Lavender fields, coastal arches, and the England that took me by surprise: Travel tip? Seek secret corners

When someone asks about London and where to go, I tell them about Covent Garden first. I talk about that square as I remember it 10 years ago: Colourful shops of stationery, flower swings, and a Build a Bear shop in a corner, where I celebrated my sister’s birthday once. I tell them about the sheer number of ice-cream shops that you keep discovering as you walk down the stairs, down the halls, taking in a little piece of every shop with you. You can take your souvenirs from here back home: They spell London, England, without the signs of being overtly touristy. 

It’s the little things about England that have stayed with me over the past decade. There are no souvenirs—just memories, and a few grainy photos from a phone that couldn’t capture the moment quite like today’s cameras. Of course, landmarks like the London Eye, Buckingham Palace, and the Tower of London deserve pages of their own. But—without sounding cliché—there’s something truly magical about venturing off the beaten path.

I returned in 2019 and felt a quiet relief—I still had a part of me left in England. The routes, the places, even the feeling in the air were almost the same. Maybe there were more buses and trains now, but the essence hadn’t changed.

That’s when it struck me: perhaps travel is really about discovering the ‘road not taken’. You don’t realise it while you’re on it—it only becomes clear once the journey’s done. Sometimes, that road is right in the middle of a bustling city, quietly waiting for you to notice it. Other times, it means hopping between buses, ferries, and trains, walking a few kilometres, and then suddenly finding yourself at a spot that, in today’s TikTok lingo, would be called a hidden gem. Truth is, a hidden, overlooked gem can be something as quiet as a rooftop cafe by the river, or a field filled with flowers.

So, for those travelling through England, here are some of the little gems that I discovered. A few buildings, maybe just a lot of greenery, or perhaps an experience that I will remember for a lifetime.

There’s something mystical about Durdle Door. It’s a limestone arch in the sea—a place where many films were shot, we were told. And after seeing photos, we just had to go. 

Getting there took a bit of coordination. First, we booked a spot on a small group tour that departed from Bournemouth. It was a popular one, so we reserved a month in advance. Then we booked a bus from London to Bournemouth. From there, the tour would take us deep into the heart of Dorset. Soon, the city slipped away, replaced by green fields, rolling hills, and not a single bar of mobile signal. We were off the grid.

We arrived at Durdle Door and made the steep descent down a gravel path. It felt like walking into a postcard. The arch was there, quiet, dramatic and still. After soaking in the sea breeze and snapping the obligatory photos, we were told to cross Lulworth Cove to meet the tour bus again—on the other side of the hill.

Across the hill, took around two hours, with my slippers breaking. But I remember each and every minute of the walk, because we stopped to sit by the flowers, every strange little sign in the endless greenery, or just watch the blue. And when we reached the other side, we saw the little town, filled with blooming flowers. A lunch was waiting.

How to plan your Durdle Door trip from London

Option 1: Book a guided tour

Option 2: Take the train

Option 3: Travel by coach

Tips before you go:

Brighton is one of favourite places in England. The sea has a personality of its own, and if I can say, the sunsets at Brighton has been one of the most stunning to watch—a smear of blue, and red, setting softly into the sea. 

I’ve walked the streets of Brighton a few times, enjoyed looking at the little residential houses and the magnificent Royal Pavilion. Yet, what stays with me, is the trek to the Seven Sisters.

At that time, we did it differently. We took an early morning train to Brighton, because we found the cheapest tickets, then. On arriving in Brighton, we took a bus—and we hoped to reach the Seven Sisters. The bus dropped us off, and we were left wondering how to find our way to the Seven Sisters. We were in the middle of nowhere, but we never felt lost.

We saw pools of blue and mountains of green, and we kept walking up green hills, snatching photos of each and every moment that we could, holding on to this unnatural calm. We didn’t quite reach the Seven Sisters: We only saw them from far away. But we just inhaled that peace and quiet, holding on to the green.

As my sister said that day, out of the blue, we had walked into the green.

By train and bus

Take a train from London to Brighton (approx. 1 hour).

By car

What to do at Seven Sisters

Once you arrive, here are a few things to make the most of your day:

It’s easy to get caught up in the must-see sights of England—but sometimes, it’s the not-quite-there, the almosts and in-betweens, that stay with you. You may or may not reach the cliffs. But you’ll likely find something else: space to breathe, time to slow down, and a walk into the green.

And then, there was travelling with my mother, who came to visit me in 2014. My mother has a love for the small towns and old cities. Cities near lakes, or built around churches and cathedrals and forts. She was already cherishing the notions of Worcester and York—cities that you memorised as soon as you walked through them. 

There’s no other word than quaint for both those cities. We walked through Worcester, taking photos of doors, with old types of handles, and flowerpots near windows, and walking around River Severn.

Getting there

My university was in East London, and I stayed in a college hostel in Hackney—a good 30 minutes walk from Mile End. Many don’t talk much about Mile End and let alone Hackney, but it was my home for three years. You might not often hear about the Hackney Victoria Park, but I would say, walk through it. See the fountains, the lake, the boughs of branches where people would just sit and relax after a long day at college. Walk into the heart of Victoria park—in sheltered spots, and have a picnic, if the weather permits it. We played frisbee there. 

The London parks have a life of their own—vast, and endless, like Hyde Park, St Regent’s Park and St James Park, which is right before the Buckingham Palace. And, make a visit to Hampstead Heath too—that takes a journey as that’s in another corner of London, but what’s travel, without some hop, skip and jump?

First things first: Get an oyster card for Tubes. Secondly, try to walk as much as you can. 

See all the tourist attractions for sure: The Big Ben, the tower, London Bridge, St Paul’s Cathedral, Trafalgar Square, and walk through Piccadilly Circus, shop till you drop at Oxford Circus and take a photo at Notting Hill. But beyond that, London has little quiet spots, all near these places—where you can just sit and soak it all in. Walk through the little mazes under the Millennium Bridge, in and around Bankside, to Southwark—each restaurant and cafe is more different than the other. Walk through the hustle and bustle of Holborn, to Covent Garden, and marvel at the colours of Neal’s Yard, a cheery courtyard that beckons to you.  

For shoppers 

If vintage finds and market stalls excite you, don’t miss Camden Market and Portobello Road Market. From eclectic clothing and antiques to indie art and food stalls, these markets are a treat for the senses—and the best kind of chaos.

We thought that we wouldn't make it. We spent a long time in a bus, on the road, and probably took several wrong turns along the way. Finally, we took a cab in exasperation and we reached.

It was a sea of purple. The weather was calming, and just right, and the flowers swayed. I haven't seen lavender fields after that, and so, when I think of lavender fields, I just remember that day, not so long ago.

If your luck is better than ours, here's how to get there: