Photograph: Copperman05/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Welcome to my home. I love living in St Albans because there are lots of parks to explore on my bike and museums to visit on my feet. But when it’s cold or raining, that doesn’t stop me: because there are lots of fun things to do indoors, too. There are also lots of places to eat if you are hungry. We’re only 20 minutes away from London if you come by train, or not even two hours if you’re coming from Brighton, which isn’t very far to come to have fun for a whole day ...
Tasty things I like to eat
After school on a Wednesday, Mum sometimes takes us to the St Peter’s Street market for pizza, where delicious slices are served by Peddling Pizza from an old van called Buzz. Buzz does a chocolate pizza made with custard, strawberries and Nutella, but I usually have a margherita because I am only allowed Nutella at the weekends. Sometimes they are sold out, because they are so tasty and everyone wants one.
Smallford Farm Shop and Cafe is a good place for lunch. I’m embarrassed to go there again though because I once picked up a giant watermelon to show my mum and accidentally dropped it so Mum had to buy it. But I’m kind of glad I dropped it because it was very tasty.
My mum says Loft is the only restaurant I’ve ever been to where I wanted to stay longer, as I usually get bored. I order the little sausages on sticks with a dipping sauce or a roast dinner.
There’s a cafe called Room for Dessert just a few minutes’ walk from the train station. If you’re coming on the train to St Albans you should make it your first stop. All it sells is pudding, which is the best idea for a restaurant ever I think. I had a bowl of ice-cream that looked like it came from outer space. It was billowing with cold smoke, which Mum says is called liquid nitrogen.
Social distancing means that cafes and restaurants often can’t cater for as many customers as usual so it’s worth calling ahead to check if you may need to book.
Autumn beckons for Heartwood Forest
Go outside!
In autumn I like to go to Heartwood Forest. It’s got 600,000 trees and it’s fun crunching through the autumn leaves in my wellies! Earlier in the year it has a pretty bluebell wood and a meadow of wild flowers. There are carved wooden animal sculptures like owls and frogs to spot and people build dens to play in. If it’s not too cold, you can have a picnic or just a snack on the huge tree-shaped picnic table.
I love animals and Willows Activity Farm is close to my house. You can get the 84 bus from the train station – don’t forget your mask and remember to ring the bell to tell the driver to stop when you spot the giant Peter Rabbit sign. It can get busy in the school holidays, though, so I go to Maidenhead Aquatics, on the outskirts of St Albans, with my Grandma and Grandad. It’s full of tropical fish that you can feed and look at in their huge tanks. There’s also a cafe and a soft play area for my little sister. But remember your socks or they won’t let you in.
Next door is a garden centre called Aylett Nurseries. They had a butterfly garden there last time I went and it was so cool.
A different kind of fish shop, which I also love, is Godfrey’s, in nearby Harpenden, because you’re allowed to eat these fish ... with chips! If mum is away for work, dad used to take us for a treat – but now we have to do takeaway. It’s won an award for being one of the best fish and chip shops in the world.
Remember to check websites ahead of your visit to understand any social distancing measures and to see if you need to book.
Coffee and cake at Smallford Farm Shop and Cafe; see the geese and ducks in Verulamium park; meet a guinea pig at Willows Activity Farm
It’s raining, it’s pouring
Rainy days can be fun sometimes, too. Here’s what you can do when it’s not sunny. The cathedral is the biggest thing I’ve ever seen in St Albans and really old. There are lots of artefacts and they’ve had exhibitions about interesting things like outer space and Anne Frank. I climbed 211 steps up to the tower to see the stained glass window and the view. My legs ached afterwards but it was worth it. Sadly, visitors can’t go up the tower at the moment so you may have to save that for another time.
When I’m going to a friend’s birthday party, Mum takes me on the train one stop on Thameslink to Harpenden to Threads gift shop to choose a present. Getting the train is so much more fun than driving round and round the car park looking for a parking space. I like it because the toys aren’t separated into girls and boys sections like most shops – they are all mixed together, which is cool because girls like the same toys as boys.
I don’t mind when Mum makes me go shopping, as long as we can go to Smiggle in St Albans. It’s a shop full of stationery and I bought gel pens and a journal with my pocket money last time.
My favourite thing to do is read. And the best place to do this apart from my house is in Books on the Hill, also in St Albans. It’s an amazing book shop where nobody minds if you want to sit and read David Walliams books.
I love going to the cinema and there’s a very special one in St Albans right next to the station. It’s a really old cinema called The Odyssey that has been brought back to life and they show sing-a-long films like Frozen as well as black and white films that Mum likes.
I had my christening at St Albans Museum + Gallery, which used to be a courthouse and prison but now it’s a cafe. The toilets are what used to be the old cells, which is quite scary! There are loads of underground hiding places to explore – you have to crawl into some of them, they are too small for the adults.
Have a ball of a time
Verulamium park has everything – even Roman ruins! There’s a museum of Roman life, a cafe, a play area and a lake, all overlooked by the cathedral. I can’t wait until I’m tall enough to go indoor rock climbing at Westminster Lodge. I’ve only got one more inch to grow until I’m allowed.
Remember to check websites ahead of your visit to understand any social distancing measures and to see if you need to book.
All aboard
Up to four kids per adult can travel on most journeys for as little as £2 on Off-Peak and Super Off-Peak journeys with Thameslink (T&Cs apply). Find out more and book at thameslinkrailway.com/kidsfor2
Throughout the pandemic trains have been running for key workers, and now Thameslink is helping people get back to work where necessary, as well as to school and leisure activities. We’ve put additional measures in place to keep you safe. If you’re coming aboard, do make sure to travel safely: wash your hands, wear a face covering, travel at quieter times and follow travel advice. For more information visit thameslinkrailway.com
