Chelmsford! (Chelmsford in General)

Member Name: xcorlett

Product:	Chelmsford in General
Date:	15/03/09 (75 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Beautiful countryside and lots of interesting old buildings

Disadvantages: Town center can be very dull if you just go shopping.

I spent most of my childhood in Chelmsford. It's right in the heart of Essex and is full of rude-boys, rude-girls and rude-cars. It's actually a very old town and has a certain element of charm that is perhaps more appreciated by outside visitors than by its residents.

The town centre is pedestrianised and is always full of local folk milling around buying things from clothing stores, walking up to Lush then back to Boots and then to Tesco. It's very England. If you are looking for some sights to see, then stick to the old. The cathedral is beautiful and the 18th century railway viaduct nearby is great. There are beautiful and safe parks that are well worth a picnic and a wander around. The Chelmer river runs right through the center of town, as does the river Can. Both are wonderful to follow, especially on a bike.

The real joy of Chelmsford is the surrounding area. Chelmsford is situated in a beautiful part of England, with plenty of agricultural fields, old WW2 buildings, centuries-old houses with thatched roofs, woodlands... It's a great place to drive around. Taking your bicycle down the many bike paths that cross Essex is a real joy.

I'll give away a secret place in Chelmsford that is one of my spiritual homes. It's an old settlement that saw activity in 600AD all the way through to 1400AD. It was excavated in the 80's and the grass has since regrown. There are circular moats, old grave sites, traces of walls, raised areas. My wife found it one dark morning at 6am and didn't have a clue what it was until she retraced her steps the next day. It's a wonderful place, very serene - a real contrast to the housing and industrial areas that surrounds it. It's near Sainsbury's on the North side of town. You'll need to head up Springfield Road, all the way up to the roundabout where you can join colchester road. Once you reach the Sainsbury's roundabout, go right down a small road that goes downhill. It's barely a road at all. Head down it for a short distance, and on the right you'll see a car park. On the left of this is a walking path. Take this path for a while. There might me a lot of stinging nettles so be careful. It'll take you past a new housing development and into a wooded area. Once you've walked in this wooded area for approximately one minute, go right on the path that appears shortly after a sign that tells you what the path you were on is called. You should come out very quickly into a open green area. This is it!! You've found the hidden mystical gem of Chelmsford!

There you have it! A short description of Chelmsford and the directions to a really cool area. The only thing i'd warn about Chelmsford is to avoid large groups of youths. Especially on the weekends. They aren't always the friendliest.

Summary: Great place to poke around.