Norwich: Busy but Peaceful City!

23 October 2006. Okey-Dokey visits a beautiful city of many contrasts, and explores its surrounding countryside.

Travelling past large and small riverboats, with trees and green fields on either side, I feel like I'm in the middle of nowhere, somewhere peaceful, picturesque and unspoilt by modern life.

Actually, I'm just a short distance from the busy and colourful city of Norwich. A place full of history, a popular tourist destination, and one of only a few cities in the local area, Norwich is a city with a strong character; and although it seems a little crazy to describe a city as 'busy but peaceful', the more I explore Norwich, the more I believe it is a fitting description.

Present and Past in Harmony

History is everywhere to be seen in Norwich. The skyline is dominated by two cathedrals and a 900-year-old Norman castle. The castle is now a museum, displaying weapons, armoury, instruments of torture and other artefacts from its past. Visitors can explore the main tower (known as the 'keep') and read the story of how the Normans used stone from their own country (the north of France) to build the castle, transporting it hundreds of miles by river, land and sea.

The castle sits on top of a shopping centre - the Castle Mall - in a way which is typical of the city. Old and new stand side by side in perfect harmony. Any shopper in Norwich will be aware of this. A trip around Norwich's shopping areas is a journey through time.

Markets and Malls

Not far from the castle lies Norwich Market, the largest open-air market in England, with over 200 stalls and which was established back in the 11th century.

The Norwich Lanes also date back to the medieval era. These cobbled, narrow streets are full of independent shops, selling everything from designer clothes to teddy bears - you can't help peering through the shop windows!

Walk a little further and you come across a charming Victorian arcade. Go further still and you'll find the recently-built Chapelfields shopping centre, one of several impressive new buildings in the city, the most impressive perhaps the Forum (above right), which houses the Millennium Library and is the BBC's regional centre.

Norwich seems to know how to adapt to modern times. Formerly an industrial city based largely on shoe-making, the city is now a centre for insurance and other financial services. British people also know it for being the home of Colmans mustard, and for having a football team owned by the famous (female) TV chef, Delia Smith.

Student Life, Night Life

The student population at UEA (the University of East Anglia) helps keep the city buzzing with activity. The university has a large and very green campus close to the city centre, and boasts the biggest sports complex among all UK universities. Academically, the university enjoys a good reputation, and is well-known for its Creative Writing course which has trained two Booker Prize winners.

The university has plenty going on in the evenings, but then so does the city centre. As with shopping, night life also gives visitors the chance to explore the modern or historical parts of the city. Prince of Wales Road and the new Riverside Complex are packed with pubs, clubs, restaurants and other entertainment venues, while Tombland offers stylish bars and restaurants in an attractive location opposite the cathedral.

Pubs in Norwich attracted me in particular. I love the way you can find traditional, rural pubs in the middle the city. Next to the river are numerous pubs with picnic tables outside - very rural, very English. Every time I walked past one, I wanted to go and have a traditional lunch, even though I had already eaten!

Discovering the Broads

The river is at the heart of all that is peaceful about Norwich, and a boat trip into the Norfolk Broads was the perfect end to my stay. The Broads are a National Park consisting of rivers, lakes and surrounding - rather flat - countryside.

In years past, this area was used to grow reed for the roofs of thatched cottages. In the industrial age, it was busy with boats transporting goods to and from the city. These days it is a popular with tourists who want to unwind, try their hand at boating and get close to nature.

It is a glorious, sunny day and we pass all kinds of birds on our journey - ducks, swans, geese, herons and kingfishers. I feel truly refreshed as we explore the beautiful scenery. It makes me realise that it is Norwich's location - as a city on its own in a very rural area - that makes it both busy and peaceful, and perhaps it is its distance from other cities that has helped Norwich to retain its special character. A journey here is well worth the effort.