Chelmsford Overview
Chelmsford is a fantastic city to live in as a student and this is not only due to the great universities that are close by but also the plethora of activities that are available in the city. Chelmsford has a beautiful 11th century Cathedral which boasts a fantastic array of stained glass as well as a very colourful ceiling, the cathedral is still open and is used as a place of worship. Another famous building in Chelmsford is Hylands Estate, the estate is made up of 574 acres of parkland and is free to use by the public, the renovated neo-classical house is at the heart of the estate and is open to the public to visit some days of the week. The stables have a visitor centre, café and a resident artist studio which accompanied by the wide range of events make the Hylands Estate a great place to spend the day if the sun is shining and a beautiful place to visit during the winter as you can grab a coffee from the café and admire your surroundings.
Things to do in Chelmsford
The Chelmsford museum is a great place to visit and it’s a place you will lose track of time due to the fantastic variety of exhibitions. The main museum is currently closed due to a £2 million redevelopment, but the Essex Regiment section of the Museum is still open to visit, the Essex Regiment museum boasts a wonderful selection of weapons, military artefacts, medals plus much more. Another great place to go in Chelmsford is Central Park, here you will find a picturesque lake with a fantastic water feature in the middle as well as a nature reserve and a park which make it the perfect place to escape the bustling scene of the city. There are two cinemas in the city with one of them being the well-known Odeon which show a wide range of the latest films. The other cinema is an Everyman which is slightly different to the standard cinemas you find in England, The Everyman has sofas instead of chairs, you can also order food and alcoholic beverages to your seat whilst you watch the movie. There are two main shopping centres in the heart of the city with both of them boasting a range of high-street brands as well as independent boutiques, a lot of the stores in the centres offer student discounts so make sure you keep your eyes peeled to grab some eye watering discounts.
Sport in Chelmsford
Riverside Ice and Leisure centre is very popular with the locals due to the large ice rink which is open most days of the week with certain days offering events and classes. The leisure centre also has a gym and a sports hall which will help you stay fit and healthy whilst you are studying in the city. For those a little more adventurous you can visit Jump Street, which is a large warehouse covered floor to walls in trampolines with a mixture of different activities available whilst bouncing, you can play dodgeball, take part on Kendrick’s Kingdom, have a go at the toxic Wipeout section plus much more.
Escape Chelmsford
Roughly a 30-minute drive from the city is Brentwood, this is a very nice village and is famous for being the main area The Only Way Is Essex is set. In Brentwood you will find a wide range of independent boutiques as well as great bars and clubs, there are plenty of cafes and restaurants which all serve great food. To the south of the city you will reach the coastline, Southend-on-Sea is a fantastic place to spend a hot summers day due to its sandy beaches, it does get very busy in the summer so to guarantee a good spot on the beach you will need to get down there early.
Transport in Chelmsford
Chelmsford isn’t to far from the M11 which will connect you to the national motorway network which will grant you easy access to the majority of cities across the UK. Direct trains to London run very frequently and take less than an hour. National coach services also run from the city connecting it to most major cities in England. Public transport in the city is good with local bus services running frequently which make it very easy to get around the city.
