Sat 21. – Sun 22. February 2026
Spaldwick, Cambridgeshire
From the days of 7, 8 and 9 Jenner (my tutor group during those first three years at secondary school), through to the 2006 school trip to Germany, GCSE German, and then A Level German at college, I never had a particularly large friendship group. Over the years, I’ve kept in touch with very few people from school. But Anna has remained and in the last few years especially, she has been incredibly supportive.
It had been far too long since we’d last seen each other in person, so at the weekend I headed off for a one-night stay at her home in the Cambridgeshire countryside.
We last saw each other when she was still living in London – and that was several years ago now. Cambridgeshire is not an area of the country I’ve ever properly explored. From Gloucestershire, the East of England feels just slightly off the beaten track – not impossibly far, but far enough to require either a cross-country adventure or a long stretch of motorway.
So when the invitation came, the chance to explore somewhere new immediately appealed. After finishing my radio show on Saturday morning, I packed up the car and set off towards Anna and Keiren’s home, near the historic market town of Huntingdon.
The drive itself was straightforward, with very little traffic and clear roads most of the way. My cross-country route took me along the A40 almost as far as Oxford, up the A34 to Bicester and on to the M40. From there it was the A43 towards Northampton, briefly joining the M1 for a junction, before picking up the A45 to Thrapston and finally the A14, where I crossed into Cambridgeshire.
First impressions? Flat. Remarkably flat. (A notable observation when you live in the Cotswolds). The landscape opens up in a completely different way – vast stretches of arable farmland, long horizons, big skies. In places, the fields aren’t edged with hedgerows at all, but simply separated from the road by a drainage ditch. It almost reminded me of the Gers in southern France 🇫🇷 – It has that same agricultural openness and understated rural beauty.
It felt, almost immediately, as though we’d simply picked up where we left off. No awkwardness, no sense of time having passed: Just easy conversation, and my social battery didn’t feel at all under pressure.
Anna and Keiren’s house is lovely – warm, welcoming and very much a home. I’ll admit, there’s always a small part of me that finds it slightly surreal seeing someone the same age as me, settled into a house of their own, especially when the last time I saw Anna she was living in a small flat in South London. Life moves on quietly, doesn’t it? Meanwhile, I still find the practical side of adult life – finances, bills and all of that – slightly overwhelming, and I’m not sure I’d cope half as well were I to move out and live on my own. (High Functioning Autism is not the same as No Support Needs).
We settled into the living room with mugs of tea and YouTube playing on the television. Before long, the board games came out. Not ones I’d played before, but both surprisingly good. I don’t often play board games, yet they’re such a simple way to connect properly – shared focus and gentle competition. One of them was themed around the US National Parks, which appealed to my inner traveller. I’ve never been to the US. But I did buy a National Park (or two)!
Later, we drove the short distance into Huntingdon and headed to Pizza Express. Dough balls to start (a non-negotiable classic), and then a pizza each. I kept things simple with a Margherita. Simple, but who wants anything other than simple!?
A relaxed Sunday morning breakfast set us up for the day ahead. We then crossed the county border into Bedfordshire to visit Keysoe International, an equestrian centre which is also home to a therapy programme. The local what’s on guide had advertised a “Meet and Greet” with their therapy ponies, which felt too good an opportunity to miss.
So the three of us went along. (I drove this time).
We met Belle, a Shetland pony who was far more interested in finishing her food than socialising with her visitors. I do have a soft spot for Shetlands. During my own time in therapy at Red Horse Foundation, one of the horses I developed a particularly deep bond with was a 24-year-old Shetland named Chippy. He was definitely a character!
Lunch that afternoon was just a short walk from Anna’s house. We went to The George, the village pub in Spaldwick, which I thought was a lovely looking building. Being Sunday, I couldn’t really choose anything other than a roast. What arrived was a very generous serving of beef with a towering Yorkshire pudding and plenty of potatoes.
It was delicious. The beef was tender and full of flavour, and I especially loved the Yorkshire.
I did feel slightly guilty for not managing to finish the whole plate. Eating out can sometimes feel a little complicated for me. But there was no judgement, just quiet understanding, and between us we made a respectable dent in it. That’s the nice thing about being with friends. There’s comfort in it.
In the afternoon we were faced with a choice: zoo or National Trust. I was leaning firmly towards National Trust, so that settled it. We headed to Wimpole Estate.
It’s the only National Trust property with a working farm and one of the largest rare breeds centres in the UK. Unfortunately, we didn’t quite have time to explore that side of the estate. No matter. It simply gives me an excuse to return.
The main house, Wimpole Hall, dates back to the mid-1600s. Among its more recent owners were Rudyard Kipling’s daughter and her husband, Captain Bambridge, who purchased the estate in 1942. I rather liked that connection, given my visit to Kipling’s own house, Bateman’s in East Sussex, last September.
It is a vast property, but there are moments of real cosiness inside. The library in particular caught my attention. It looked wonderfully well stocked, and I found myself wondering which was the oldest book on its shelves. I could quite happily sit in there for hours with one of my own books. In fact, I think I could convert almost any of the rooms into a reading room. And then perhaps claim another as a radio studio.
The gardens were pleasant to walk around too, a chance to stretch our legs and breathe in some fresh air. I imagine in spring or summer they would be even more impressive. February isn’t exactly peak flowering season.
Soon it was time to head back. We had one last drink in front of the television before I packed up my things, assisted (uninvited but enthusiastic) by the neighbour’s cat. Then it was time to think about the journey home.
My sat nav warned of a road closure along the route I’d used the previous day. Its suggested alternative involved heading towards Coventry via the A14 and M6 before dropping down the Fosse Way. At night? No thank you.
Instead, I opted for the M11 southbound and around the M25. As I was passing, I made a brief stop in Cambridge itself. In hindsight, I could probably have avoided all of the Essex stretch by using the A1 and A1(M), but the M11 route was straightforward and, although slightly longer in distance, it didn’t add much extra time.
And so ended my first small adventure in the East of England. I’m quite keen, one day, to explore more – Suffolk and Norfolk in particular. And slightly further north, Lincolnshire remains somewhere I’ve yet to visit.
Thank you Anna and Keiren for your hospitality.
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