GETTING TO ELY ( A on the map below marks the city centre; for a larger scale see the map at the end of the directions, where there are also details of car parking and pedestrian access to the venue) Angel Drove 3/day
DRIVING to Methodist Church, Chapel Street, Ely CB6 1AD (NB no parking at Methodist Church or in Chapel Street, dropping-off only; see beneath map below for s) From East Essex: A12 North then A14 West suggested, see below A14 from the East. Alternatively A12 South, M25 West, then see next line. From West Essex: M11 North, A14 East, A10 North (see below A10 from the South). From Suffolk: see below A14 from the East. From East Norfolk: getting down to and using A14 from the East (see below) probably easiest From Norwich: A11, A14 West probably easiest (see A14 from the East, below), though A47 then A10 South is interesting (see A10 from the North, below) From North Norfolk: see below A10 from the North From Huntingdon: see below A142 from the West A10 from the North: at Brandon the road goes over a river in an extended humpback with a right hand bend at the top, then alongside the River Great Ouse (on your right) to a roundabout. Take the 3 rd exit from that to follow the A10 across the Ouse, over a level crossing and along to another roundabout where you go straight across (2 nd exit). Also go across the next roundabout (2 nd exit), then before long you go between a filling station on the left with a carwash on the right, and round the next righthand bend you ll see the roundabout down ahead of you at which you turn left (1 st exit, B1141 Downham Road, shown on the map above). Although the map below shows this road bearing left halfway to the centre of town, in fact that s a left-hand turn (Egremont Street) that you should ignore, instead taking the 3 rd left after it which is Chapel Street. The Methodist Church will be down along it on the right. A142 from the West: from Huntingdon this road leads all the way to the Ely Bypass (A10) just follow the A142 signs. If you want to avoid the city centre you can turn left at the A10 roundabout (1 st exit) and at the next roundabout turn right (3 rd exit) and follow the last 2 lines of the directions shown above. The more direct route is to go straight across the first A10 roundabout you come to (2 nd exit) and continue to an angled T-junction where you want to turn left: take care as you look to the right as the junction is likely to be obscured by parked cars. The road you turn into is Cambridge Road, becoming St Mary s Street. Just opposite Oliver Cromwell s House & St Mary s Church on the right and a few yards beyond a pedestrian crossing is a left-hand turn that you should take (Downham Road), then take the first right which is Chapel Street with the Methodist Church partway down on the right. A10 from the South: Coming up from Cambridge direction, keep on the A10 through Stretham (straight over roundabout, 2 nd exit), and at the next roundabout go straight across (2 nd exit) into Cambridge Road then follow the directions 4 lines above this one. A14 from the East: leave at junction 37, turning right from the sliproad onto the A142 which leads all the way to Ely. Dipping beneath the railway bridge by the station you soon come to a mini-roundabout. Go across it (2 nd exit) and up Back Hill. At the top, still bearing right, is a 20mph zone with a hump and a mini-roundabout. Go across that and at the 2 nd mini & hump turn left (1 st exit) along Silver Street. Watch out for more humps on this 1-way street past the Prince Albert pub on your right and along to a T- junction at a 2-way street (St Mary s Street). Turn right when you can, soon over a pedestrian crossing and next left (Downham Road). First right is Chapel Street, with the Methodist Church just over halfway down on the right. TRAIN Ely Station has direct connection with Bury St Edmunds, Cambridge, Ipswich, King s Lynn, Norwich, Peterborough, and Thetford. Journeys from elsewhere require at least one change, and to travel on the Saturday and arrive in time would be difficult if not impossible for most. Of course, you could come on Friday night & stay the weekend to enjoy a longer visit to Ely. Given popularity of many long-stay s in Ely (see below), train may be the best option for many especially as Ely car fuel prices are notoriously high. Taxis are generally parked outside the station building and the fare to Chapel Street should cost 4 (quoted by A10 Taxis as a flat fee for Saturdays 7am-7pm). If you have a Bike&Go account (www.bikeandgo.co.uk) you should be able to pick up a bike at Ely Station and cycle up the hill to the venue using the last four lines of the driving directions in A14 from the East above; but do check the website for availability first. If you fancy a 15 or 20min walk, to go direct walk through the station (watch out for cars as you cross the access entrance), turn left on the main road up to & across the mini-roundabout, up Back Hill and follow it as it bends to the right at the top, straight on over two mini-roundabouts with a tall old covered stone gateway on the right of the 2 nd one, straight on along The Gallery with old monastic buildings on your right now mostly used by The King s School, past the Cathedral s West Door and straight across the top of the High Street (which should be blocked off to traffic on a Saturday). Continue, now on Lynn Road, past The Lamb Hotel on your right and 150yds further on you ll find Chapel Street as the first left-hand turning. The Methodist Church is partway along on the left.
For a prettier route (see map at the very end of these notes) go out of the station, turn left on the main road up to the controlled crossing and cross the road, turn left then first right along Annesdale, veer right to pass between The Cutter pub and River Great Ouse, when you get to Jubilee Gardens turn left and at the top cross the road, turn right then left through metal gates up Cherry Hill park and at the top you can either go on through The Porta (big covered stone gateway in front of you) and turn right on The Gallery (then see rest of directions 6 lines above), or else turn right at the top of Cherry Hill and along to the Cathedral s south face, go half-right across the (parking restricted) and along the path that sweeps left round the Lady Chapel and along the north side of the Cathedral to Minster Place (a continuation of The Gallery) almost opposite the pub, turn right and follow directions 7 lines above this. BUS There are bus services to Ely from relatively close locations such as Cambridge (routes 9 and 12) and Newmarket (route 12), see http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/transport/around/buses/atoz.htm?l=e&loc=ely. There are longer-distance buses but it s easiest to search from your location to see if any go to Ely as there doesn t seem to be a bus network map for East Anglia (if anybody knows of one, please tell us). See also the map on the last page of these notes Newnham St The Grange (3 hrs) Methodist Church church hall at rear Waitrose (2hrs) St Mary s St (2 hrs) St Mary s Church & Cromwell s House Ely Cathedral Forehill King s School Ely To Fisherman s Barton Rd To Ship Lane
IN ELY No parking at the venue, nor long-term on Chapel Street. You may stop in Chapel Street opposite the Church to let down passengers (single yellow line, 5mns). There s a narrow passage at the left of the Church leading to the church hall at the rear which is where the Conference will take place. You can also let passengers down in St Mary s Street (2hr limited stay), at the back of which is a blue metal gate; go through, left then up the ramp ahead of you leading to the right into the church hall. PARKING IN ELY (see maps above and on the next page) All car parks in Ely are free except for Pay & Display ones at the Station and Angel Drove (see end of list below). There s some roadside parking, mostly away from the city centre e.g. near the riverside or in designated places on Broad Street, but it s limited & often occupied. Long-stay s are time-limited if arriving between 08:00 & 08:30 (90mn max. stay, & if leaving then no return within 2hrs) but not afterwards, though Saturday parking is mostly difficult. The free s on Bray s Lane (Waitrose) and next to the Station (Tesco) are 2hr limited all day. Closest s to the venue, St Mary s Street (see above) and The Grange, are also time-limited (2hr and 3hr). Next nearest to the venue: Newnham Street CB7 4PE. About 50 long-term spaces (at the far end; those at the near end, and on the access road, are 2hr only). From this walk back to Newnham Street, turn right on it, left at the T-junction, and Chapel Street is 2 nd right with the Methodist Church along it on the left. Most convenient from the A10: Barton Road CB7 4HZ (popular) this can be accessed from Cambridge Road (when approaching by A142 from the West or A10 from the South), look out for the Carpark signpost pointing right, or from Back Hill (approaching by A142 from the East, but also see Forehill below), turn left at top of Back Hill; NB there are speed humps along Barton Road in both directions to/from the. About 160 spaces plus several for coaches if you re coming en bloc but NB avoid the spaces within the red-lined box on the right as you drive in as on a Saturday they re for Ely Market traders only. To get to the venue once parked walk to the back right-hand corner of the, follow the path past the Information Board to come out on Silver Street opposite the Prince Albert pub, turn right then almost immediately left along Church Lane, follow round the left-hand bend at the end then use the path diagonally across the grass to get to the controlled crossing on the main road, cross over, turn right then next left into Downham Road, and the first right is Chapel Street, with the Methodist Church along the road on the right. Forehill CB7 4AF is handy if approaching on the A142 from the East go down the dip under the railway bridge then along to the mini-roundabout, straight across (2 nd exit), then 2 nd right (Broad Street), along almost to the sharp left-hand bend at the end but a few yards before it there s a small left-hand turn into the. About 300 spaces long-stay (lower part, avoid the top short-stay part). Once parked here walk to the top right of the and straight on up the pathway called Three Cups Walk which bends right at the top. At the road turn left on Forehill, at the top of the hill cross the Market Place diagonally half-right then turn left on Market Street, along to the end and turn right at the T-junction then next left which is Chapel Street. The Methodist Church is partway along on the left. Also handy when approaching on A142 from the East is Ship Lane CB7 4BB (though further from the venue and popular). To get to it follow the Forehill directions above into Broad Street along which you take the 5 th right (prominently marked as Ship Lane) then left into the parking area. About 90 spaces. From here you could walk back to Broad Street and right along past the top of Jubilee Gardens then follow directions from the 2 nd line of the prettier route paragraph under TRAIN above. Alternatively, to see the River make your way towards the bottom of the and turn right into the area in front of The Maltings, turn left then left again parallel with the river then follow the road as it bends left and up to the bottom of Forehill, go up the hill and then follow the directions 6 lines above this. Fisherman s, Willow Walk CB7 4AT, quite far from the centre follow Forehill directions above into Broad Street & where it bends sharp left take the righthand turn, follow round left then 1 st right Willow Walk (narrow road with humps) as far as you can go. The itself is cinder & packed earth so muddy in wet weather. About 35 spaces; plus about 20 on the access road beside grass (not muddy). At the s far end is a notice board beside a pathway (good surface) leading through Ely Country Park to Lisle Lane where you turn left, follow round right to the bottom of Forehill, up the hill and then follow the directions 10 lines above this. Angel Drove CB7 4EA, furthest from the centre but handiest from A10 from the South and easiest to find spaces, accessed from A10 by turning right at Ely roundabout (3 rd exit) towards Station, round left-hand bend then 1 st right (Sir James Black Rd), then 1 st left and under the yellow height restriction bar on the left. About 210 spaces (+ 3 disabled), Pay & Display 3/day (cash only). From there, 20-30mn walk to the venue: at the corner of the furthest from the access walk past the notice board, turn left on the footpath then right on the path beside the main road. At the roundabout carefully cross the Tesco access road (lots of traffic), then along to the crossing and cross the main road, turn left at the mini-roundabout up Back Hill then follow directions 8 lines beneath TRAIN above. ENJOY YOUR STAY a few of the Ely Group members are prepared to offer accommodation if wanted.