A Sunday well spent brings a week of content...
Oh Sunday. You used to be my least favourite day of the week, but now you're slowly becoming my favourite (apart from Saturday, obvs). Where you used to be the day dedicated to slothing it up in a hungover pit surrounded by Mcdonald's wrappers and regret, reaching my mid 20s meant you've had a civilised upgrade and hungover Sundays are now a thing of the past. (Apart from Birthdays obvs, I'm not a total Grandma just yet...)
Sundays when you're 25 mean a day of adulting. A day of home shopping, food shopping, gymming it, brunching with friends and munching your way into Monday with no regrets and to be honest, I wouldn't have them any other way. But every now and then, I like to throw a Sunday Funday into the mix and head out to somewhere I've never been to before to explore, so although it was pissing it down with rain all morning (would it even be England if it wasn't?), I decided to head to Hitchin in Hertfordshire. Although I'm a born and bred Hertfordshire girl raised in Barnet, I'd somehow never visited Hitchin before, so today was the day to change that and boy am I glad I did.
Where I used to love the buzz of London, my old age (lol) has meant my preference has unintentionally changed from city life to countryside life in the past year, which I can firmly say is something I never thought would happen. Little towns and villages used to bore the living shit out of me growing up and I used to count down the days until I could hop on a tube on the weekend and head into the big ol' city. Now I think the only way you'd get me on a tube on a Sunday is if you promised me Justin Bieber would be waiting at the other end for me. Monday-Friday spent squished in a mans armpit on a cramped, smelly tube is more than enough for me, thank-you.
Hitchin is an old market town in Hertfordshire, boasting cobbled streets, quirky cafes, independent shops and some of the most Instagramable tudor buildings you'll find, making it the perfect place to spend a rainy Sunday. If you live in the Hertfordshire area, then Hitchin is definitely worth a visit and it's worth noting that parking is free on Sundays woo, because let's be real, we'll happily spend £3.90 on an overpriced latte, but ain't nobody got time to pay for parking...
- BRUNCH @ THE GROUNDWORKS -
First things first, it was time for a much needed coffee. There were several cute independent coffee shops on offer (including a vegan one called Chia, if that's your vibe), but the queue from the locals in The Groundworks and the Instagramable interiors (let's be real), drew me in faster than you can say latte. By the time we'd ordered a latte, my stomach was beginning to rumble and the sights of everyone's brunches coming out of the kitchen made me think that the food in this place was gonna be good and my god, I was not wrong. I ordered a cheese and chorizo sourdough melt sandwich and holy mother of god it was so god damn good. I usually always opt for the cliche avo and eggs on toast option but I gotta admit, I've absolutely exhausted it recently, so thought it was time to try something different and I am so, so glad I did. The Groundworks is all about quality ingredients and good vibes and I'd highly recommend a visit if you visit Hitchin. The brunch was up there as one of my favourites and this Brunch Queen is hard to please, so it must have been good! Also on the menu: Eggs Benedict, Porridge, Pancakes, Omelette, Vegetarian Breakfast and a good ol' fry up.
FIND IT: THE GROUNDWORKS, 1 CHURCHYARD, HITCHIN SG5 1HR
After filling our boots, it was time for a spot of shopping. Now, although Hitchin is no Westfield and you certainly won't find a Primark or anything similar in sight, it is however home to a bunch of independent shops that are definitely worth a browse. From beautiful interior stores to charity shops and vintage spots, Hitchin is the perfect place for a Sunday browse, especially if like me, you love to support small, independent businesses. I resisted buying any more candles, as I'm currently on a candle buying ban (don't ask) and managed to dodge the Valentine's sections of the gift shops faster than you can say single without crying, so I'd say it was a successful shopping trip to be honest.
FIND IT: CHURCHYARD, HITCHIN SG5 1HR
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