Discover Newmarket

I've lived in Newmarket all my life, but in reality I know very little about it. Growing up in a horseracing town when you have never ridden a horse means that I am blissfully ignorant about the most of the history and culture of the town in which I live. Luckily, things recently changed when I went on a Discover Newmarket tour to find out more about the town I call home:

Discover Newmarket is the 'official tour guide' for Newmarket, working to promote the town as a centre for horse-racing and everything connected to the sport. We started our tour by driving in our tour guide's car to The Gallops and watching the horses ride out in the morning. By using a car to get around Newmarket, we were able to see most of the town from the comfort of the vehicle and I was seriously impressed with our guides' local knowledge and gossip! After a quick driven tour past some of the key studs and buildings, we headed to The Jockey Club Rooms for a viewing of this prestigious member's only club. There are limited opportunities to visit The Jockey Club Rooms as a member of the public, so a tour around the artwork and building was a rare treat and I was fascinated to hear about the history of this club which was so vital to Newmarket's beginnings.

Next, I was excited to have the chance to go behind the scenes of a working stud and see the horses and trainers in the yard. The horses were, of course, beautiful and we were shown around by the head trainer, who was able to answer all of our questions, big or small. We then headed to the National Stud for a quick cup of tea followed by a tour of the stud. We were told about the famous lineages of some of the most successful racehorses and the insane amount of money involved in breeding future horseracing champions. Finally we headed to the National Horseracing Museum for a quick look around the exhibits before heading back.

We packed a huge amount in to the couple of hours spent on the Discover Newmarket tour and I left with so much more knowledge about my home town. We often neglect what's on our doorstep and I loved the opportunity to explore and learn about the town and the horseracing industry which is so important to it. If you're interested, check out Discover Newmarket to find out more about the various tours they offer - it's definitely worth it!

Do you often overlook your home town? Have you ever visited Newmarket?

Jess

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Bill's Restaurant, Bury St Edmunds

It's been a while since I reviewed some gorgeous food and since moving down south I've been excited to try some restaurants around my home town. Although Bill's Restaurant is a chain, I couldn't wait to try it once it opened in one of my local towns, Bury St Edmunds. After spotting it on a many a London blogger's Instagram, my expectations were high:

Bill's Restaurant's motto is 'from breakfast til bedtime' and on this visit we decided to try the dinner. The restaurant was quiet, but not unusually so for an early Sunday evening. The waitress was accommodating when we asked to move due to a wonky table and we were quickly served, but not pressured into ordering quickly when we kept getting distracted from the menu by our conversation! The decor is carefully thought out, and an unbelievable transformation from the bank that the building previously housed. The small touches, such as the handwritten chalkboards and stripped wooden floorboards, create a rustic atmosphere and enjoyable dining space.

I ordered the duck pie for my main. The presentation was rustic and in keeping with the restaurant itself. The mash was tasty, and although I would have liked a little more duck, the pearl barley was delicious. I'll be honest and say that I thought it was a little overpriced at £11.95 for what is was, but it was still an enjoyable dish.

For dessert, I opted for the blueberry 'upside down' cheesecake. This presentation was far more impressive, in a adorable miniature jam jar accompanied by some delicious amaretti biscuits. It was quite a 'breakfast style' dessert and I enjoyed it very much. For me, it was the right balance between a treat but not overwhelmingly unhealthy dessert - although my dining partner's warm chocolate brownie did look fantastic!

All in all, the desserts stood out for me during this meal and I'd definitely return to try some more puddings. It now means that I'm itching to try the afternoon tea, as well as the breakfast menu which I have seen so many bloggers rave about. This seems to be Bill's strength, and I'm interested to see how they compare to the dinner options - plus I always like an excuse to eat out again!

If you've tried Bill's, what did you think of it? If you can recommend any restaurants in Bury St Edmunds or the surrounding area, please let me know!