Andrew's Travels

Andrew's Travels

traveled in 66 countries Read more🌍Cambridge

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The Jurassic Coast Traveler
1
5. Weymouth
June 21, 2021 in England ⋅ 🌧 12 °C
Weymouth is a seaside town situated on a sheltered bay at the mouth of the River Wet halfway along the Jurassic Coast; built on weak rock, it has been protected by a barrier beach (Chesil Beach) and the limestone of the nearby Isle of Portland.

Weymouth Beach faces Weymourh Bay and has a small fun fair on it; the Esplanade is full of Geogian Architecture and features the Queen Victoria Jubilee Clock. We walk through the town centre via the pedestran only St Mary's Street and cross the Tower Bridge to the southern part of town; this bridge can be raised to link the outer and inner harbours. The harbour was once used for cross channel ferries, but is now used for commercial fishing and private boats. We walk through Brewer's Quay, named for a converted Victorian brewery, to Nothe Fort; this is a historic sea fort built to protect the harbour, but is now a coastal museum.

Our first visit to Weymouth and it has not disappointed.Read more
Wolfgang und Heidi Wounderful
6/25/21Reply
2 likes
Dorset Traveler
Bridport
June 20, 2021 in England ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Bridport is a small, but very attractive market town. We cross the River Brit, on our way back from a walk to Lower Eype, to reach St Mary's Parish Church and then walk up South Street to get to the Town Hall (both Grade 1 listed buildings) - the town hall is situated on the curiously named Buckydoo Square.

We walk up East Street and cross the River Asker, a tributary of the Brit, and walk down though Asker's Meadow crossing back over the river close to its confluence with the Brit, to walk back up to the church.

We head south alongside the River Brit and see Palmer"s Brewery - which was established in 1794 and is one of Britain's oldest and prettiest brewery sites - before following the Hardy Way back down to the coast and West Bay.Read more
2 likes
Essex Traveler
The Chesterfords
June 12, 2021 in England ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
Great Chesterford is an ancient village with many listed buildings and is situated on the banks of the River Cam just over the Cambridgeshire border in the Uttlesford district of Essex. The All Saints Church dates from the 13th century and the primary school there was licensed in 1514.

Little Chesterford is a short walk away along a footpath running parallel to the River Cam. Basically two rows of (nice) houses along the a road which bends up to the B184 (which links Sawston and Saffron Walden), the heart of the village is a grouping of the church of St Mary (early 13th century), the tiny village hall and a manor house.

The footpath that runs south from the church takes us along the Cam again before turning up to the B184 and the tiny hamlet of Springwell, literally a few houses and a large nursery now.Read more
Wolfgang und HeidiHi Andrew, your pictures from England are looking nice as well 👍 we are looking fortward to visiting England quite soon
6/12/21Reply
1 like
Norfolk Coastal Path Traveler
Blakeney to Wells
May 19, 2021 in England ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C
We leave Blakeney with the Morston Salt Marshes on our right to reach Morston village - like Blakeney, this used to be a major port 400 years ago but is now used by a small number of fishing boats, leisure craft and seal watching trips to Blakeney Point. There are distant views of the Watch House (formerly used as a lookout for sailors in distress and for smugglers) and the blue Blakeney Point visitor centre (formerly a lifeboat station).

The coastal path now skirts the Stiffkey Saltmarshes, part of the National Trust, and then the Warham Saltmarshes; there are good views of the marshes themselves and the birdlife on them as we approach port the town of Wells-next-the-Sea. The distinctive landmark of the seafront is the granary with its overhanging gantry on the quay; this has now been converted into luxury flats (it ceased operating as a granary in 1990).Read more
3 likes
Norfolk Coastal Path Traveler
Weybourne to Blakeney
May 18, 2021 in England ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C
Weybourne Hope is a two-mile stretch of land between Weybourne and Cley and was regarded as particularly vulnerable to invasion from the sea due to the deep inshore water that would allow ships to unload troops and stores here in the event of an invasion; for this reason a military camp was established here. This is now the site of the privately owned Muckleborough Collection, a military museum and we see many pillboxes and some guns as we take the coastal path around the outside edge.

We walk along the edge of the Salthouse Marshes, a popular bird-watching site, and espy the Parish Church of St Nicholas in the village of Salthouse itself. The beach becomes more sandy as we approach the Cley Marshes Nature Reserve at Cley Eye, and then turn south to Cley next the Sea; there are great views of the iconic Cley Windmill, a five storey tower mill that has now been converted to a guesthouse and licensed wedding ceremony venue. We cross the River Craven and head north on this side back up the coastline to skirt round the edges of Blakeney Eye and down to the coastal village of Blakeney and its welcoming Quay area.Read more
2 likes
Norfolk Coastal Path Traveler
1
Sheringham to Weybourne
May 17, 2021 in England ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C
Sheringham is another seaside resort and we enjoy our walk along the promenade; we see more beach huts, as well as fishing boats and lots of groynes along the beach front (physical barriers to limit the tidal movement of sand and sediment moving along the shore).

We climb up to The Leas Garden and Shelter and then rejoin the clifftop path along the top of Weybourne Cliffs; Sheringham Golf Club is on our left and it is a long course! Further on we see Weybourne Windmill and then reach Weybourne Hope, heading up to the village here to visit Weybourne Priory - the standing remains are Grade II listed and attached to Weybourne All Saints Church.Read more
Wolfgang und Heidi Wow that´s beautiful 😊
5/20/21Reply
2 likes
Norfolk Coastal Path Traveler
Cromer to Sheringham
May 17, 2021 in England ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C
We're stopping in Cromer for a couple of nights with a view to do some walking along the Norfolk Coastal Path. The route from Cromer to Weybourne is part of the Sea Palling to Weybourne section of the England Coast Path, which is opening in sections around the UK.

Starting at Cromer lighthouse - now automated, so the lighthouse keeper's cottage alongside the tower is now let out as holiday apartments - we descend down the East Cliff to the town of Cromer, enjoying wonderful views of the pier and church tower. It is a lovely town, although very much a tourist resort now, and we see the church and explore some of the streets.

We walk along the shingle beach as far as East Runton Gap and divert along the A149 for a few minutes before cutting down to the West Runton Cliffs and walking along these; the fossil remains of the "West Runton Elephant" were discovered here in 1990 - it was the skeleton of the best preserved specimen of a 4m tall steppe mammoth ever found and put the town on the map.

We continue along the cliff walk past Beeston Regis and reach the "Beeston Bump", an isolated hill above this village, and descend down the other side to Sheringham.Read more
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The River Cam Traveler
1
Part 2; Clayhithe to Cambridge
May 11, 2021 in England ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C
From Clayhithe, I head south along the River Cam, passing the village of Horningsea, to reach Bates Bite Lock (No. 2 on the navigable portion of the River Cam). Then it is under the A14 towards Fen Ditton, a village on the northeast edge of Cambridge; there are good views of its Church and of rowers on the river today, both eights and singles.

As I walk towards Cambridge, there are views of Ditton Meadows. I walk under the Railway Bridge linking Cambridge and Cambridge North railway stations, and carry on long the Fen Rivers Way to cross over the bridge at the Green Dragon pub to reach Stourbridge Common (see post Cambridgeshire; CambridgeCity) and walk towards the Museum of Technology, an industrial heritage museum whose original building housed a combined sewage pumping and waste destructor station (hence the 175ft chimney shaft) - it is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. There are houseboats on both sides of the river as I walk beyond Elizabeth Bridge, along Midsummer Common to reach the edge of Jesus Green and Cambridge Lido.

It is not far to Jesus Lock; this divides ‘Middle River’ from the ‘Lower River’ and sets the border where punting gives way to rowing and boathouses - it is Lock No. 1 on the navigable portion of the River Cam. Finally, I reach Magdalene Bridge, just south of Magdalene College, which straddles the River Cam and is on the site of the original bridge that gave "Cambridge" its name.Read more
Wolfgang und Heidi I loved our narrowboat-trip 2002 and I’m looking forward to the next trip. It‘s on our short list! (Heidi)
5/13/21Reply
1 like
The River Great Ouse Traveler
1. King's Lynn to Downham
May 11, 2021 in England ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C
From King's Lynn (see post in Norfolk), I walk south and cross the River Nar, a tributary of the Great Ouse; there are good views back to King's Lynn before we pass the side of Palm Paper's giant mill, on the site of what was once King's Lynn's sugar factory. Following the river, I cross the bridge over the Tail Sluice where the Relief Channel rejoins the Great Ouse; the Tail Sluice works in tandem with the Denver Sluice further down river for water management across parts of the Fenland area.

I reach the first of the four Wiggenhall villages; the Church at Wiggenhall St Germans (the other Wiggenhalls are St Peter, St Mary and St Mary Magdalene. A mile down river are the ruins of the Church of Wiggenhall St Peter and another mile brings me to Wiggenhall St Mary Magdalene, the largest. The church here is huge and has a weeping chancel, where the nave and chancel are built at a slight dogleg to each other, as well as a rare collection of medieval stained glass and beautifully carved benches.

The route south heads via Stowbridge takes me past the stone supports for an old rail bridge across the river on the line that ran from Watlington to Wisbech - the line closed in 1969, although the bridge over the Relief Channel is still there. At times, the Relief Channel is very close to the River Great Ouse;

From Downham Bridge, I head to Downham Market railway station after completing the first leg of this walk.Read more
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The River Cam Traveler
Part 1; Pope's Corner to Clayhithe
May 9, 2021 in England ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
Pope's Corner is the confluence of the River Cam and the River Great Ouse (see that trip for posts before reaching, and after leaving, Pope's Corner). Heading south from here, I soon reach Dimmock's Cote Bridge and then pass a pumping station and pill box en route to Upware; this is where Reach Lode begins (this links the the village of Reach with the Cam) - Upware is known for its aptly named "Five Miles from Anywhere, No Hurry" inn which backs down to the Cam.

The footpath passes Swaffham Bulbeck Lode, where there is another lock and pumping station (this lode links the hamlet of Commercial End with the Cam), and then ir reaches Shrubb's Marina boat moorings. A little further on, I reach Bottisham Lock (No. 3 on the navigable portion of the River Cam) and the pumping station and flood gates at the end of Bottisham Lode (this links the village of Lode with the Cam).

Waterbeach is further down river; this is now designated as a "new town," and, as I follow the track, we enjoy a view of the boats mooring there. A little further on I reach the bridge over the Cam at Clayhithe and enjoy the view of the Conservator's House from The Bridge public house; this is the residence of the foreman of the Conservators of the River Cam, the navigation authority for the River Cam in Cambridgeshire.

Cambridge had been a major inland port as a result of its position on the navigable River Cam for centuries, but this position changed with the draining of the Fens and the Conservators were established to elicit tolls at sluices and locks along the Cam.Read more
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Essex Traveler
Littlebury Green Circular
May 2, 2021 in England ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C
Littlebury Green is a small village in the Uttlesford District of north-west Essex and 3 miles from Saffron Walden. It has a chapel of ease since the main parish church is in Littlebury itself; a chapel of ease is a church building other than the parish church, built within the bounds of a parish for the attendance of those who cannot reach the parish church conveniently - it is not every day you see a church with corrugated sides and roof!

From here, our walk takes us south west across fields to reach the B1309 where we cross and head to the outskirts of Rockell's Wood, one of several in the area with beautiful carpets of bluebells between the trees. From here we walk to Duddenhoe End and walk north and pass The Hamlet Church - it is not every day you see a church with a thatched roof!

We cross the B1309 again and head towards Elmdon; we have a view of Lofts Hall Stud which has bred several winners at the Newmarket race course over the years. The original hall was in the former parish of Wenden Lofts; this in now abandoned, but the ruins of the old parish church (St Dunstan's) are still visible in the adjoining house gardens - it is not every day you see a church that has been left to become a shell!

We turn off before Elmdon and have a good view of St Nicholas' Church there as we follow part of the Icknield Way along the northern outskirts of Free Wood (more bluebells) towards Catmere End and head south back to Littlebury Green.

A good walk with few expectations (other than bluebells), but it turned out to be rather "churchy" and interesting.Read more
2 likes
Cambridgeshire; Cambridge City Traveler
Mill Road, Cambridge
April 26, 2021 in England ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C
Mill Road is a mile-long byway linking central Cambridge to the ring road; it runs from Parker's Piece (see "Cambridge - Fantastic beasts and where to find them" post) to Brooks Road (see "Cambridge - Cherry Hinton / Coldham's Brook" post). It forms the spine of two distinct communities, the wards of Petersfield and Romsey Town, separated by a railway bridge; Petersfield, on the west side, was developed in the early 19th century on land owned by the Colleges whereas Romsey grew to house workers on the new railway - thus historically, Petersfield has always been thought of by local residents as being on the "Gown" side and Romsey on the "Town" side of the town and gown divide. The Mill Road area was, and is, often thought of as being "Bohemian" and there are many interesting / independent shops, cafes, restaurants and pubs in the area.

Starting on the Petersfield side of Mill Road bridge, we pass some of the interesting businesses that can be found there and reach Gwydir Street. The old Dales Brewery building is now home to a Hot Numbers cafe and opposite this is the David Parr House; this modest, terrace house is a time capsule decorated by a painter in the manner of the grand Arts and Crafts interiors he used to do as a day job - there are hand-painted wall decorations, Gothic carvings and stained glass panels. Nearby is the old Cambridge Bath House, now a community centre; further down the road is the Cambridge Blue pub - this backs onto the Mill Road Cemetery (see "Cambridge - Urban Ramble, part 3").

We cross the Mill Road bridge, covered in colourful murals, into Romsey. Recently, an R-shaped sculpture has been erected; it was commissioned to celebrate the people and history of Romsey and their relationship with the railway - the destinations on the sculpture show residents' significant railway journeys. Further along is Salisbury House, now a social club with bar. Nearby is the small St Philip's church which functions as a church / community centre / cafe and further on is what is now Hilary's Fruit and Veg; this building was originally built as a corn merchants and bakery in 1886 - the type of produce traded has not changed drastically. Towards the end of Mill Road we reach the Cambridge Central Mosque which was opened to the public in 2019. Europe's first eco-friendly mosque, it was featured as part of a profile in the Sky Arts programme "The Art of Architecture" in 2021.Read more
1 like
Cambridgeshire; Cambridge City Traveler
Cambridge - It's in your DNA
April 23, 2021 in England ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C
DNA is now known by most of the general public to carry genetic information, the instructions that a living organism needs to grow, reproduce and function.

The structure of DNA - a double helix twisted-ladder - was first realised by James Watson and Francis Crick in 1953 at the Cambridge University Cavendish Laboratory and gave rise to modern molecular biology; the contribution of Rosalind Franklin is now recognised as crucial to the discovery DNA structure, however, as her work in X-ray crystallography established that the molecule existed in a helical conformation. Their discovery is commemorated in several relevant places in Cambridge.

The first announcement was made by a jubilant Francis Crick as they walked into the nearest pub to their laboratory, The Eagle, and proclaimed that he and James Watson had "found the secret of life"; this lovely old pub has a fine courtyard as well as a ceiling covered covered with writing by Allied pilots who frequented it during WWII. There is a blue plaque outside it to commemorate the event (it has been recently defaced to mention Rosalind Franklin) and their old laboratory nearby also celebrates it.

Francis Crick lived in a house in Portugal Place and there is a double helix above the door to mark this. James Watson was an alumnus of Clare College, where he began his post-doctoral research in 1951 and became an honorary fellow in 1967, and there is an aluminium sculpture of the double helix close to an entrance there.

Further afield is the DNA cycle path, which runs from Addenbrooke's Hospital to Great Shelford; there is a double helix sculpture at the start and part of the route is decorated with 10,257 colourful stripes which represent the four nucleotides of the BRCA2 gene (discovered at the Sanger Centre in Hinxton).Read more
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Cambridgeshire; South District Traveler
Fowlmere Circular; part 2 - Foxton
April 3, 2021 in England ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C
We cross the A10 at Shepreth Mill and follow the course of the River Shep; we turn at the road we eventually meet and have a good view of the Shepreth All Saints Church. From here we walk up the High Street as far as The Plough and cross a stile and then a small bridge before walking up a lane next to the River Shep; we turn off before Shepreth Wildlife Park, doubling back to take the footpath to Foxton. We reach a large, private lake close to the A10 - we never knew the lake was there as it is hidden from the road.

Crossing back over the A10 we walk into Foxton, passing daffodils and reach the small, triangular village green; there are several attractive houses around it and an interesting shelter on it. We walk up the High Street to see Foxton Dovecot and Meadow, a 300 year old building with a small conservation area around it. A very short distance from here is the Church of St Laurence.

We double back to the Green and pass through Foxton Wood on our way back to Fowlmere. A really interesting day out.Read more
3 likes
Cambridgeshire; South District Traveler
Fowlmere Circular; part 1 - Fowlmere
April 3, 2021 in England ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C
We start this walk in Fowlmere; this is one of the southernmost villages in Cambridgeshire, just beyond Thriplow, and we explore it a little before setting off. The village has a scheduled ancient monument - a ringwork known as "The Round Moat" - which is the remains of an early Saxon settlement dating from around the 9th century; the ringwork comprises a roughly oval stronghold, fortified by an earthen bank and an external ditch. Not far from here is the 12th century Church of St Mary and a short walk up the High Street brings us to the War Memorial and the water pump.

We leave the village on the turning towards Manor Farm and Fowlmere Airfield; the airfield originated in 1918 when it was used by the RAF for training and then became a satellite for RAF Duxford before being turned over to the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) fighter command. It is now home to the British Aerobatic Academy and the Modern Air flying club. We see the war memorial and espy some planes before continuing on the walk to reach Fowlmere RSPB Nature Reserve, also called Fowlmere Watercress Beds; our route takes us along part of the nature trail that is there. It is very beautiful here; the reedbeds and pools are fed by natural chalk springs and a chalk stream originates in, and runs through, the reserve - this is known locally as the River Shep and it flows north through Shepreth to join the River Rhee (also called the River Cam) at Barrington.

We follow the stream to the A10 and cross over to start the next part of this excellent walk.Read more
1 like
Hertfordshire Traveler
Therfield Circular
April 2, 2021 in England ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C
We start at Therfield Heath, only this time we walk through the woods to the top of the chalk bank to see if the Pasque flowers are out - they are! The striking, purple Pasque flower has a beautiful, upward bell-shaped flower is now a very rare plant in the UK, restricted to just a few chalk and limestone grasslands and found on only a handful of nature reserves - one of them being Therfield Heath. From the bank there is a good view of the gallops, which we walk along again to reach Thrift Farm.

From the farm we carry straight on up the incline - this is part of the Hertfordshire Way, a 194 mile circular walk around Hertfordshire - and see Therfield water tower on the horizon. As we approach the top we enter Slipe Woods and enjoy the view down towards the heath and fields; we then walk past the water tower, leaving the Hertfordshire Way, and pass the Church of St Mary's to reach Therfield itself. We cross the Causeway and village green to the The Fox and Duck, a well known pub in the area, and proceed to the other side of the village where we join the Icknield Way; this is an ancient trackway in southern and eastern England that runs from Norfolk to Wiltshire and follows the chalk escarpment that includes the Berkshire Downs and Chiltern Hills.

As we head back towards Therfield Heath, we enjoy the view and pass giant haystacks en route (Giant Haystacks was the ring name of a famous British wrestler who was active in the 1970s and 1980s), and walk back through the woods that skirt the southern edge of the golf course back to the car.Read more
Wolfgang und HeidiHi Andrew, we don‘t know this flower in Germany. It‘s beautiful. (It‘s snowing here today 😥)
4/5/21Reply
3 likes
Duxford and Local Walks Traveler
Local Walk 7 - Thriplow
March 19, 2021 in England ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C
This walk starts from Hill Farm Road, Whittlesford and is easily accessed by foot from Duxford. We head southwest along The Drift, a track which crosses the M11 and goes directly to Thriplow; this is a lovely village with many fine houses along the sides of a road which circles meadow and farmland - it was originally a community of farms. One of the more well-known residents is Baroness Betty Boothroyd, who served from 1992 to 2000 as Speaker of the House of Commons - the only woman to do so.

We see the 13th century Parish Church of St George, noting the daffodils outside by a house. Thriplow is well known for its annual daffodil festival which started in 1961; it was cancelled last year and this year due to the pandemic. We walk past the primary school to the colourful village sign on edge of the village green; the Smithy next to it was given to the village in 1964 as a museum. Opposite is the village shop which is run by the Thriplow Village Shop Association; on a similar vein the local hostelry, The Green Man, is also owned by villagers and run as a community pub (it is really good). We walk up Lower Street and take Narrow Lane past Rectory Farm where horses are grazing; having taken The Baulk (aka Upper Gentleman's footpath) across Bacon's Meadow previously, we now walk past the moated manor and return via The View (aka Lower Gentleman's footpath) across more meadowland to Manor Farm. We turn right and pass KWS Ltd - part of a multi-national plant breeding company that develops a wide range of oilseed rape, maize, sugar beet and cereal varieties - and see more attractive properties before reaching the edge of the village.

Here, we exit on a track with good views of the church in the direction of Heathfield; this was originally a hamlet alongside the Imperial War Museum Duxford, but has seen a lot of development from the 2000s - it is now part of Thriplow parish. Before reaching Heathfield, we head north back to The Drift via Crow's Parlour footpath, passing a small and actively fished lake, and then return to Whittlesford / Duxford.Read more
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Cambridgeshire; East District Traveler
2
Chippenham Park
March 18, 2021 in England ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C
This is a large, country estate in East Cambridgeshire; although privately owned, the house is used as a wedding venue and the gardens are open occasionally to the public - hence the visit.

We enter the gardens and enjoy views of the house from the Millenium Fountain before seeing Basil the Boar, one of the many animal sculptures around the grounds. We proceed to Adrian's Walk and loop round the long, thin artificial lake with nice views of the other side to the outskirts of Hare Hall and its large walled garden, featuring a hare sculpture. After this, we walk along a box "tunnel" of trees and turn off towards the "Wilderness", a wooded walk with lots of snowdrops and aconites depending on the time of year. We reach the "Grand Canal", with an eagle statue at one end, and walk both sides of this before exploring the woodland further. On the way back to "The Bridge" we see a crows nest.

A good place to visit and recommended.Read more
Wolfgang und Heidi Wow, this is a rather big one 😊
3/24/21Reply
Ant Travels Cool
3/24/21Reply
2 likes
Cambridgeshire; Cambridge City Traveler
Cherry Hinton Brook / Coldham's Brook
March 17, 2021 in England ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C
The idea for this walk came from the entry for "Cambridge - A place of springs, cliffs and lakes" by seeing the Cherry Hinton Chalk Pits (cliffs) and then following part of the route of Cherry Hinton Brook along Snakey Path (lakes).

The source for Cherry Hinton Brook is a fresh, spring pool close to the Chalk Pits at the southern end of Cherry Hinton; this provided the reason for settlement of a cottage industry laundering for the Cambridge Colleges - at one time there were a couple of water mills along its route. After seeing the source, we visit Cherry Hinton Hall and follow the urban stream as it skirts the park area here; the Hall is now owned by Cambridge Council and is currently home to Oaks International School. Cherry Hinton Hall park is well known as it provides the site for the annual Cambridge Folk Festival. We follow the route along Snakey Path; the stream flows beside two old chalk pits filled to form private fishing lakes on one side and Saint Bede's School on the other. We reach Brooks Road via Burnside and then turn off behind houses and a large Sainsbury's to reach Coldham's Lane. Here, the stream is culverted under the busy Barnwell Road which we cross and re-join via a small entrance onto the back end of Coldham's Common.

The stream is renamed Coldham's Brook at this point; it is a joy to walk this south eastern part of Coldham's Common as it seems so far from civilisation - there is scrub, woodland and unimproved grassland here. Skirting round and across, we reach a close mown area with football pitches (for English, Gaelic and American football); the urban area to the north is known as Abbey and, indeed, Cambridge United have their home here at the Abbey Stadium. We follow the path of the stream with the football stadium on one side with Barnwell Lake (now a fishery) on the other.

We reach Newmarket Road, the A1134, and cross; it will soon be possible to follow the stream all the way to the River Cam along what will be known as the Chisholm Trail, but for the time being we have to divert via a small industrial estate and housing to reach Stourbridge Common. Before doing so, we see the Leper Chapel of Saint Mary Magdalene (13th century, Grade 1 listed and managed by Cambridge Past, Present and Future); in 1211, King John granted an annual fair to be held on Stourbridge Common behind it in order to support the work of the leper hospital - this grew to become the largest medieval fair in Europe.

We walk across and around Stourbridge Common and see where the Coldham's Brook joins the River Cam; Ditton Meadows is on the other side of the stream. A great walk.Read more
1 like
Essex Traveler
Newport
March 16, 2021 in England ⋅ 🌧 10 °C
Newport is a large village south of Saffron Walden and was on the major toll road (turnpike) between London and Cambridge / Newmarket and it still has many attractive old buildings dating from that time of horse-drawn carriages. This post describes a short walk in the surrounding countryside together with an exploration of the village.

We start off at the Railway Station and follow the footpath that climbs out of the valley of the River Cam; at the top there is a lovely view of the village and the prominent tower of the Church of St Mary the Virgin. As we turn, we see the Newport Chalk Pit, the only working chalk quarry in Essex. We follow the path over the Debden Road and descend a slippery slope to the flood plain of Debden Water, a small tributary of the River Cam, before crossing it and following the path back towards Newport. A bridge takes us over the River Cam and we reach Belmont Hill (aka Newport High Street).

We see a sign on an old house which shows where the old toll bridge used to be and another sign on the building opposite shows that it was a "house of correction" back in the day. Further along Belmont Hill we pass The White Horse Inn, now a local community owned pub, and The Old Vicarage which is probably the oldest timber-framed building in the village. We walk by Monks Barn, a 15th century house with ancient carved figures below one of the windows. We turn left towards the station and note the example of Hertfordshire puddingstone close to the road.

It has been another lovely local walk.Read more
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Duxford and Local Walks Traveler
Local Walk 6 - Magog Down and Wandlebury
March 12, 2021 in England ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C
We arrive at Magog Down; this and Wandlebury are part of a range of low chalk hills in the area southeast of Cambridge (the Gog Magog).

In the case of the Magog Down, land was purchased from a local farmer and returned to chalk grassland for the public to enjoy; it is a popular walking site and has a car park - one can see the chalk base in parts and there are views of both Addenbrooke's Hospital and King's College Chapel from here.

Over the busy A1307 to Wandlebury Hill and the Wandlebury Country Park; this is managed by Cambridge Past, Present & Future - it is a beautiful countryside estate with miles of walks through woodland and meadows grazed by Highland Cattle. Wandlebury was originally the site of an Iron Age Hillfort; only the outer ditch ramparts are there now (the Ring Ditch) and it is within this that subsequent building took place. This included Lord Godolphin's 18th century estate of Wandlebury House, but only the stable block (with its characteristic cupola) remains now. Nearby is The Tadlow Granary; this was originally built locally in the 15th century, moved here in the 18th and its restoration completed in the 20th (1981).

We follow nature trails, look at the Highland Cattle, stop at the view point for Ely Cathedral (visible only on a clear day, as it is 17 miles away) and see part of the old Roman Road that passed close to here (the Via Devana) before returning to Magog Down. A very pleasant way to spend the morning.Read more
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Cambridgeshire; South District Traveler
Shepreth L-Moor and Barrington Village
March 9, 2021 in England ⋅ ⛅ 5 °C
This is a walk we have done several times over the years and it has never disappointed.

We start just before Barrington and walk the permissive path across meadowland close to the River Cam, turning off at some woodland to follow Guilden Brook; there is some waterlogging and the path has been blocked in places by fallen trees on this occasion, but it is still splendid. We reach the outskirts of Meldreth and head towards Shepreth, turning of at the Shepreth L-Moor. So called because of its shape, the site is a nature reserve and comprises unploughed grassland with many wet areas and is very attractive. After crossing the L-moor, we turn off towards the All Saints Church, cross the churchyard and walk up the High Street as far as The Plough at Shepreth; this is an active pub selling real ale, has large gardens and is a music venue as well. We cross a stile and then a small bridge before walking up a lane next to the River Shep; we pass the outskirts of the Shepreth Wildlife Park - this is small zoo and wildlife conservation charity with various creatures ranging from hedgehogs to owls, meerkats and a lynx (we have not been for a very long time).

From here we cross the railway line (Cambridge to Kings Cross) and follow the footpath across fields to the small village of Barrington; small, yes, but with a village green covering 30 acres and more than half a mile (800 m) long - it is supposedly the longest in England. It is a beautiful place on a day like today - we see the Grade I listed All Saints Church, walk along the length of the village green admiring the picture postcard cottages dotted along it and pass The Royal Oak pub. Many years ago when I first visited here, the landlady was a real character and wore extremely strong, dark make-up - great days. At the end of the green there is, of course, a village pond.

A lovely walk, with the added bonus of glorious weather today.Read more
Wolfgang und HeidiHow is it in England ? Are the hotels oparating again?
3/11/21Reply
TravelerWe are getting there and hope to be in the new normal during June. That's when hotels will be properly open, we hope.
3/11/21Reply
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Duxford and Local Walks Traveler
Local Walk 5 - Babraham to Stapleford
March 8, 2021 in England ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C
Another walk we both enjoy is the Babraham, Stapleford, Magog Down and Wandlebury loop, necessitating a short drive to the village of Babraham. This post covers the Babraham and Stapleford section; you can return to Babraham as part of a shorter circular route or continue to Wandlebury for the "long version" of the walk.

In Babraham there is a statue of Jonas Webb, a Victorian era Babraham based English farmer and stock breeder who was responsible for developing the Southdown breed of sheep into its modern form. From here we walk past the Jacobean style Babraham Hall; the hall and its estate are now part of the Babraham Institute, which undertakes research into cell and molecular biology and is itself now called the Babraham Research Campus. A little further on is the attractive St Peter's Church.

We cut across the fields to Stapleford and have an excellent view of the Magog Down, part of the Gog Magog low chalk hills; land was purchased from a local farmer and returned to chalk grassland for the public to enjoy. Reaching Stapleford we walk past the Granary; this is a music, art and education centre set in a converted granary - they have many excellent acts performing there. It is a bit of a hike up the the Haverhill Road to Magog Down and before reaching it we stop off to see Stapleford Parish Pit, where clunch building stone was once quarried - it is now a nature reserve and part of the Magog Down.Read more
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Hertfordshire Traveler
Therfield Heath
February 26, 2021 in England ⋅ ☀️ 5 °C
Therfield Heath, also known locally as Royston Heath due to its proximity on the outskirts of Royston, is a place we have visited many times over the years (Royston is about 10 miles from Duxford); it is a Site of Special Scientific Interest as it contains a Bronze Age round barrow cemetery.

On this occasion we start at the Royston sports complex (this heathland is also home to the Royston Golf Club and Rugby Club) and walk up to a knoll with a seat on it; on a clear day like today, there are excellent views of South Cambridgeshire - including Wimpole Hall. We pass the five barrows (tumuli) and take the path round the bottom section of this part of the golf course; we cross the road and then walk along the gallops, part of he Kings Ride Stables (Therfield heath was reportedly favoured by King James I as a hunting ground), to Thrift Farm; this farm hosts visits from local schools and groups who learn how the soil is farmed to produce food and how the environment is managed to create havens for wildlife - old farm machinery is on display. At the end of the farm buildings, we take the footpath across the field to a copse and take the path to the left here; we cross another field towards some woodland and have a good view of the chalk slope which is known in the area for its crop of rare pasque flowers in April.

When we reach this we walk up through beech woods to the Jubilee Wood and through the to the same road we crossed earlier; we walk along the top edge of the golf course now, seeing the five barrows from a different viewpoint, and then through more trees before emerging back to the open heath and heading back to where we started. A lovely walk.Read more
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Hertfordshire Traveler
Barley and Barkway Circular
February 22, 2021 in England ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C
It is a short drive to Barley from Duxford; Barley is now in the north corner of the county of Hertfordshire; the Prime Meridian passes close to Barley. A well known landmark in the village is the sign of The Fox and Hounds public house; another interesting sign is on a building which used to be a blacksmiths and was then used to repair vintage cars.

After parking, we walk to the War Memorial and follow the footpath and then road towards Smith End Farm. Here we cut across fields to the B1039 Barkway road; after a short walk along this we take the path across a paddock and then along a copse down to a lane. Further on, as we enter a field we see a large dead tree - it is still magnificent. This whole area is the Newsells Park Stud Farm and we bypass the entrance drive to this 1,200 acre estate which has "an international reputation for raising, selling and racing thoroughbreds of the highest class". We proceed down a bridleway and enjoy views of some of the horses grazing in the fields with the RAF Barkway Mast in the background; a little further on, looking back, we see an obelisk on the estate grounds - this was "erected by Sir Hugh Rose, later Lord Strathnairn, in memory of his favourite charger, which had carried him well during the Indian Mutiny."

We reach Barkway and walk down the High Street, part of the old London to Cambridge coaching route (see post for Barkway and Reed Loop)..

At the end of the village we take the footpath past Earl's Wood and eventually reach Messop's Grove, another wood on the way back to Barley; there is a long track to the village and there are good views - including that of the windmill at Great Chishill, one of only seven open trestle postmills in the UK.Read more
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Essex Traveler
Audley End - round the outside
February 12, 2021 in England ⋅ ⛅ -1 °C
We start from the end of Abbey Lane in Saffron Walden (where the Almhouses and Repell Ditch can be seen; see Saffron Walden - Town and Gardens), walk by the banks of The Slade, a tributary of the River Cam, and then along the perimeter of the Saffron Walden golf club course. Our footpath route cuts across the Audley End Grounds and joins a farm road passing behind the Tea House Bridge (see Audley End - Grounds) to the B1383 Littlebury to Newport road. We go down here and enjoy excellent views of both Audley End House and its stable block / exhibition centre. On the other side of the road we see the Ring Hill Temple, a circular stuccoed building with a leaded dome and a colonnade of 12 Ionic columns.

We then walk along the front of Audley End seeing the arch of the Lion Gate - this is the main entrance to the estate - and divert through tiny Audley End village itself; this was once the medieval village of Brookwalden and housed the workers at Walden Abbey and is literally a short row of small houses. We see Saint Mark's College - this was built on the site of almshouses that were attached to a hospital (part of Walden Abbey), but is now a residential youth and conference centre.

We double back and then continue uphill outside the boundary walls before turning to cross the estate back to where we started earlier; as we descend we see an obelisk in the distance. This is a commemorative column dedicated to the memory of Elizabeth, Countess of Portsmouth; she left the estate to the first Lord Braybrooke back in the 18th century and it was he who had the garden and grounds laid out by Capability Brown.Read more
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