Saturday Outing to Ely

We took the train to Ely (about 15 miles) today to see the Cathedral and the town. It was cold (very cold!) and cloudy, but a nice day for an outing. The train was nice and warm after riding out bikes to the station. There is a HUGE bike parking area, and it is full.

There was a notice inside the station that says they put green tags (you can see one in this photo) on bikes they think are abandoned and remove them and donate them to charity a month later!

Alex had the good camera, and started taking photos right away. I am sure the best ones are up on flicker already.

We were much too cold for ice cream, but we liked the look of this one. We had gotten a leisurely start, so it was time for lunch when we arrived. We had lunch at a place called the Coffee Mill. Ironically we didn't have any coffee.

We wandered around a bit. The Saturday market sold all manner of things, from musical instruments to old books, crafts, and of course some food. 

We got tickets for the Cathedral, the Stained Glass Museum, and the Octagon Tour. I had been to the Cathedral before, but not up in the Octagon. It was amazing.

We had a guide and five other people with us. The stairs up to the first level were not a problem, just a standard spiral stone staircase. But as we got higher and higher the stairs got narrower and narrower.

View of the Octagon from the floor of the Cathedral.

Up on the lower roof level, walking across to the next staircase.

looking up at the Octagon.

The door to the stairs is very small. But we all made it in without hitting our heads.

The Octagon is supported by these huge wooden beams.

That is Alex across the Octagon taking photos.

Alex took this photo of me. The good camera is better than my pocket camera!

Alex took more photos. No surprise.

The view from the Octagon down to the Cathedral floor.

Then we climbed even higher, to the roof of the Octagon. The roof is made of wood, incased in lead. Only the outer part is stone.

There were fantastic views, even on a cloudy day.

We are way up in the air!

Alex took more photos. The big lights in this photo light up the octagon at night. They are a recent gift from the Friends of Ely Cathedral.

We asked one of the other people on the tour to take a photo of us. We look cold, we are cold.

What must it look like on a clear day?

Going down was a challenge. Notice the handrail is that rope.

Alex coming out of the tiny staircase door.

Another part of the lower staircase.

We spent some time in the Cathedral, then had some coffee and went on to the Stained Glass Museum. It is inside the Cathedral, but I don't have photos because they don't allow photography inside. 

Then we went outside, and looked in at the visitor information which is in the Oliver Cromwell House. We were too late in the day for the tour, we will have to save it for another trip.

These lovely folks stand outside the building.

This cannon was captured by the British from the Russians in the Crimean War and given to Ely by Queen Victoria as a memorial to those from Ely who fought in that war.

Then we went back to the shops, and went to a fantastic bookstore. Seriously, if you are in Ely, you should visit Topping and Company Booksellers. They have a branch in Bath too.

We caught a train back to Cambridge and bought some ready to heat and eat Chinese food at Sainsbury's.

Comments

[Barbie]

Thanks so much for sharing your visit and activities with us Statesbound folk. I've bookmarked Topping and Company for when I'm in Bath with the next Peninsula group in 2012.

[Christy Story]

I love the hat heather!! It somehow transforms you so utterly british'ly!! Of course it is necessary cold weather gear but really, you've gone native! so glad Alex is not working all the time!! And we too will make sure Topping and Co is on the list should we ever make it your way

[Heather Allen Pang]

I wish I could claim the hat as English, but I got it in Chicago when we lived there. I am so glad I remembered to dig it out of the ski things, I need it here!