Soham Village Sign

The village sign in Soham is one of those things you'll either spot by accident or search out deliberately, depending how deep you want to dig into Cambridgeshire's quieter corners. It's a proper piece of local character, the sort of hand-crafted marker that tells you something about where you are without needing a guidebook.

Soham itself sits just east of Ely, so if you're based at either Trelander Camping or Hatters Meadows - both solid options for a fenland break - it's an easy drive or a decent bike ride depending on your tolerance for flat country roads. The sign itself is the work of village pride, really. There's something genuinely satisfying about these independent pieces of craftsmanship; they're not mass-produced tourist tat, they're made by locals who care.

This isn't a destination that'll swallow an afternoon. You'll photograph it, read it, perhaps grab a coffee in the village and move on. But that's rather the point. If you're doing a slow tour of East Anglian villages or breaking up a parks-based holiday with some proper exploring, Soham's worth the diversion. The surrounding fens are lovely for walking, and Ely's cathedral is close enough to combine into a proper day out.

Free to view, obviously. Best visited when you've got no particular schedule - these places reveal themselves when you're not rushing.