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There’s also plenty to see and do, whether you need ideas for a fun family day out, or a hot new fitness trend. Audley End Miniature Railway is a charming attraction, set in the lush woodland of Audley End House and Gardens. From 2 to 18 April, the forest will be transformed into an Easter paradise, where families can hop aboard the train and use an ‘I Spy’ sheet to spot bunnies, nests full of brightly coloured eggs and spring chicks, as you weave gently in and out of the trees. The train will take you to the Easter Bunny’s burrow, where children can look forward to receiving a special gift before exploring the Easter Trail with their activity booklet. To learn about the town’s fascinating history, pay a visit to Saffron Walden Museum , one of the oldest purpose-built museum buildings in the country. “There’s something of interest for everyone,” says Wendy-Jo Atter, front of house officer. “Our collections include local and social history, ancient Egypt, archaeology, ceramics and glass, costume and textiles, geology, furniture and woodwork, natural history and world cultures. Come and find hidden treasures, from stone axes to Samurai armour, Saxon riches and even an ancient Egyptian mummy.” With an entire gallery devoted to local history, and special exhibitions that change throughout the year, there’s always more to discover. Just down the road from the Saffron Walden Museum is the Fry Art Gallery , built in 1856 by Francis Gibson and later inherited by his daughter Elizabeth Fry,
While visiting Audley End Miniature Railway, don’t miss the new woodland cafe within the picnic area, where you can enjoy delicious home-made food, refreshing drinks, and indulge in cooling treats from the Saffron Ice Cream Company. There’s even a BBQ area, with a tasty offering of beefburgers, minted lamb burgers and sausages from local butcher Priors Hall Farm. FAMILY FARE
ON THE RAILS Audley End Miniature Railway has a special Easter experience (above), Saffron Walden Museum is interactive and instructive (below left), while Hotpod Yoga brings the heat (below right)
after whom the gallery takes its name. Originally built to house Francis Gibson’s personal art collection, the gallery opened to the public in 1987, showcasing various paintings, prints, illustrations, wallpapers and decorative designs by artists from the Great Bardfield group. They lived and worked in the area from the 1930s onwards. With culture connoisseurs well and truly catered for, Saffron Walden also has something for fitness fanatics, in the shape of its very own Hotpod Yoga studio on Shire Hill. “Classes are performed in a purpose-built, inflatable hot yoga space, designed to transport you away from everyday life from the minute you step inside,” says Nicola Batten, owner and director of the Saffron Walden centre. “With three different styles of class, everyone is able to enjoy this immersive experience, whether a complete yoga beginner or seasoned practitioner.” The pods are heated to 37°C, dimly lit with purple light, and filled with the calming scent of bergamot, lavender and orange, to relax the mind and awaken the senses. This is a workout experience like no other.
CULTURE CONNOISSEURS ARE WELL AND TRULY CATERED FOR
CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK APR I L 2022 81
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