As a long-standing Londoner who grew up in Kent, I rarely venture to the east of England. But today I’m heading on a Hertfordshire-Norfolk adventure, thanks to a trip with Great Northern Railway.
Zooming past the brutalist tower blocks of north London, I’m soon relaxing and taking in the scenery of the Hertfordshire countryside. On a jam-packed London tube carriage, I’d usually spend time sifting through work emails, but on this journey I’m taking in the scenery.
After passing through Welwyn Garden City, I snap photos of the Digswell viaduct soaring from the River Mimran against a cornflower blue sky. As the train whizzes through Hitchin and Baldock, I enjoy views of the north Hertfordshire chalk hills and horses grazing on the open fields. The quiet, uninterrupted journey is a stark contrast to my usual commute, and I make a mental note to enjoy the mindfulness of train travel more often.
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Royston dates back to the 12th century
Royston is a medieval market town on the south Cambridgeshire and north Hertfordshire border, with a storied history dating back to the 12th century. Developed around the crossroads of the Roman Ermine Street and the 110-mile ancient trackway, the Icknield Way, it was a stopping place for pilgrims and traders. In the 17th century, King James I made Royston a royal retreat, acquiring properties to accommodate his court during hunting visits.
One of the town’s major attractions is Royston cave on Melbourn Street, an artificial underground chamber decorated with mysterious religious carvings. Accidentally discovered by workmen in the market above in 1742, no records of its age or purpose exist, although theories include a link to the Knights Templar or the Freemasons. If you want to take in the carvings, from pagan symbols and the hand of God to crucifixion scenes, the cave is open at weekends between April and September.
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Revolution Records is a must-stop for music lovers
I stop at Melbourn Street, where well-preserved 17th and 18th century architecture sits alongside contemporary public buildings, cafes and lovely gift shops. I head to Revolution Records, the retirement-hobby-turned-business of Rob and Sinead Myerscough, ideal for gifts for music lovers. The records come from a wide range of collectors – from Cambridge University students to traders from the Cambridge folk festival.
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Glazed Creations offers pottery painting
Just down the road is Glazed Creations, a pottery painting studio run by Kelly Liebenberg. The shop is decorated with floor-to-ceiling handpainted tiles and plates. When I visit, a young couple and two mums with babies are busy painting ceramic bowls. It’s perfect for groups of friends or families looking to enjoy a mindful activity and craft something personal.
Next, I stroll along Royston High Street, where a rainbow canopy of umbrellas hangs above the timber-framed buildings. I stop for coffee at Kooky Nohmad, a cafe and co-working space with exposed beams, iron details and hanging planters. The atmosphere is buzzing with families lunching on poached eggs and young people tapping away on laptops. Manager Emma Nankivell tells me that community is at the heart of the business: the coffee is locally roasted and the colourful murals are commissioned from local artists.
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Colourful umbrellas form a canopy over the high street
Then it’s time for lunch, so I walk a few minutes to the Corn Exchange. Standing on Market Hill, it was built in 1829 as an indoor marketplace where local farmers and merchants could buy and sell crops. Linda O’Sullivan runs The Honest Fig, a cheesemonger and grazing board specialist who runs “cheese and winyl” nights with Revolution Records. My board is full of artisan cheeses – 12-month-matured truffle manchego and a rich, creamy Strathdon blue – plus enormous olives, cured meats, sweet fig chutney and toasted almonds.
I take a stroll along Kneesworth Street on the way back to the station. I’d recommend you make time to discover Royston’s past at the museum, and from here try a sweet treat at the pink-fronted Kelly’s Kitchen on Lower King Street.
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Lunch at the Honest Fig was followed by a walk back to the station for the next leg
Royston is one of those underrated English towns that many people pass by, often when travelling between London and Cambridgeshire, but its charming shops, strong community vibe and fascinating history make it worth visiting. The same applies to the next town on my itinerary.
As the train glides north towards the Norfolk coast, I pass fields brimming with bright blue borage flowers. Just over an hour and a few chapters of my book later, and I’m in King’s Lynn, a historic maritime town on the River Great Ouse which was one of England’s most prosperous medieval ports.
I head straight to King Street, lined with no fewer than 30 listed buildings, including medieval merchants’ houses, warehouses and inns. Stopping at Purfleet Quay, a postcard-pretty waterfront space on the site of a former harbour, I admire the elegant Custom House, completed in 1683 and a symbol of King’s Lynn’s maritime heritage. Standing at the quay is a life-size bronze statue of Captain George Vancouver, the 18th-century explorer born in King’s Lynn who charted the Pacific north-west coast and gave his name to the eponymous city in British Columbia.
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Historic King’s Lynn is a maze of listed and medieval buildings
I continue strolling down the magnificent ribbon of streets towards Saturday Market Place. The public square is centred around the Grade I listed Town Hall, known for its carved gothic stonework and distinctive chequerboard limestone. Housed within the Town Hall complex is the Stories of Lynn museum, exploring the town’s rich history, and just beyond the Market Place stands King’s Lynn Minster, founded in the 12th century and a striking example of medieval ecclesiastical architecture.
Just off St Margaret’s Lane, with its old Hanseatic warehouse and fairytale cobblestones, the waterfront pontoons are filled with locals enjoying a post-work pint in the sunshine. I grab a seat at No 1 Bar & Kitchen’s beer garden, where husband-and-wife duo Kayleigh and Charlie Day serve up an impressive list of cocktails and hearty food including burgers, steaks, and fish and chips out of Charlie’s kitchen. I ask for a local tipple, so Kayleigh mixes me a strawberry and passionfruit gin and tonic, using gin from the nearby WhataHoot small-batch distillery.
As I begin my journey back to King’s Cross, I’m struck by the accessibility and affordability of rail travel, and how easy it is to discover destinations like Royston and King’s Lynn that are rich in history and character, but so often overlooked. The Great Northern Railway network makes it so easy to explore these quiet corners of Britain, and the joy and mindfulness of rail travel is something I won’t overlook again.
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Cobbled streets and the Custom House in King’s Lynn
For your own rail adventure to new destinations, head to Great Northern Railway
