::Date: 20 August 2001
Tales on the bus as you go around
Evening Gazette, Monday 20, 2001
If you want to take a different look at Colchester there is no better way than on top of a double-decker bus. Throughout the summer kids and adults alike have been trundling around the town on top of the colourful buses learning all about our town's history. And so not to miss out, I joined them.
It's one of the best ways to see Britain's oldest recorded town in all its glory. The buses, run by the City Sightseeing company, leave outside the gates of Castle Park every hour on the hour. They then take a trip down East Hill, past the famous Siege House, and long to the Hythe, the town's former port.
From there the bus goes past the army's firing ranges along Abbotts Road, past Bourne Mill and the Garrison, and then back into town before heading out to the Zoo.
The bus the makes the return back to the castle via Lexdon Road, past the old Roman wall on Balkerne Hill and along the High Street.The whole trip takes just about an hour to complete, obviously depending on traffic, and everyone I made the journey seemed to have a really good time.
Aaron Howard, 11, from Colchester was taking his second trip of the day with his mum and his seven-year-old brother, Thomas. He said: "I really like sitting on top of the bus and looking around. You get a much better view from up here than you do in a car."
Joy Wyatt, also from Colchetster, said: "We had seen the bus around the town and thought it would be a good idea to take the kids on it."
City Sightseeing operates in 25 cities including Colchester, London, Edinburgh, Seville, Paris,Istanbul and even Canberra, Australia. Jane Moore, who wrote the commentaries for the tours, said: "Colchester has been one of the most fascinating places I have written for this year." "In many places there are very few structures still standing from 1,000 years ago let alone over 2,000 years ago."