<br />
about food. As I got older, with more<br />
cooking programmes on TV like<br />
The Great British Bake Off and social<br />
media, my love for pastry grew.<br />
What was the first pastry<br />
you ever made?<br />
I remember making short or sweet<br />
pastry at home with my mum but at<br />
college, the first pastry I made was a<br />
pithivier. Even now I crave to make<br />
another one.<br />
Tell us about the Two<br />
Magpies Bakery cafés.<br />
What makes them so<br />
special?<br />
This year we opened our seventh<br />
site in Woodbridge. There has been<br />
a big growth over the last year, going<br />
from a small team of seven pastry<br />
chefs to now close to 20. We make<br />
everything in-house and our counter<br />
is constantly evolving which gives us<br />
a great opportunity to be creative. But<br />
the most special thing is the Magpie<br />
family we’ve created. We have many<br />
different sites around Suffolk and<br />
Norfolk, but we are still one team<br />
helping each other out when needed.<br />
136
Suffolk<br />
What do you love most<br />
about your job?<br />
Having an idea and seeing it come<br />
to life and out on the counter. But<br />
mostly my team.<br />
What are the top three<br />
qualities for success as a<br />
pastry chef?<br />
Attention to detail, passion and<br />
creativity, and resilience because<br />
sometimes things don’t always work<br />
the first time.<br />
What are your favourite<br />
flavour combinations?<br />
I like any sharp citrus flavours, like<br />
passion fruit and lemon.<br />
The Two Magpies Bake<br />
School courses look<br />
amazing. Which is your<br />
favourite?<br />
I would have to say the Introduction<br />
to Sourdough class. It’s a full day<br />
of learning about long fermented<br />
dough, where you get to make and<br />
shape your own loaves. At the end<br />
of the day, you go home with a box<br />
full of freshly baked bread that you’ve<br />
made along with your very own<br />
sourdough culture.<br />
Everyone loves a<br />
celebration cake. What’s<br />
the secret to creating a<br />
real showstopper?<br />
The height and also the decoration.<br />
We love using fresh flowers and fruit<br />
on our cakes. Also, having a vision<br />
and going with it.<br />
What would you say<br />
have been the top baking<br />
trends for <strong>2022</strong>?<br />
That’s a tough one! I still think<br />
making your own sourdough is a<br />
popular one.<br />
Are there any cooking<br />
gadgets that you can’t<br />
live without?<br />
I love my Kitchen Aid, both at work<br />
and at home. There are so many<br />
different attachments; one day you<br />
can be making pasta and the next<br />
churning your own ice cream. But<br />
at work, the piece of equipment<br />
I couldn’t live without is a dough<br />
scraper.<br />
What’s your favourite<br />
thing to bake at home?<br />
If I have the time, I love to make bread<br />
or croissants. It’s a long process but I<br />
love the final product. If I have friends<br />
and family coming over, I like to make<br />
an array of desserts with an option for<br />
everyone: cake, meringues, a fruit tart,<br />
cheesecake… I go overboard!<br />
Do you still lick the bowl?<br />
Um no, sorry!<br />
137
Suffolk<br />
SUFFOLK NEWS & EVENTS<br />
News<br />
Suffolk Hotel sold to Family-<br />
Run Resorts Group<br />
A popular east Suffolk<br />
hotel, golf and spa<br />
has entered a new<br />
era after it was sold<br />
to a fellow familyrun<br />
firm. Ufford Park<br />
Hotel, Golf & Spa near<br />
Woodbridge has been<br />
sold to LQ Resorts,<br />
owned by the Bansal<br />
family. The hotel will<br />
be renamed Ufford<br />
Park Resort.<br />
The hotel, which<br />
had been run by the<br />
Aldous family since<br />
its construction in<br />
1992, joins LQ Resorts’<br />
portfolio which also<br />
includes Lion Quays Resort in Oswestry and Langstone<br />
Quays Resort in Portsmouth. Ufford Park is their first<br />
resort with a golf course.<br />
Dr Bansal said: “We are excited to build on the<br />
exceptional job completed by the Aldous family and<br />
plan to invest heavily in developing the product and<br />
services across our new resort.” uffordpark.co.uk<br />
Museum adds STEM Education Project<br />
© Tim Curtis Video East<br />
Tide Mill in Woodbridge is one of only a handful in<br />
the world still producing flour on a regular basis and<br />
among the first tide mills in the country, working on<br />
the same site for over 850 years. Trust Chair, John<br />
Carrington, said: ““We hope this project will show visitors<br />
sustainable ways that energy can be generated and<br />
think about what changes they may be able to make to<br />
conserve the natural surroundings as well as consider<br />
how their lives can be enhanced.”<br />
woodbridgetidemill.org.uk<br />
New Homes unveiled at Henley Gate<br />
Award-winning housebuilder Crest Nicholson has<br />
unveiled its brand-new Seaton and Winkfield show<br />
homes at Henley Gate in Ipswich. Situated within the<br />
first of three neighbourhoods that will form the Ipswich<br />
Garden Suburb (IGS), the three- and four-bedroom<br />
homes have been designed by leading interior<br />
designers Phoenix with modern lifestyles in mind, giving<br />
homeowners the opportunity to envision themselves<br />
living at Henley Gate.<br />
Thanks to the development’s prime position, with<br />
Ipswich town centre within a 10-minute drive away,<br />
residents will be able to make the most of the<br />
restaurants, high street retailers and independent stores,<br />
as well as a monthly Farmers’ Market. Henley Gate is<br />
also ideally located near the Suffolk Coast & Heaths<br />
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, ideal for exploring<br />
nature and outdoor activities. crestnicholson.com<br />
Pop-up Choir Celebrates The Beatles<br />
Woodbridge Tide Mill is to install a micro-generator<br />
inside the Mill to demonstrate electricity generation<br />
from hydropower. The purpose is to educate and<br />
provide activities around STEM (Science, Technology,<br />
Engineering, and Mathematics) themes for the many<br />
KS1, 2 and 3 students who visit the Mill.<br />
The micro-generator will take its energy from the Crown<br />
Wheel Lay Shaft in the Mill. It will be coupled to outputs<br />
such as phone chargers, a light bulb and a voltmeter<br />
so visitors can see the electricity generated. Students<br />
will be given accompanying materials to explain the<br />
process and the importance of sustainable energy<br />
sources. There will be hands-on activities such as<br />
simple circuit building.<br />
Suffolk choirmaster Chris Rowbury has created a choir<br />
from scratch in just six rehearsals to celebrate 60 years<br />
since The Beatles came together as we know and<br />
love them.<br />
Chris has taken a group of singers from Ipswich and<br />
knocked them into shape ready for a one-off concert in<br />
Ipswich, All You Need is Love. All the songs have been<br />
arranged especially for voice only (not an instrument or<br />
backing track in sight) and include many of The Beatles’<br />
most famous and well-known tunes.<br />
138
Suffolk<br />
The group will perform songs from The Beatles’ back<br />
catalogue, ranging right through the 1960s, at St. Peter’s by<br />
the Waterfront in Ipswich on Saturday 22 October.<br />
Joining the pop-up choir for the concert will be Calling<br />
Birds. Featuring a blend of guitar, violin, bass guitar, ukulele,<br />
flute, melodeon and harmony singing, Calling Birds will<br />
bring a unique flavour to their set of Beatles songs. Tickets<br />
are available at chrisrowbury.com<br />
Food & Drink<br />
The Suffolk launches in Aldeburgh<br />
Dishes include chicken<br />
liver parfait, olive<br />
tapenade, fresh salads<br />
and chocolate mousse<br />
with salted butter caramel<br />
which can all be enjoyed<br />
with a glass of wine or a<br />
cold beer in the Greene<br />
Room. Each dish is<br />
created in a traditional<br />
glass French preserving<br />
pot which will be<br />
collected and reused by<br />
Maison Bleue.<br />
All food options must<br />
be pre-ordered up<br />
to 72 hours before<br />
performances as each dish is made fresh to order by the<br />
LÉA team. Booking is available through the Theatre Royal<br />
website at theatreroyal.org<br />
Coming soon…<br />
Tom Allen comes to Suffolk Theatres<br />
George Pell, one of the owners of Soho’s iconic L’Escargot,<br />
has launched a new restaurant in Adeburgh following a<br />
successful L’Escargot Sur-Mer pop up over the past two<br />
years.<br />
The Suffolk, which is housed in a 17th century former inn,<br />
offers a 60-cover restaurant, rooftop terrace with sea views,<br />
and six bedrooms. The seafood focused menu, headed<br />
up by Head Chef James Jay, champions Suffolk’s plentiful<br />
bounty and is designed to remind guests of nostalgic<br />
memories of holidays by the British seaside.<br />
George Pell said: “For me, this is the realisation of a<br />
childhood dream to have a restaurant beside the sea and<br />
the fact we’re opening in Aldeburgh is such a treat; there is<br />
truly nowhere else like it on the planet. The Suffolk will be<br />
a place for the locals to enjoy - to treat as their own, to read<br />
the paper and have a glass of wine in but it should also be<br />
special enough to make people want to travel to enjoy a<br />
long leisurely lunch with a lobster and chips.”<br />
the-suffolk.co.uk<br />
Gourmet Dishes for Theatre Audiences<br />
Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds has announced a new<br />
partnership with award-winning independent restaurant<br />
Maison Bleue and will be serving its gourmet LÉA Ready<br />
Meals in the theatre bar before performances.<br />
Tom Allen is back on the road next year with his brand-new<br />
UK show Completely, with dates across East Anglia from<br />
February to June 2023.<br />
With his signature acerbic wit and riotous storytelling, Tom<br />
Allen is a star on both stage and screen. Tom is the hilarious<br />
host of The Apprentice: You’re Fired and co-hosts Cooking<br />
With The Stars, Bake Off: The Professionals and he is also a<br />
regular on Bake Off: An Extra Slice and Alan Carr’s There’s<br />
Something About Movies.<br />
Tom Allen: Completely will be at Marina Theatre Lowestoft<br />
on 17 February and The Apex in Bury St Edmunds on 4<br />
March. Tickets are on sale now. tomindeed.com<br />
Based in Churchgate Street in Bury St Edmunds,<br />
restaurateurs Pascal and Karine Canevet of Maison Bleue<br />
created LÉA as an additive-free, gourmet ready meal range<br />
to give people a flavour of their restaurant at home.<br />
139
New style QR Code <strong>2022</strong> Trinity Park l A4 Poster 24-25 Sept <strong>2022</strong>_Layout 1 23/03/<strong>2022</strong> 12:08 Page 1<br />
Suffolk<br />
Mind Body Spirit Festival<br />
An experience to nourish your heart and soul<br />
Trinity Park<br />
24-25 Sept <strong>2022</strong> 10am-5pm<br />
TRINITY PARK EVENTS CENTRE, IPSWICH, SUFFOLK IP3 8UH<br />
Talks, Workshops & Demos<br />
Delicious Healthy Food<br />
Natural Body Products<br />
Crystals & Jewellery<br />
Spiritual Gifts & Art<br />
Taster Treatments<br />
Mindfulness<br />
Live Music<br />
Wellbeing Advice<br />
Readings<br />
Life Arts<br />
A Chris Cozens Event<br />
85+ Stands<br />
FREE entry for under 16’s<br />
Event info & advance tickets - www.lifearts.co.uk<br />
EAST ANGLIA’S<br />
BIGGEST CHRISTMAS FAIR<br />
ROWLEY MILE RACECOURSE,<br />
NEWMARKET, SUFFOLK<br />
25-27 NOVEMBER <strong>2022</strong><br />
Proudly supporting<br />
TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM £8:<br />
PRESENTSGALORE.ORG
Suffolk<br />
Suffolk Mind Body Spirit Festival<br />
2 October<br />
National Horseracing Museum<br />
Join us at the Peter O’Sullevan Arena from 11-12.30pm<br />
or 2.30-4pm for a special Suffolk Punch display. This<br />
rare breed of workhorse is a sight to behold, and<br />
one not to be missed. You will be able to meet these<br />
beautiful horses and find out more about Suffolk<br />
Punches, so save the date for what is sure to be a<br />
fantastic day!<br />
visit-burystedmunds.co.uk/events/suffolk-horseson-display<br />
WHAT’S ON<br />
24-25 September<br />
Ipswich<br />
A weekend packed with holistic treatments, workshops,<br />
music, readings and food. You will find a wide range of<br />
stalls including crystals, jewellery, body products, taster<br />
treatments, readings, talks and expert wellbeing advice.<br />
lifearts.co.uk<br />
Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival<br />
Framlingham Sausage Festival<br />
9 October<br />
During this<br />
one-day festival,<br />
sausage makers<br />
take over the town<br />
of Framlingham,<br />
offering the finest<br />
selection of sizzling<br />
sausages for you<br />
to try. In addition to<br />
the mouth-watering<br />
array of bangers,<br />
there’s entertainment, free workshops and food and<br />
drink stalls for you to browse.<br />
framlinghamsausagefestival.com<br />
24-25 September<br />
Snape Maltings<br />
Over 100 Suffolk food and drink producers, many from<br />
just a few miles away, all gathered to sell their produce<br />
including raw milk, organic vegetables, sourdough bread,<br />
award-winning beer and spirits from sponsors Adnams,<br />
cyder from Aspall and delicious street food. The festival is<br />
truly family friendly with free tickets for under 15s plus free<br />
children’s activities and hands-on cooking workshops.<br />
aldeburghfoodanddrink.co.uk<br />
Suffolk Horses on Display<br />
St Edmunds Day Weekend Spectacular<br />
17-20 November<br />
A spectacular<br />
light show will<br />
take place every<br />
evening during<br />
St Edmund’s<br />
Day weekend<br />
between 17 and<br />
20 November as<br />
part of the celebrations for the 1000th anniversary of<br />
the founding of the Abbey of St Edmund.<br />
The Weekend Spectacular experience begins at the<br />
Norman Tower. View the projection on the building,<br />
then follow the special effects light trail through<br />
the Abbey Gardens taking in the Abbey ruins, Rose<br />
Garden and the Pilgrims Herb Garden. The trail<br />
emerges into the Cathedral car park, where you can<br />
view the second projection on the side of the Cathedral<br />
Tower. Fully accessible, it will take around 20-30<br />
minutes to walk through the light trail with timed and<br />
ticketed admission.<br />
www.whatsonwestsuffolk.co.uk/whats-on<br />
For more event listings in your county<br />
visit www.eastlife.co.uk/events/<br />
141
We are an established name in West Norfolk, specialising in full conservatories, solid roof<br />
conservatory replacements, Xi extensions and quality bespoke garden rooms for over 30<br />
years. In addition to traditional products we are now one of the leading installers of solid<br />
roofed conservatories, creating new home spaces and also replacing conventional glass and<br />
polycarbonate with more energy efficient modern solutions.<br />
LEKA Xi MODULAR<br />
Conservatory / Garden Room<br />
Add that extra room in record time, and gain the<br />
benefits of a thermally efficient, sustainable building.<br />
.<br />
No heavy ground works<br />
Designed and manufactured offsite<br />
Installed in a week, from ground up<br />
Fully bespoke modular building<br />
01328 800288 | sales@lynnframe.co.uk | www.lynnframe.co.uk