King's Lynn

King's Lynn [1] is the third largest town in Norfolk in England with a population of 42,800. It is a Town with great history, having being founded in Medieval times, and is situated towards the west of the County on the River Great Ouse and near the Wash. Though it may not be the great trading port today that it was in years gone by, Lynn's marine links are still a defining feature of the town. Get in King's Lynn railway station is a two-platformed station located near the centre of the city, and is within 5 minutes walking distance of the town's shopping centre. Direct trains from London King's Cross and Cambridge terminate at King's Lynn, with journey time from London being around 1 3/4 hours. The station reception is open from 5AM - 12:30AM on weekdays and is well staffed considering it's size By road. King's Lynn is at the end of the A10 from London and Cambridge, and it is on the A47 Birmingham - Great Yarmouth road, about 45 miles west of Norwich. King's Lynn is also on Sustrans (National Cycle Network) Route 1. Kings Lynn bus station. FirstBus route X1 runs every half hour between Peterborough and Lowestoft, taking in Wisbech, King's Lynn, Swaffham, Dereham and Norwich on the way. Other notable bus services include the X40 to Hunstanton, the 46 to Wisbech and the X8 to Fakenham. King's Lynn town centre can be accessed from West Lynn on a small passenger ferry. Although King's Lynn has an active port, there are no regular long-distance passenger ferries. Get around King's Lynn town centre is best explored on foot. Local buses serve the suburbs and nearby towns. See Greyfriars tower The old town St Margaret's Church St Nicholas Chapel Red Mount Chapel The two guildhalls The town hall Custom House Corn Exchange Do Go to concerts at the King's Lynn Festival - late July to early August Buy King's Lynn has three small markets each week. On Tuesday and Friday, the market is held in the Tuesday Market Place, and on Saturday in the Saturday Market Place. Specialities include fish and seafood (local brown shrimp on Tuesday and Saturday), local organic fruit and veg (Friday) and a Country Market stall selling locally-produced cakes, preserves, produce and plants (Friday). There are many independent shops, including an egg shop. After extensive redevelopment, the town center now has many more shops to offer including: TK Maxx, New Look, JJB Sport, TJ Hughes, Monsoon, Acessorize, 2 new coffee shops (Cafe Nero and Costa) and many discount shops Eat At the top end of the market are the Riverside Restaurant, Prezzo and Luigi's which is excellent For cafe food and drink, try the Green Quay cafe on South Quay or Crofters. Avoid the Globe on the corner of the tuesday market place and walk straight past down to the Crown & Mitre at the bottom of Ferry Street for a wonderful selection of traditional home cooked meals at very affordable prices. Drink Most pubs in the town have a very reasonable selection of not only lagers and bitters, but also local ales. Unfortunately, as in all towns and cities there are several places that are not up to scratch. The Crown & Mitre is well worth a visit with its fine selection of real ales and all the maritime artifacts you could wish to see. Sleep Those with a large budget may take interest in Congham Hall, an elegant Georgian manor nearby to the queens temporary residence at Sandringham, and 6 miles southeast of King's Lynn. Set in elegant parkland with it's own Herb Garden, those staying there will expect to be treated to a degree of luxury during their stay. For the traveller on a budget, King's Lynn Youth Hostel has a fine location in a historic building on the South Quay. If you would prefer a slightly more upmarket hotel, the Duke's Head is well worth a look. Stunning outside architecture, and situated on the Tuesday Marketplace, this is one of the best places to stay. Other brilliant options are The Globe Hotel (also on the Tuesday Marketplace) and the Ramada, situated slightly outside. The Knights Hill Best Western near South Wooton should also be considered if you are looking for accommodation in the idyllic Norfolk Countryside. Get out North Norfolk, with it's popular seaside resorts including Old and New Hunstanton, Sheringham, Cromer as well as the many quintessentially English villages dotted around the green countryside. Norwich, Norfolk's only City, is about an hour's drive down the A47 and offers a great range of shopping opportunities along with historical buildings and a Premier League football team. It is also situated next to the Norfolk Broads. Great Yarmouth, a large seaside town that hosts a Sea Life Centre, 15 miles of smooth sandy beach and one of the UK's largest range of amusement arcades. Getting there may be slightly more of a challenge for those without car travel, as it is 1 1/2 hour drive directly down the A47 (trains do not run in this direction from King's Lynn Rail Station). This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!