weekend in colchester (sun-tue)

homealone_2

i will be in colchester this sunday through till tuesday with my 18 yr old son who is going there to visit girlfriend and i have offered to drive him there in order to have little break myself. we are staying in holiday inn and they have a spa, jacuzzi etc which will kill a bit of time depending on funds for the spa bit. but is there anything else there anyone can recommend like a good market or boot fair somewhere near. nice place to shop or have dinner? any suggestions would be gratefully accepted

flea72

carboot, just off A12 at Ardleigh - Sunday 7am til roughly midday - huge, so allow a good couple hours to go round

otherwise, just head into the town - ok shops, nothing special, just all the usual highstreet shops

Could do the touristy things, like going to the castle, or look around the park, but tbh both are a bit boring

Wouldnt say there are many independent places to eat, just your usual Prezzi, Ask, Pizza hut, etc - most pubs do light meals/snacks

No markets in colchester on the days you are here, but then again, the market there is, isnt really a market, just a few stalls dotted around the town

Also parking in colchester is expensive, so catching the bus in might be better - or head for the Brittania Carpark (behind Colchester Town train station), where you can park for £2 between 10am and 3pm - the 'shoppers' carparks charge £3 for 2hrs

What interests do you have, so i can suggest other things to do, and whether you have access to a car, because tbh colchester itself doesnt have much to do, but the surrounding area/towns might be more interesting

Flea

sammyw

The castle is great to look around if you like museums, there are 4 museums to look round if that's your thing
http://www.colchestermuseums.org.uk/index.html

As flea said, shops are typical of high street. Ipswich has a little more to offer in the way of shops, not too far away. Or if you want beaches then Clacton, Frinton and Walton are nice.

We have recently been to Clowns restaurant and Sloppy Joes and had nice meals there, fairly reasonably priced.

Boot Fair at Little Clacton sun morning, 7am - 1pm.

homealone_2

flea72 wrote: »

carboot, just off A12 at Ardleigh - Sunday 7am til roughly midday - huge, so allow a good couple hours to go round

otherwise, just head into the town - ok shops, nothing special, just all the usual highstreet shops

Could do the touristy things, like going to the castle, or look around the park, but tbh both are a bit boring

Wouldnt say there are many independent places to eat, just your usual Prezzi, Ask, Pizza hut, etc - most pubs do light meals/snacks

No markets in colchester on the days you are here, but then again, the market there is, isnt really a market, just a few stalls dotted around the town

Also parking in colchester is expensive, so catching the bus in might be better - or head for the Brittania Carpark (behind Colchester Town train station), where you can park for £2 between 10am and 3pm - the 'shoppers' carparks charge £3 for 2hrs

What interests do you have, so i can suggest other things to do, and whether you have access to a car, because tbh colchester itself doesnt have much to do, but the surrounding area/towns might be more interesting

Flea

oooh car boot is a definite attraction in my eyes. you dont happen to know of a nearby postcode i could tap into sat nat? as for car, yes i do have one and have a disabled car park badge which should help with parking on high street if spaces are available?

KeithP

Ardleigh car boot sale information (including postcode).
:beer:

homealone_2

KeithP wrote: »

Ardleigh car boot sale information (including postcode).
:beer:

sorry to be such a pest, it was only when i gave details to son when he said he had noticed boot fair last time we were there but had trouble getting it accepted on sat nav so i did a rac route finder on it and it says the destination address says crown lane north and not ardleigh show ground. am i doing soemthing wrong or is it the right?

flea72

ardleigh showground is on crown lane

easiest way to get there from the Holiday Inn at eight ash green, is to get on the A12 towards ipswich , as you enter the A12 here, it splits into 3 lanes, get in the middle lane, and keep going (the lefthand lane flows off to colchester town centre) - then take the next exit, keep in the lefthand lane, follow signs for colchester, and when you get to the roundabout at the end of the sliproad, it should be signposted to the carboot - if not, follow signs for Gnome Magic - its just down the road from the carboot

hth FLea