Wellingborough

The Northamptonshire town of Wellingborough is around ten miles from Northampton itself. The Saxon town is situated in England’s Midlands, and is set north of the River Nene. Like many of the county’s towns, Wellingborough owes a lot to its old cobbling industry (in fact the local Northampton Town Football Club are fondly known as ‘the cobblers’). The town’s position close to the fertile land by the river means that agriculture has also traditionally been important to the area. Today Wellingborough is a commuting town to the larger city of Northampton, which offers shops, jobs and the nightlife expected of any large city. Wellingborough itself should not be overlooked. The quaint countryside town offers a peaceful escape from surrounding cities.

Attractions

Wellingborough’s main local attraction is [http://www.althorp.com Althorp House], which is five miles west of Northampton. The beautiful stately home is rich in history, with its close link to the Spencer family. The special Princess Diana exhibition, Diana: A Celebration, is particularly interesting and moving.

The River Nene forms another of Wellingborough’s attractions, providing a quiet and rural escape from the local cities. To fully explore the local wildlife’s dependency upon the surrounding wetland, pay a visit to Summer Leys Local Nature Reserve. From bugs to bats, the local inhabitants should keep young visitors fascinated.

Wellingborough is well situated to explore the surrounding English cities. The old university cities of Oxford and Cambridge are easily accessible for a day trip. The historical and beautiful tourist spots of [http://www.car-hire-centre.co.uk/rd-uk/stratford-upon-avon.html Stratford upon Avon] and Warwick are also nearby. If all else fails to keep you amused, head for the capital city – London and all its sights is 70 miles away.

Shopping

The range of shops in Wellingborough itself is limited, because of the small size of the town. For shopaholics, all is not lost – thanks to the town’s close proximity to the bustling high street of Northampton. Birmingham’s impressive shopping haven, the Bullring, is also worth a day trip, as is Milton Keyne’s shopping area. Bicester Designer Shopping Outlet is a must for those with a nose for a bargain, but the serious shoppers should head straight to London’s shopping streets.

Clothes aside, Wellingborough’s markets attract crowds of bargain hunters and food lovers. The farmers’, crafts and fine foods market is held on the last Thursday of the month in Orient Square. Support local producers and snap up a bargain.

Dining and Nightlife

Unsurprisingly for a small town set in the countryside, Wellingborough does not have a particularly notable scene when it comes to bars and clubs. Since nearby Northampton became a university town, in 2005, many students and young people have been taking advantage of the buzzing nightlife. Hush, Legends, Level 4 – there is a list of bars and clubs which offer a night out to suit every taste, just ten miles from Wellingborough.

Wellingborough has the usual multicultural cuisine on offer in most UK towns and cities – from Chinese takeaways to atmospheric Italians. Royal Bento, on Oxford Street, serves an impressive and excellent selection of oriental food.

Tourist Information

Wellingborough Tourist Information Centre

• Wellingborough Library, Pebble Lane
• Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, NN8 1AS
• Tel: +44 (0) 1933 276412

Airports

[http://www.luton-airport-guide.co.uk/ Luton] is Wellingborough’s closest airport - it is 33 miles from the centre of the town. Budget airlines including easyJet, Ryanair and Monarch connect passengers to around 50 UK and European destinations.

• Luton airport: +44 (0) 1582 405 100

Wellingborough is also well within driving distance to Coventry airport (around 40 miles away) and the airports which serve London (City, Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted).