Leaving London
From Brighton Cambridge, four towns make great day trips beyond the capital
“When a man is tired of London,” quipped Samuel Johnson, “he is tired of life.” Perhaps so in the poet’s 18th century heyday, but today it is quite possible to become a little fatigued of the English capital after four or five trips — particularly if work is one of the reasons pulling you across the pond.
But familiarity needn’t breed contempt if you have a London visit or stopover coming up. Ask any Manchester United fan, Oxford don or Beatles aficionado: England is so much more than its capital city.
London might be a global colossus with 8.8 million inhabitants (the second-biggest English city, Birmingham, can lay claim to a mere 1.1 million), but size isn’t all that matters. There’s plenty more to be unearthed in England’s green and pleasant land — and many of the best towns and cities are within an hour’s train ride of London itself.
Britain is more affordable for Americans now than it’s been for a generation, so don’t let a familiarity with London put you off. You can still fly into the Big Smoke, base yourself at the heart of the action — and day-trip to extraordinary destinations at all four points of the compass, where the dollar is the strongest it’s been in more than 30 years. Tired of London? Then love leaving it on your next United Kingdom visit.
(For all train times and prices, and to book tickets in advance, see www.thetrainline.com.)
CAMBRIDGE
Distance: 64 miles
Best route: London King’s Cross Station to Cambridge in 47 minutes.
To reach this genteel university city, you should make like Harry Potter and head for King’s Cross Station (the Cambridge trains really do run from Platforms 9 and 10, so you can happily loiter half — or even three-quarters — of the way between the two entrances as you wait).
When you arrive in Cambridge, head straight for the riverside — an excellent place from which to orient yourself, alongside some of the most picturesque views of the university’s world-famous colleges.
Punting along the River Cam is one of the best ways to get your bearings, and Scudamore’s (+1 44 1223 359750; www. scudamores.com), the oldest company in Cambridge, offers shared punting tours starting at about $21, when you book in advance. A current or recent student will often be your punter (a less showy type of English gondolier), and will happily educate you on Cambridge life as you glide past its ancient streets.
For brunch, a local favorite is the Old Bicycle Shop (104 Regent St.; +1 44 1223 859909; www.oldbicycleshop.com), which — as the name suggests — is on the site of a former Victorian bike store, where customers included a young Charles Darwin. Now it peddles a different type of fare, and is justifiably famous for its sweet potato pancakes and spicy Bloody Marys.
If you only have time for one museum, make it the Fitzwilliam (Trumpington Street; +1 44 1223 332900; www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk), an extraordinary collection of art and antiquities that remains completely free to visit.
Cambridge has a historic pub on pretty much every corner, so once you’ve worked up a thirst exploring its medieval streets (don’t miss Mill Road, crammed with antique stores and quirky boutiques), you’ll be spoiled for choice. The Anchor (Silver Street; +44 1223 353554; www.anchorcambridge.com) boasts incredible views from its riverside terrace, but the most famous of the lot is undoubtedly The Eagle (8 Benet St.; +44 1223 505020; www.eagle-cambridge.co.uk). Allegedly haunted, the pub has a tiny RAF bar at the back where World War II pilots burned their names onto the ceiling with cigarette lighters. More practically, you’ll also find an outstanding collection of real ales to sample before your train ride back to London.
Plan your trip: www.visitcambridge.org
BRIGHTON
Distance: 47 miles
Best route: London Victoria Station to Brighton in 57 minutes Londoners love heading to this charmingly eccentric seaside city on the Sussex coast, a straight shot south of the capital. Here you’ll find boho boutiques, quirky markets, sleek restaurants and bars — and quite possibly the finest fish and chips in England.
After the short train ride (don’t make the mistake of taking the longer route from London Bridge), stroll downhill from the station, along Queen’s Road, and you’ll soon find yourself entangled in the pleasant cobbled streets of the Lanes: narrow timeworn alleyways packed with quirky artisan shops, offbeat designer stores and traditional English cafes, leading down to Brighton’s famous beach.
A fantastic lunch option here is the newly opened Pascere (8 Duke St.; +1 44 1273 917949; www.pascere.co.uk) — a modern British restaurant spread over two floors with a terrace for alfresco dining, which is attracting high praise without the ensuing high prices … yet.
Wandering about this easily walkable town, you’ll find everything from gentrified Regency squares to oddball museums and one of the strangest of all England edifices — the exotic Brighton Pavilion (4/5 Pavilion Buildings; www.brightonmuseums.org.uk/royalpavilion). A flamboyant wedding cake of a building, the Pavilion was built as a seaside pleasure palace for King George IV and remains a wonderful place to roam about.
The best way to gain an overall perspective of Brighton is to head to the seafront and board the newly opened British Airways i360 (West Pier; www.britishairwaysi360.com), the world’s tallest moving observation tower. Designed by the creators of the London Eye, it glides gently up to 453 feet from
where you can admire 360degree views across the entire town, the South Downs and, on clear days, the Isle of Wight in the middle of the English Channel.
If there’s time for a swift tipple before the train back to London, head for the wonderfully monikered Plotting Parlour (6 Steine St; +1 44 1273 621238; www.theplotting parlour-brighton.co.uk), a speakeasy-style bar where young professionals flock to unwind after work.
On your climb back to the station, allow plenty of time to pick up fish and chips from Bardsley’s (22-23a Baker St.; +1 44 1273 681 256; www.bards leys-fishandchips.co.uk) which has been serving the traditional fare here since 1926. (If you’re feeling particularly brave, order some spotted dick and custard for the journey back too — you won’t regret it).
Plan your trip: www.visit brighton.com
OXFORD
Distance: 62 miles
Best route: London Paddington Station to Oxford in 58 minutes
Oxford is one of the most beguiling medieval towns in Europe; small enough to explore on foot, yet with all the buzz and cultural offerings of a major city. (Not to mention, of course, that it is also home to the oldest university in the English-speaking world, founded in 1096.)
See the city as the current students do, by renting a bike when you arrive at the train station (www.bromptondock .co.uk) before riding up George Street and into the town’s ancient heart.
Oxford the university is virtually inseparable from Oxford the town, and an extremely pleasant morning can be spent cycling past its honeybricked colleges, cobbled courtyards and ancient meadows. This, after all, is the place Oscar Wilde dubbed “the capital of romance.”
When you’re ready for lunch, head for the idyllic Cherwell Boathouse (01865 552746, www.cherwell boathouse.co.uk), an Edwardian lodge on the banks of the River Cherwell. It’s a little tricky to find, but well worth the effort: In summer, guests eat alfresco next to the river, while in winter they settle inside the cozy boathouse itself for hearty, warming fare.
Suitably recharged, head for Christchurch College (www. chch.ox.ac.uk) with its magnificent front quadrangle, and explore the stone passageways and halls instantly familiar to anybody who’s seen the “Harry Potter” movies.
These too are the corridors where Lewis Carroll (a.k.a. real-life Christchurch mathematics professor Charles Dodgson) was inspired to write “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.”
Emerging from this particular rabbit hole, saddle up and ride 10 minutes north to the Eagle and Child (49 St. Giles; +1 44 1865 302925; www.nichol sonspubs.co.uk/restaurants/ southeast/theeagleandchild oxford), the quaint pub where “The Inklings,” a group of renowned mid-20th century authors including J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, would meet once a week to discuss and troubleshoot their novels together.
After basking by the fire, amid the sheer creative power, here, you’re an easy five-minute ride back to Oxford station and the regular trains back to London.
Plan your trip: www.experienceoxfordshire.org
MARGATE
Distance: 81 miles
Best route: London St. Pancras to Margate in 87 minutes
In recent years, Margate has become “the next big thing” with young Londoners forced out of the capital by astronomical house prices. They’ve settled here on the north Kent coast in droves, turning what was once a rundown seaside town on the Isle of Thanet into one of the hippest hubs in Britain, with boutiques, art galleries and coffee shops springing up around the beautiful natural harbor. The Daily Telegraph recently described it as a “hip, sizzling powder keg.”
At the heart of Margate’s renaissance is Dreamland (49-51 Marine Terrace; www. dreamland.co.uk), a retro amusement park which has recently been given a major face-lift and become a haven for hipsters. Nearby rooftop bar Ziggy’s boasts the best sunset views along the seafront.
Beyond Dreamland’s colorful helter-skelters and swing boats, you’ll find a town at the cutting edge. Grab some food from the famous Bus Cafe (Royal Crescent Promenade; +1 44 7936 076737; www.thebuscafe.co.uk), a street food cafe in a converted double-decker bus (the Hashed Mounds are delicious), and get exploring.
In particular, Margate has an eclectic vintage furniture and art scene, centered on Northdown Road in trendy Cliftonville, while another must-see is the stunning Turner Contemporary modern art museum, (+1 44 1843 233000; www.tur nercontemporary.org), which opened in 2011 and has catapulted Margate into the big leagues, art-wise. The gallery has exhibited internationally renowned artists including Tracey Emin and Yinka Shonibare, and in 2015 attracted more than 350,000 visitors.
Afterward you can sit and picnic on the restored harbor steps, enjoying the same view and magical light that inspired Turner himself. Or, if you’re feeling particularly brave, dive into the immense Walpole Bay Tidal Pool with the locals: 4 acres of fresh, salty swimming space popular year-round.
Afterwards, you’ll be in need of a warming drink, so head to The Lifeboat (1 Market St.; +1 44 7837 024259), a proper alehouse dispensing delicious Kentish cider and rich cheeseboards.
Plan your trip: www.visitthanet.co.uk