Whether you’re looking to potter about or get active, there is a great range of places to visit and things to do around Cambridge. Here are some of our favourites when we are pretending to be on holiday!

 

For the garden lover

We are blessed with two beautiful National Trust properties within 20min drive. Anglesey Abbey is Jacobean-style house with gardens and a working watermill. The 114 acre garden has something to see every season and is famous for its snowdrops.

Wimpole is a working estate with an impressive mansion, parkland, gardens and Home Farm

Although in Cambridge, the Botanic garden deserves a trip of its own. I would recommend parking in Lammas Land car park or on the side streets of Newnham (free after 2pm) and crossing the river and along Vicar’s brook to the Bateman St entrance.

Madingley Hall was built in the 16^th century and was the home of Queen Victoria’s eldest son Edward while he studied at Cambridge in 1861. The gardens were created by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown in 1756 and are open during daylight hours. There is a little café and it is a pleasant walk from Crafts Hill Barn across the fields.

 

For the adventure lover

Liquid skillz is an exciting new activity spot just north of us at Lake Ashmore in Hemingford Grey. With 35acres of water to explore on SUPs, Wakeboards or wild swimming it’s also a beautiful place to hang out. The café is good too!

If a SUP appeals you can also hire them in Granchester meadows with SupTheRiver

Grafham water is near Huntingdon and is a huge reservoir that you can walk or hire bikes (or ebikes!) to cycle around. You can also hire a sailing dingy or windsurf.

Thetford forest is half an hour away and a huge space to explore on hired bikes or segways or from the tree tops at a GoApe trail.

If that all sounds like hard work how about hiring a motorboat for the day to explore some of our beautiful waterways? The Fish and Duck Marina offers day hire for £150 and from there you can explore Ely and some lovely pubs enroute. Lazy days boat hire is based near Huntingdon and also does day hire and half days. Electric River boat in St Ives also hires by the hour

 

For the history lover

Duxford Imperial War Museum is 30mins away and is Europe’s largest air museum and served as the base for many of the Spitfire and Hurricane pilots during the Second World War. We often get our own displays flying over Crafts Hill Barn so listen out for the tale tale sound!

The Cambridge American Cemetery is situated in Madingley (a pleasant walk from here) and has an excellent visitor centre about the campaigns that contributed to the Allied victory.

The market town of St Ives is a hidden gem just north of us. With a bustling market on Monday’s and Fridays and delightful cafes by the river (try The River Terrace in Bridge street or Tom’s cakes in Market Hill). There are riverboat cruises up to Hemingford Grey Lock which makes for a pleasant stroll to Houghton Mill and then back to town. There’s also a cute museum (Norris Museum) and a nature reserve (Holt Island)

Ely has a magnificent cathedral which can be seen for miles around and is known as ‘Ship of the Fens’ and is famous for its unique octagon tower. The city was once home to Oliver Cromwell and you can visit the family’s former house. There is also a beautiful waterside area with cafes and an antique centre. The market in Ely is thriving and I have to recommend a bagel from the Ely Bagel Bar

For the drinks lover

Cambridge Distillery Showroom in Granchester is a window onto the most innovative distillery in the world. You can visit the shop or book a masterclass at weekends (you may need a cab home!)

Chilford Hall Vineyard planted its first vines in 1972, making it one of the oldest vineyards in England. You can take a tour and sample some of their wines and enjoy lunch or an afternoon tea.

Elgoods brewery in Wisbech was built in 1795 and offers tours and tastings on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 2pm which include tastings and access to the lovely gardens.

 

For the nature lover

Wicken fen Nature Reserve is the National Trust’s oldest nature reserve with boardwalks through the beautiful fens. You can take a boat trip or hire bikes too.

Paxton Pits, Fen Drayton Lakes, The RSPB Lodge and The Wildlife Trust’s Overhall Grove, Waresley and Gamlingay Wood are all within half an hour and offer wildlife aplenty!

 

Hope that gives you a taster of some days out around Cambridge, do ask if you need any information or advice on places to go!

 

 

 

 

With lockdown restrictions gently easing we can all look forward to meals cooked by someone else! Eating out is such an important part of any staycation or short break I thought a round up of our local favourites serving outside would be useful to all you lovely peeps who’ve booked a stay this spring and summer. Many guests arrive and don’t really want to go anywhere – not to worry, from platters to pizza ovens or takeaways we’ve got you covered too!

First up our own village pub, The Black Horse has served us with takeaways through out lockdown and we love to support them. Just around the corner (or across the field!) with seating at the front and in the rear garden. We think their chicken burger is the best we’ve ever had. All the food is cooked to order so enjoy a couple of pints while you’re waiting and be sure to book a table.

In our neighbouring village of Madingley we are lucky to have a pub that is part of the excellent Cambscuisine group. The Three Horseshoes is a beautiful thatched building with pretty garden including large gazebo and cool dining pods. The food is lovely and a step up from pub grub. It is a nice walk to Madingley, though we do not advise walking back after dark so book for early evening or get a cab back. You can always return for the car the next day!

In the same village Madingley Hall (part of Cambridge University) has a pop up cafe from 9am-4pm each day and has recently opened up their Terrace Bar Restaurant for outdoor dining from 5pm to 10pm on Thursday to Saturday evenings.

Another favourite is The Boot in Histon (a 10min drive). This is part of the White Brasserie group and has a lovely heated tented area outside.

In Girton The Old Crown has a large garden and their sister pub, The Plough in Coton also has a lovely terrace (both are a 10 minute drive from us).

The Punter is a lovely pub near us on the edge of Cambridge with easy parking nearby and a quaint courtyard. 

Don’t worry if all of that seems a bit too much effort, just book a platter, pizza station or firepit pack (Cabin and Wagon) and snuggle up in your room with a few glasses of wine!

 

 

Cambridge boasts stunning architecture, wonderful museums and galleries, great shopping and places to eat. This little walking tour takes in some of the best bits but you really have to get in a punt to see the special parts, so do make time for that if possible.

Like many older cities, parking can be pricey and traffic difficult to negotiate. The Park and Ride from Madingley Rd is a good option but the buses back stop at about 8:30pm. I think a better option is to drive down Huntingdon road and park at Castle Hill car park (or on street parking on Pound Hill), walk down the hill and take a stroll up onto Castle Mound to see the view of the city.

Continuing down the hill I might pop into Kettles Yard gallery to see an exhibition or have a tour of the beautiful house. The café is a lovely spot for a coffee too!

Or for a flavour of Cambridge’s past a visit to The Museum of Cambridge would be good start.

Passing over Magdalen Bridge (the original ‘Cam – bridge’) I would clock the punting tours for a sit down later perhaps. If in need of refreshment a stop in Café Foy or Bridges would hit the spot.

At the end of Bridge street, I might call into the Round church (dating back to 1130) before continuing to the right along St Johns Street, past St Johns College, Trinity and Gonville and Caius. At the corner I’d admire the view of Senate House on the right and Kings College ahead. The University Church (Great St Mary’s) to the left has a tower you can climb for an even better view!

 

After a potter around the market I’d head to Bene’t Street where there are lots of tasty lunch options (like Smokeworks, Bread and Meat or Steak and Honour), followed by a delicious ice cream from Aromi or Jack’s Gelato. If liquid refreshment is more your thing, The Eagle Pub on this street is where the structure of DNA was discovered in 1953. On the corner you’ll see the rather unusual Corpus clock on Corpus Christi College.

For some culture I might head to Fitzwilliam museum, Museum of Zoology, Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences or the Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. The Polar Museum is also very cool but for shopping I’d go to Grand Arcade!

On my way past I’d grab a world-famous Chelsea bun from Fitzbillies (Trumpington Street), they’ve been made here since 1921.

Now for that long earned sit down…I’d head to the punting stations at Mill lane or back up to Quayside and either self-hire (fun but hard work!) or a chauffeured punt. Alternatively, I’d continue south and take in the Botanic Gardens (though maybe that’s best saved for another day!) or walk back along The Backs to admire King College chapel.

 

If I was passing by at 5pm, I might join the queue for Evensong (Mon-Sat) in the chapel (the best way to see this stunning building (for free!).

If it was a pleasant evening a sundowner on the rooftop bar at Varsity Hotel (Thompsons Lane) would be the perfect way to end the day, followed by an evening meal at The Punter, The Ivy Brasserie, Cambridge Chop House or The Pint Shop to name a few. Otherwise I’d pop into Cambridge Wine Merchants (Bridge Street) and get a bottle of something nice to have back at Crafts Hill Barn!

 

Hope that gives you a taster of the delights of Cambridge, do ask if you need any information or advice on places to go!