the heartland [Lore] Trottingham

[Jane]

Trottingham - A Historic Haven for Vacationers

 

Situated on the northern shore of Lake Cumulus, at the point where the Great Lake narrows into the Delamare River, and with the quieter Lake Cirrus only twenty miles to its west is the City of Trottingham. One of the older settlements in Equestria, with origins of settlement dating back several hundred years, the city is famous throughout Equestria for three things: number one, its beach; number two: its history; and number three: its wine. Trottingham is presently a busy hub of activity for vacationers looking to escape their busy lives in Canterlot or Stalliongrad and spend some time relaxing on the shores of the beautiful Nimbusgait Lakes.

 

The most prominent feature of the town is the beach. It is only a small sandy shoreline, but in the summer when the water is warmest the beach is often crawling with tourists who are just up for the weekend from Canterlot. Along the main strip there are your typical beach amenities and shops - places to purchase food and drink, jewelry and trinket shops, spas and hotels. This part of town is markedly more modern than the inner district. If you go a little bit further south of the city, you will find the more upscale resorts and, before long, dozens and dozens of expansive summer homes and lakeside villas, mostly owned by ponies living elsewhere. These homes are boarded up in the winter months, as the town's tourism slows significantly when there's a drop in the temperature, but come the months of spring and summer these streets are booming with life and activity.

 

If you move north along the coastline, there is a small marina near the mouth of the Delamare River where locals and tourists alike store and launch their small pleasure crafts and boats into the river or Lake Cumulus. There is also a small boating and sailing school where ponies can learn how to have fun on the lake safely and prudently, and a few scuba instructors live in the area for adventurous ponies looking to explore beneath the surface of the water. Fishing is also a rather popular pastime for tourists and locals alike.

 

Some of the more central parts of the city are marked with a much older architecture, reminiscent of past ages. Town Hall itself is said to be some four hundred years old. There are also some small museums and quainter bookshops, two or three art galleries, a small community theatre, a library or two, fine restaurants, and a few charming cafés in Old Trottingham, making it equally as attractive to tourists as the beach front.

 

To the north of the city are several vineyards, where some of the most famous wine in all of Equestria is produced. Each small winery has its own set of commercial and local wines that are ready to be sampled, and the wine estates and cooperatives here accept visitors with the utmost hospitality and are often associated with small restaurants in the area that offer food best suited to these fine Trottingham wines.

 

Though Trottingham as a city is marked significantly by the hoofprints of tourists, it takes a plethora of hard-working local ponies to run a town of this nature. The main residential districts are to the north, between Old Trottingham and the wineries beyond (this area being mostly barked by narrow terrace houses with small yards), as well as to the east of the city center (where more recent housing developments and apartment buildings feature). These areas also contain the basic infrastructures and necessities for any pony looking to live in Trottingham year round, such as a hospital, a courthouse, schools and shops. It is worth noting that despite living in a rather busy and bustling town, many of the Trottingham local residents strive to maintain a sense of a small-town community within the area by making a significant effort to get to know their neighbours and co-workers.

 

Twenty miles west of the city is the shore of the second of the Great Nimbusgait Lakes, Lake Cirrus. If a pony doesn't mind the short distance from the city, they might find smaller and more affordable campgrounds, resorts and cottages along Lakeshore Road. This is especially of interest if they are looking for a more peaceful and serene vacation.

 

Trottingham is a favorite vacation destination for ponies of all walks of life, but it is especially popular among the serviceponies of the Royal Equestrian Army. Its location between Canterlot and Stalliongrad on the train line makes it especially of interest to these ponies, as both cities are important hubs for the operations of the REA.

~Hithchhikers' Guide to Equestria