I happily got lost in ‘higgledy-piggledy’ UK city full of character | UK | Travel

A charming UK city has been named the ‘best place to live’ in the UK, but despite its compact, walkable layout, I found myself going round in circles as I attempted to navigate its narrow cobbled lanes and medieval streets.

Known as the ‘City of Stories’, Norwich in Norfolk certainly has some tales to be told, and it’s one of the most fascinating places I’ve visited. Against its original medieval architecture and status as England’s first UNESCO City of Literature, there’s a thriving 900-year-old outdoor market and a grand 12th-century castle.

Between its scenery that appears frozen in time, Norwich is packed with hundreds of independent businesses, from cosy bookshops and traditional tearooms, to thrift stores, vibrant charity shops and antiques piled high in a church. Many of these delightful independent gems that truly set this city apart can be found in the area known as Norwich Lanes, yet finding it proved tricky.

Before my visit last week, I had done my research on where to go, and as I walked towards the city centre from the train station, just 15 minutes away, I felt confident. I couldn’t have planned a better day to explore Norwich, with early April sunshine and blue skies, and knew exactly where I was going, until I didn’t.

While I easily found the city centre and its huge outdoor market with around 200 colourful stalls, uncovering the Norwich Lanes was something else entirely. The Norwich Lanes are one of the most famous areas in the city, made up of winding alleyways, courtyards and cobbled streets lined with more than 300 independent shops, cafés, restaurants, pubs and bars.

The largely pedestrian-friendly area is also home to an independent cinema, galleries, a community theatre, music venues, and two museums. With so much to see, eat, shop and do, you could easily spend an entire day exploring its grid layout.

The historic Norwich Lanes, set against more stunning medieval architecture, aren’t far from the city centre, yet they comprise a grid layout of streets and lanes. And unexpectedly, this is what threw me off.

While I had researched the street names of where I could find this wonder of independent businesses, as I walked around, I got more and more confused. I even reverted to a paper map in a bid to navigate around the higgledy-piggledy lanes and side streets that made up this area.

I would wander along one street, admiring its delightful array of independent shops, before appearing at the other end feeling disoriented about which lane I had emerged on. One cobbled street would lead me to another, before I stumbled upon a busy main road or a quieter street with what felt like a dead end.

I would turn back on myself, passing the same Biddy’s Tea Room for the fourth time in 20 minutes, before emerging onto a new charming lane that was brimming with character. While it looked simple enough to follow when looking at a map, when I was in the heart of it all, it was a labyrinth, and I found myself going around in circles.

I easily got lost among the higgledy-piggledy streets, as I uncovered hidden gem after hidden gem, in an area bursting with personality, history and life. This could be partly due to my questionable navigation skills, or the fact that after every corner I turned, I found something new that led me to yet another lane, and I quickly lost all sense of direction.

But its layout of narrow cobbled streets lined with bustling independent businesses and lanes that lead to another hidden gem, is what makes this city so special. Finding myself lost in the ‘city of stories’ only enhanced my experience and gave me a greater appreciation for this area. I felt as though I uncovered it all, even if it meant going back on myself numerous times.

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