Sunny in London

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February 28, 2014 by: Sunny London

St Albans Market, Sun and Stinking Bishop Cheese

On Wednesday, Mr. Sunny and I ventured to the St Albans Market to enjoy sun and fun in this beautiful Hertfordshire town. To save money and to enjoy the pubs responsibly, we caught the 84 bus outside our flat and rode it to St Albans.

Aside from High Street shops and restaurants, like Sweaty Betty, Reiss and Bill’s, there’s the traditional St Albans Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays, which is open from early morning until 4:30pm. It’s a great way to spend a sunny day!

St Albans Market

With over 160 stalls, you can buy just about anything, including my favorite…. glorious, glorious, CHEESE!

St Albans Market (2)

In fact, Mr. Sunny introduced me to a new one that day. Have you ever had this?

St Albans Market (3)

I haven’t either. He purchased it, under the condition that he would keep it tightly wrapped on the bus ride home, so as not to bother or embarrass me. I still haven’t tried it. It’s quarantined in my in-laws refrigerator.

St Albans Market

You can also purchase fish at the St Albans Market. Just as I snapped the above picture for you, the vendor asked the woman purchasing her fish if she wanted it “with the head on or off”. You would think this Florida girl could handle that. NOPE! I took off running! Luckily there was a luxurious spa just around the corner.

Champneys Spa St Albans (2)

23 Market Pl, St Albans AL3 5DP

Champneys Spa St Albans

Once I had inhaled a proper dose of calming ingredients, I ventured back outside to meet Mr. Sunny. Since it was nearly 1pm, we decided to hit our first pub, The White Swan.

Don’t you just love their philosophy above the door? “Life is too important to be taken seriously.”

White Swan Pub St Albans

1 Upper Dagnall St, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL3 5EA

We ordered our standards, one beer and one red wine and enjoyed this traditional Irish pub.

White Swan Pub St Albans White Swan St Albans (2)

Next, we ventured up the street and debated between these two pubs.

Blacksmiths Arms St Albans

The Cock St Albans

23 Market Pl, St Albans AL3 5DP

Since Mr Sunny is the beer connoisseur, he chose to strut his stuff in The Cock Inn, much to my chagrin.

The Cock Inn St Albans

I was pretty mortified about this experience, but I managed to cope by having another glass of red wine.

Next we spent a few minutes walking around the St Albans Cathedral, which had its beginnings around 1077. You can enter for free, but a small donation is suggested. They also offer guided tours.

St Albans Cathedral (2) St Albans Cathedral (1) St Albans Cathedral

Finally, we feasted at a highly recommended gastropub, the Peahen.

Peahen St Albans

14 London Rd, St Albans, Herts AL1 1NG

Peahen St Albans

We shared 3 starters.

Peahen St Albans

Sticky Sausages (glazed in honey, mustard and rosemary, served with a mustard mayo dip), Homemade Scotch Egg with pork and herb brown sauce, Pate Kilner (chicken liver pate and clarified butter with tomato chutney and toast)

And, we enjoyed these entrees…

Peahens St Albans

Salmon and Smoked Haddock Fishcake with parsley potatoes, wilted spinach and salsa verde

Peahen St Albans

Sirloin Steak, 8oz sirloin steak with a grilled tomato, mushroom and fries

Mr. Sunny’s friend who lives in St. Albans also informed us that the Peahen does a fabulous brunch.

Visiting, the St. Albans Market is an excellent activity for a Sunny in London day. It started back in the 9th century and according to their website, 60%of the traders have been there for 20 years or more.

Also, in St. Albans, you can visit Butterfly World, the Verulamium Museum, and the Roman Theatre. I’d love to hear about them if you go. And, if you’re a fan of Sinking Bishop cheese, I have some you can pick up… FOR FREE! HA!

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Comments

  1. meg says

    February 28, 2014 at 2:20 pm

    How fantastic, I had never heard of St Albans Market before, thanks for sharing! I would love to find a seafood market with fish with the heads on!! haha I won’t photograph the gory details for you!!! Looks like a great way to spend a Sunday! xx

    • Sunny in London says

      February 28, 2014 at 7:28 pm

      Yes, Meg, the fish selection was nice, but I wasn’t about to stand around and see one “butchered.” The market was really great! My husband also got salami at the Olive Bar, which the vendor said is also located on Portobello Road. I sense a future post coming on that one… 😉 Both the cheese and salami were cheap, compared to standard London prices. Let me know if you venture to it.

  2. Sammy Dorn says

    February 28, 2014 at 4:28 pm

    I have never tried that type of cheese before. While I was in Bristol last weekend I tasted a ‘cider’ flavour of cheese. Was delish!

    • Sunny in London says

      February 28, 2014 at 7:25 pm

      Sammy, a cider flavoured cheese sounds interesting. The bishop is not invited in my house, although I hear it’s actually quite good.

  3. Jamie Gunter says

    February 28, 2014 at 7:01 pm

    Oh my gosh, I DIE at some of the pub names around here!! And of course, the men always love them! That scotch egg looks delish.

    • Sunny in London says

      February 28, 2014 at 7:24 pm

      That was hysterical, Jamie! Yes, we debated for about 5 minutes about which one to patron. I was mortified. Obviously, it’s named after a bird, but it was just the idea of walking in that made me crazy! Glad you appreciated my stress 🙂

  4. Patty says

    March 1, 2014 at 1:01 am

    Sounds like a wonderful way to spend a Saturday morning and afternoon! I envy you the opportunity to have sooooo much freshness around you. Now, as for the cheese, I think that across the pond is a good place for the Stinking Bishop! Glad to be able to see London and it’s surroundings through the eye of your camera.

    • Sunny in London says

      March 1, 2014 at 7:02 am

      Thank you, Patty! I had more pictures than I was able to reasonably include! St. Albans is beautiful. We’ll definitely go back to see the Roman Ruins and to tour the inside of the Cathedral. It was a very economic day trip and isn’t that far from where we live. Come visit!

  5. Globetrotter Postcards says

    March 1, 2014 at 6:27 am

    Ive been to St Albans before but missed the markets, will have to go again…if only for the cheese! I love trying new cheeses though pungent gooey ones dont always strike my fancy.

  6. C. says

    March 1, 2014 at 9:27 pm

    How lovely! I haven’t been in St. Albans yet, but I’m desperate to go. A word of warning about the Stinking Bishop. Apart from having one of the best names for any cheese ever, when we tried it for the first time it felt like wasabi – it actually cleared out my sinuses after jetlag! Delicious but STRONG stuff, keep that sucker wrapped up tight. 😉

  7. Cupcake Crazy Gem says

    March 3, 2014 at 5:05 pm

    Oh man, I grew up in Harpenden – 5 minutes down the road from St.Albans and you have to go back and visit again because you missed The Waffle House! It’s like the best place ever! Not to be mistaken with the waffle houses you get in the UK. It’s situated at an old water mill and the food and milkshakes are amazing – you defo need to go! Plus Verulanium park is just opposite and a really pretty walk and the pub there is the oldest pub in Britain!

    • Sunny in London says

      March 4, 2014 at 6:49 am

      Thank you for reading and for the great suggestions. We’ll definitely be back, so knowing these places will be very helpful. At St Albans is truly a beautiful city!

  8. Peter F May says

    September 9, 2016 at 5:27 pm

    Hi Sunny

    I love it you came to Snorbens, my home town.

    The Saturday market is much larger than the Wednesday one. If you like the Cock, then you’ll love The Fighting Cocks, which is a few minutes walk downhill from the Cathedral and is the oldest pub in England,

    There’s quite a lot of ‘real ale’ pubs in St Albans, and we are the home of Camra (Campaign for Real Ale) that publishes the Good Pub Guide. Lots of history, Roman and pre-Roman ancient British ruins, a mediaeval city centre,

    Unfortunately Butterfly World ceased trading.

    But do come back.

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