Bringing Back Britain: Glorious Brighton.

In a true revival of my love for all things British (excluding the EDL, marmite, extreme patriotism...I suppose), no Summer would be complete without an out of season trip to the good old British seaside and through drawing straws and many debates, Ben and I decided on the epitome of the south coast: Brighton.

With two of my best friends gracing the University of Sussex in September I felt it was only apt that we jump in the car and on the motorway for a dip in both the sea and culture and I was not disappointed. After a morning spent paddling in the sea (which, in case you were wondering, on a cold day in June really is not a good idea), we spent the afternoon wandering the Lanes, stumbling upon the vintage shops, cake shops galore, and of course, the wonder that is Snooper's Paradise. 

Yes. Please. Diet? What diet?

My highlight of the morning however, has to be the glory that is Choccywoccydoodah - the renowned chocolate cum cake cum coffee shop. And we were in heaven. While Brighton does not come up cheap in comparison to other British seaside towns (see: Southend or Great Yarmouth - though they really are not my favourites) the money spent lounging on their red vinyl chairs and gouging ourselves on the weekly special of Chocolate, Raspberry and Chilli cake, it was money well spent. Located just off the high street and the Lanes, it is perfect for a morning snack and was as much a tourist hot spot as the pier for us.

B feat. the sea and old pier.

Despite the rain that graced us just as we left the sea, we headed onto the pier for a drink and a few rounds of Dance Mat before stumbling upon the Royal Pavillion (where the art exhibition, Jeff Koons, had free admission! Such a steal!) and onto the Lanes. 

Thugs in Brighton.

Royal Pavillion.

I loved Brighton and can't wait to go back in the sunshine though it will be heaving on the beach! I love the British seaside but with a stick of rock in hand, my copy of Brighton Rock in the other, and balancing our Snooper's Paradise buys on our heads, this beat all other seaside towns for me. The culture, locals, and attitude of the general city really was one of a kind - and I cannot recommend it anymore.

Snooper's Paradise photobooth stands at just £3!

See you Brighton!

Bringing Back Britain: London Bridge Walk.

So I have always hated exercise. I survived in top set PE for just a few weeks before being demoted to 'Girl Who Stands In Goal During Hockey But Actually Does Nothing'. And yet, here I am, going to the gym four times a week, I'm into the first week of the 30 Day Shred, and last week I undertook, with my endearingly motivated and over-enthusiastic boyfriend, a 21 mile walk of all the bridges in London between Tower Bridge and Kew Bridge (that's 19 bridges).

Much like my muddy converse at Wimpole, my trusty pumps in Rome and my flip flops in Delhi (latterly known as The Worst Mistake I Made In Asia) - I whacked on my trainers and running trousers, filled my rucksack with cider, sandwiches and deodorant and we headed across and up the Thames.

Below is a rough route of our journey:

We started at Tower Bridge and finished at Kew Bridge - following the shape of the Thames though, it is possible to walk to the final bridge at Twickenham if you wish.

Now, the post is featuring on my Bringing Back Britain page in a desperate plea that you, dear reader, may decide to undertake this walk too. Walking along Chelsea embankment in the rain, jogging through Battersea Park, and fighting tourists on Westminster Bridge made this day such an experience. I saw parts of London so beautiful and new, and places that I'd never seen before.

Kew, as I now know, is a gorgeous makeshift village (with a cricket green!) just 40 minutes on the underground from Central London. Hammersmith, right by Riverside Studios, is full of quaint pubs and cafes. And Albert Bridge is the cutest ever.

Despite my complaining (Ben can vouch for me in that I kept it to a minimum..), the little bits of rain, and the overpriced drinks in the pubs of London, I have never seen London as wonderful as I did on this walk and, honestly, it doesn't feel like a near-marathon. Not with good enough shoes, company, and a supply of food. 

L - R: 1) Rain on Lambeth Bridge, 2) looking far too cheerful on Millennium Bridge and 3) starting on Tower Bridge.

I frequent London a lot due to the direct trainline from Stansted, but this was different to anything I've done before and I'm so glad I did it. Just make sure you have the essentials of water, a map for both distance and direction (I used the Strava Run app on my iPhone) and a good sense of humour. It's a wonderful day out.

And hey, like Louise and Spencer from MIC, this walk enables you to do both Deep Thinking and having Deep Chats on the Chelsea Embankment like a true posh-o.

(PS, I returned back from Barcelona less than a week ago, so keep an eye out for my Barcelona posts coming very soon!)

Bringing Back Britain: Cambridgeshire.

Frankly, my absence from this blog is nearly embarrassing. I have had so much to write about, and have been on so many adventures (both home based and some slightly farther abroad) that I want to share. I've been applying for jobs (unsuccessfully), making the most of a combination of my National Trust membership, my car, and my wonderful friends and boyfriend leading to me having had a wonderful past two months since I returned from Germany.

I love England. My coming-back-post (as recently featured in this article) states this clearly; I love where I live. And although I've been fighting it since my return, my denial of the fact that I am home (I hope that makes sense) has meant that I have kept both busy and local and so my new feature, 'Bringing Back Britain' was born. Today's focus is the gorgeous Cambridgeshire.

Although drinks in Cambridge, when not from student hangouts, aren't the cheapest - an afternoon by the river really is a must.

I've always been a fan of Cambridge: the classical architecture, the colleges, the people, just to mention a few - and as far as a town goes, it really is perfect for Summer. Whether it's a G&T at the Anchor (located in between Newham and King's) or a picnic on Jesus Green, the sunshine makes it the perfect spot to while away an afternoon. Punting for a newbie in Cambridge is a must, and I always prefer to hire my own with a group of friends, a few drinks, and punt in the Grantchester direction.

Downton Abbey? No, not quite. But still pretty impressive.

About 20 miles out of town, situated in the real Cambridgeshire countryside, is the classical Wimpole Hall. With entry to the grounds and gardens being just £6 (and free for National Trust members) and a farm for exploration, even on a rainy day Flo, Luce and I made the most of the grounds.

Don your muddy converse, stock up on lunch from either the farm shop or - like us - take a Sainsbury's middle class picnic extraordinaire and cower in the boot of your car in between rain storms. The gardens are currently in full bloom and the orchard, much like Audley End (slightly more local to me), is stunning. My only piece of advice would be go on a weekday and before school's out - I can only imagine how busy the pig pen is when the children start their summer holidays in three weeks.

Car picnic anyone? My boot still features crisp crumbs as a result.

Fun for the family, or the more middle class/middle aged young adults among us - it is a lovely day out!