Copyright cambridge-news
When journeying out to somewhere new, you want to find somewhere that has some pretty sights to visit, or some good food on offer. One market town that has both is Oundle, around 20 minutes from Peterborough. Muddy Stilettos named Oundle as one of the best places to live, describing it as 'Oxford in miniature'. The lifestyle blog said Oundle has the "dreaming spires, notable gastronomy and first rate academia" to make it similar to the historic university town. I live fairly close to Oundle and haven't been for several years, so I decided to visit the cute little market town once again. As I drove into Oundle over its town bridge, I was straight away faced with a long road of historic brown buildings that looked centuries-old. Muddy Stilettos also noticed this aspect of the town, describing it as "brimming with old-world charm and character". However, it also has a culture and foodie scene that is "bang up to date", perfectly blending history and modern-day life. I walked up towards the market place, among the historic homes I had first come face to face with on my drive in. At first glance, the town reminded me of Stamford, another market town not too far from Peterborough. The monumental buildings and secret side streets were very similar to the Lincolnshire town. I loved that history was seeping within the streets and walls of this town, it felt like I was stepping back in time to another era. As I walked further down, I noticed a range of different businesses. There were salons, a charity shop, Boots, Tesco Express, and even a teddy bear hospital. The boutiques and independent shops were also praised by Muddy Stilettos, which highlighted the Oundle Bookshop and The Barn garden centre. It also shouted out The Rounded House as a 'treasure trove' of homewares, and said Hambleton Bakery should not be missed. I loved the mix of the modern and the old. I found it interesting to see the businesses housed within centuries-old buildings. The business I was most intrigued by was a men's clothing shop in what looked to be an old church building. At first I thought it was just an old church, but when I saw the signs and walked past the open door, I was surprised to see men's clothes and shoes on offer. Oundle has two pubs, the Ship Inn and Rose and Crown. I first walked by the Ship Inn. This pub looked like a cosy place to sit in on the colder winter nights. A sweet addition to this pub was a hidden ice cream parlour nestled at the back. Despite being too cold for ice cream now, I feel like it would be popular during the summer months. The Rose and Crown is further down near the market place. I thought this pub looked quirky with a Betty Boop statue. It also gave off a cosy feeling similar to the Ship Inn. When I visited Oundle, it had its Thursday market on. I had a mooch around as I had to see if the town lived up to its foodie status. The market was bustling with locals and had a wide range of goods on offer, ranging from food to gifts. It was also full of colour, both from a fruit and vegetable stall and flower stall. The chatter amongst the stallholders and customers made it feel like a welcoming and friendly place. The stalls all had so much to offer and I was able to resist making a purchase until it came to the sweet treats. I grabbed a piece of chocolate orange pie and a mince pie to enjoy. Oundle has a lot to offer families, with several high-performing schools including Oundle School. Its attractiveness as a place to live is reflected in house prices, with detached homes selling for an average price of £545,042 - I could see why, since the area is lovely and many of the homes have period features. As I headed back to my car, I noticed a beautiful countryside backdrop. With the sun shining, it exacerbated the beauty of the surrounding fields. It also made it a tranquil sight to see from within this bustling town centre. I was glad to visit Oundle again, and I would say it lives up to its ‘best place to live’ status. If you are looking for a peaceful market town that mixes modern with tradition, then Oundle is worth a visit.
