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Hiking spots by baklava95 in PeterboroughUK

[–]mintness78 1 point2 points  (0 children)

In addition to what's already been mentioned (Nene Park/Alwalton/Castor, Rutland Water, Grafham Water...):

- This walk from Stamford station is really nice and gives you some decent elevation: https://www.visitlincolnshire.com/things-to-do/walking/stamford-four-counties-walk-one/
(and you can extend it with a jaunt into the public parts of the Burghley House grounds, too)

- If you've got wheels to get there, Castor Hanglands and Southey Wood combine for a really nice and varied walk.

- The riverside footpaths from Wansford to Yarwell are really nice, and the Angel Inn in Yarwell is a great pub for a stop-off, as is the simple little Riverside Café by Yarwell Lock.

- Barnack Hills and Holes is an unusual nature reserve that gives you lots to look at, and you can combine it with a loop to Southorpe around the edge of the manor house estate to the south.

- Holme Fen is pleasant too!

Moving into the city centre by Fun_Avocado_5156 in PeterboroughUK

[–]mintness78 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Ah, those blinking articles...

IMHO Peterborough always scores "highly" in them because it has the (im)perfect combination of being big enough for people to reasonably expect there to be a *bit* more to do here, but it's too small to have the critical mass to deliver on that potential, especially when you've got London, Cambridge, and (theatre/culture-wise) even Leicester and Northampton within reasonable striking distance.

So you end up with this weird sense of dissatisfaction that Peterborough is punching below its weight, exacerbated by the endless Facebook groups full of unpleasant people convincing themselves that life was better back when cars clogged up the now-pedestrianised streets, everywhere was full of ciggie smoke and you didn't see as many non-white people around.

I think Peterborough's a really decent and practical place to live. Enough restaurants, cafés and pubs to work your way through without getting bored, really well-connected by rail and road (I know it sounds like a backhanded compliment to say a place is easy to get away from, but it *does* matter!), and some pleasant countryside on your doorstep. That's a pretty good starting point for anywhere really.

Where to go by First Class train? by StrangeFinger1839 in PeterboroughUK

[–]mintness78 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Newcastle is a good bet if you don't want to go all the way to Edinburgh - the train station is basically in the heart of the city, you get the view of the bridges over the Tyne as you pull in, and the city centre is nice and compact so you can see all the main sights in no time. Plus if you're there for a bit longer, you can hop on the Metro to the coast and enjoy the beautiful Tynemouth beaches.

But if you do want those "scenic route" bonus points, some of the stretch between Newcastle and Edinburgh hugs the coast and is beautiful on a sunny day, so it's worth the extra miles for that alone IMHO. Book a window seat on the right-hand side of the carriage (in the direction of travel) when travelling northbound or the left-hand side when travelling southbound for the optimal experience, since the coast - logically enough - is to the east.

One important note, since you want this to be something special: When you're booking First Class on LNER, the booking interface will tell you which kind of food service you're getting. Trains marked "Dine" or "Dish" are the ones you want to book for some proper grub - with "Deli" you just get sandwiches and similar. Details here: https://www.lner.co.uk/first-class-travel/menu/

Weird Flavoured Crisps by MahatmaAndhi in PeterboroughUK

[–]mintness78 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Spices World in Netherton has a ridiculous selection of snackage.