Saffron Walden

Saffron Walden is a market town in Essex, East Anglia. It's 15 miles south of Cambridge and 46 miles north of London so it's commuterland for both, and in 2021 had a population of 16,600. The town is named for the spice once cultivated here, but its main attraction today is Audley End House and Gardens.

Understand
Saffron is a red-gold spice derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, which has vivid crimson stigma and styles. The plant is sometimes called "autumn crocus" (which is also the name of a poisonous plant) and is sterile because its chromosomes are triploid. It's therefore unknown in the wild and is artificially propagated by splitting its corms. All plants are therefore clones of an ancient ancestor, created maybe 4000 years ago somewhere in the east Mediterranean - za'farān is Arabic for "golden". The stigma or "threads" are harvested by hand, and it takes 40 hours of labour to pick 150,000 flowers to yield one kilo of saffron. That kilo will cost you over £10,000 at the Cash & Carry, but fortunately only a few threads suffice to impart colour and flavour to a dish, and a gram should last a while. Although it prefers a semi-arid climate, the saffron crocus was successfully cultivated in East Anglia, with its peak in the 16th and 17th centuries. Saffron then lost out to cheaper flavourings and colourings, both from imports and from synthetics, and labour shortages rendered its intense harvesting impractical. Ironically it became more fashionable in the late 20th century when its modern sources such as Kashmir and Iran made it "exotic", therefore somehow more "authentic". There have been attempts to re-start cultivation in East Anglia but they struggle with the same practicalities that ended the Tudor trade.

By plane
London Stansted Airport around 12 miles from Saffron Walden. There are direct flights into Stansted from destinations in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. It is a Ryanair and Jet2.com base.

You can travel to Saffron Walden using public transportː


 * Greater Anglia or CrossCountry trains to Audley End
 * Central Connect 316/318 bus to Saffron Walden

Stansted Airport Car Rental Village is on the airport campus with several car hire companies to choose from.

Other airports includeː


 * London Heathrow Airport  - By trainː use to London Liverpool Street and change for trains to Audley End. By coachː National Express 250, 727 and 728 to Stansted Airport or Cambridge.
 * London Luton Airport  - Driving time between 50 minutes and 1hr30.
 * Birmingham Airport  - By coachː National Express 777 to Stansted Airport.

By train
is Saffron Walden's railway station, in the village of Wendens Ambo to the west of the town. Bus routes 301, 319, 320 and 321 connect the station with the town centre. There is a taxi rank outside the railway station. Cyclists can use a signposted cycle route into the town, with a moderate climb.

From London, there are trains every 30 minutes from Liverpool Street (Interchangeː ) in the City. Trains call at Tottenham Hale in north London (Interchangeː ), Cheshunt (Interchangeː ), Harlow Town and Bishop's Stortford.

From Stansted Airport, there are hourly trains during the daytimes.

From Cambridge, there are roughly three trains per hour into Audley End. There is also an hourly service from Norwich via Ely.

Trains are operated by Greater Anglia, plus a limited CrossCountry service during peak times from Birmingham New Street (Interchangeː ), Leicester, Peterborough, Ely and Cambridge.

By bus
Buses call at the High Street and The Common in Saffron Walden town centre.

From Audley End railway station, routes 301, 319, 320 and 321 run direct into the town centre. Peak-time routes 59, 441 and 590 also connect the station with the town centre.

Routes from other major destinations includeː


 * Stagecoach 7 - from Cambridge, Cambridge railway station, Addenbrooke's Hospital and Duxford
 * C G Myall 132 - from Cambridge, Cambridge railway station, Addenbrooke's Hospital and Duxford (Sundays)
 * Central Connect 301 - from Bishop's Stortford, Stansted Mountfitchet, Newport and Audley End railway station
 * Stephensons 313/314 - from Great Dunmow and Thaxted
 * Central Connect 316/318 - from Stansted Airport and Thaxted
 * Central Connect 319/320/321 - from Haverhill

There are long-distance National Express and Airport Bus Express coaches into Cambridge and Stansted Airport - direct from major cities including London, Birmingham and Norwich.

By road
Saffron Walden is set back from the major road network. Routes into the town areː


 * B184 - from   (London, Norwich, Newmarket, Stansted Airport and Cambridge)
 * B184 - from (Braintree and Colchester), Great Dunmow and Thaxted
 * B1052 - from Linton
 * B1052 - from B1383 (Newport and Bishop's Stortford)
 * B1053 - from Braintree and B1054 (Haverhill)

Saffron Walden is close to the between London and Cambridge. From London, the M25 and Stansted Airport, join the M11 and exit at and follow signs. From the Midlands and Huntingdon, join the M11 and follow signs for Saffron Walden from junction.

Get around
Everything is within walking distance, including Audley End one mile west.

Taxi firms include Crocus Cars (+44 1799 525511), Abel Cars (+44 1799 513313), Sewell Cars (+44 1799 501636) and Cab Rides (+44 7377 360770).

See

 * is a little green space off Hill Street. A maze has been laid out on the paving of the bandstand.
 * or Labyrinth in the east corner of The Common is probably of great antiquity, but its origin and purpose are unknown. With a diameter of 132 feet, it's one of the world's largest. You can explore and escape from it any time, as it's just grooves cut in the turf.
 * is a little green space off Hill Street. A maze has been laid out on the paving of the bandstand.
 * or Labyrinth in the east corner of The Common is probably of great antiquity, but its origin and purpose are unknown. With a diameter of 132 feet, it's one of the world's largest. You can explore and escape from it any time, as it's just grooves cut in the turf.
 * is a little green space off Hill Street. A maze has been laid out on the paving of the bandstand.
 * or Labyrinth in the east corner of The Common is probably of great antiquity, but its origin and purpose are unknown. With a diameter of 132 feet, it's one of the world's largest. You can explore and escape from it any time, as it's just grooves cut in the turf.

Do

 * Cinema: Saffron Screen is a small volunteer-run cinema within the High School on Audley End Road.
 * Golf: Saffron Walden GC is west side of town on Windmill Hill. White tees 6608 yards, par 72, visitor round £60.
 * Golf: Saffron Walden GC is west side of town on Windmill Hill. White tees 6608 yards, par 72, visitor round £60.

Buy

 * Supermarkets: Waitrose is the most central, on Hill St, open M-Sa 7AM-9PM, Su 10AM-4PM. Tesco is on Radwinter Rd east edge of town, and has fuel 6AM-10PM. Aldi is south of the town in Knight Park, off Thaxted Rd near the civic amenity site, M-Sa 8AM-10PM, Sun 10AM-4PM.
 * The Market has been held since 1141. It's on Tuesday and Saturday, in the town centre.

Eat

 * Others in town centre are The Restaurant on Church Street, Jade Garden, Bangkok Thai and Dough & Co Pizza.
 * Others in town centre are The Restaurant on Church Street, Jade Garden, Bangkok Thai and Dough & Co Pizza.
 * Others in town centre are The Restaurant on Church Street, Jade Garden, Bangkok Thai and Dough & Co Pizza.
 * Others in town centre are The Restaurant on Church Street, Jade Garden, Bangkok Thai and Dough & Co Pizza.
 * Others in town centre are The Restaurant on Church Street, Jade Garden, Bangkok Thai and Dough & Co Pizza.
 * Others in town centre are The Restaurant on Church Street, Jade Garden, Bangkok Thai and Dough & Co Pizza.

Drink

 * The Market House is a wine bar on Market Hill open Tu-Th noon-11PM, F Sa noon-1AM.
 * The Market House is a wine bar on Market Hill open Tu-Th noon-11PM, F Sa noon-1AM.
 * The Market House is a wine bar on Market Hill open Tu-Th noon-11PM, F Sa noon-1AM.

Sleep

 * Cross Keys Hotel on High Street is a charming old half-timbered building with rooms but scores poorly for food and service.

Connect
As of Feb 2023, Saffron Walden has 4G from all UK carriers, with mostly a good signal on the approach roads. 5G has not reached town but is getting close.

Go next

 * Duxford for the military aircraft collection of the Imperial War Museum.
 * Cambridge is a charming old university town.