Weekend Breaks from London 3: East Anglia

This part of Essex is genuinely rural, peaceful and pretty.  It’s a rustic, ancient area with some lovely trails to follow and charming places to stay.  Combine your rural retreat with some excitement at Duxford Air Museum or a teddy bear’s picnic at Audley End House.  Cambridge is just up the road as well.

Attractions:  Mountfitchet Castle and Norman Village, Cambridge, Duxford Air Museum, Audley End House, Mole Hall Wildlife Park, Barleylands Farm

Distance: just over an hour driving to Saffron Walden or by train its 50 mins from Liverpool Street.

Where to stay:  Brook Farm, Braintree (tel: 01371 850284) or Archway Guesthouse, Saffron Walden (tel: 01799501500)

Lower Stour Valley and Colchester

This is an area of outstanding beauty, a flat land with big skies and beautiful rural landscape, it’s a great area to get away from London, to relax with your family, but also to keep your children entertained –row a boat up the Stour to look at Constable country or go to the very energetic Alton Waters where you can combine your peaceful rambling with some serious water sports.

Attractions:  Colchester Castle, Colchester Zoo, Stour Estuary RSPB reserve, Alton Waters – the stroll from Dedham to Flatford, as walked by Constable

Distance:  1 hour and a half driving to Colchester or 55 mins by train from Liverpool St.

Where to Stay: Caterpillar Cottage, Colchester (tel: 01206 240456) or Dedham Hall, Dedham