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Cambridgeshire; Cambridge City

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    August 13, 2019
    Andrew's TravelsCambridgeshire; Cambridge CityTraveler

    Urban Ramble, part 1

    August 13, 2019 in England ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    I received an excellent Christmas present from Sarah - a book called Urban Rambles which documents walks covering both a city and it's local countryside - and have finally got round to using it! We have lived in the Cambridge area for over 30 years and this walk showed us quirky things we have not seen before and provided information we did not know.

    Starting in Cambridge City centre, we walked down to the River Cam and the Backs taking in the classic views of the Mathematical Bridge (connecting two parts of Queens College) and Kings College Chapel. There is an aluminium statue of DNA in Clare College, where James Watson was a graduate student. Crossing back via the Garrett Hostel Bridge, we saw Trinity Hall's modern Jerwood Library, saw the magnificent Trinity Great Court and the original Trinity College gates before turning up along Trinity Street    Read more

  • Andrew's TravelsCambridgeshire; Cambridge CityTraveler

    Urban Ramble, part 2

    August 13, 2019 in England ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    The Round Church, one of the oldest buildings in Cambridge, is one of four medieval round churches still in use in England. A short diversion across Magdalene Bridge brings you to the Museum of Cambidge which is housed in what was until 1934 the White Horse Inn; in the yard is a sign for the old Canbridge based Dales Brewery, which ceased brewing in 1958.

    Doubling back and cutting through the delightful Portugal Place, we saw the sculpture representing a DNA helix outside the house where Francis Crick lived in the 1950s.

    Walking over Jesus Green and Midsummer Common, with views across the Cam, and diverting further upriver brings you to the Museum of Technology and its characteristic chimney; the shaft is 175 feet tall and was used as part of the original pumping station steam engine house.    Read more

  • Andrew's TravelsCambridgeshire; Cambridge CityTraveler

    Urban Ramble, part 3

    August 13, 2019 in England ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    We went next to Mill Road Cemetery where it is hard to believe you are close to the centre of Cambridge. Walking down Mill Road and along Parker's Piece brings you to the Catholic Church (Church of Our Lady and the English Martyrs); here you can divert to the War Memorial.

    Heading back to the church and left down Lensfield Road takes you to Hobson's Conduit, named after Thomas Hobson who financed the conveying of fresh water into Cambridge in 1610 (he is better known for the expression "Hobson's choice"). We passed by the Botanic Gardens on this occasion and then walked through the Empty Common Allotments and its community garden.

    We then proceeded through the tiny Clare Woods and along side the Guided Busway with views of Addenbrooke's Hospital before entering Trumpington and heading to the beautiful village of Granchester.    Read more

  • Andrew's TravelsCambridgeshire; Cambridge CityTraveler

    Urban Ramble, part 4

    August 13, 2019 in England ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    After a detour to Byron's Pool, where Lord Byron regularly took a swim, we went through Granchester Village noting the statue of Rupert Brooke in the garden of The Old Vicarage where he used to live (the house is now owned by Jeffrey and Mary Archer) and proceeding to Granchester Church.

    Doubling back to the Orchard Tea Rooms for a peep, the walk takes you along the bank of the River Cam, through Granchester Meadows (part of the broad green flood plain also encompassing Lammas Land, the Backs, Jesus Green, Midsummer Common and Stourbridge Common) and back into Cambridge itself - punts can be hired at Scudamore's Boat Hire down river to Granchester and back.    Read more

  • Andrew's TravelsCambridgeshire; Cambridge CityTraveler

    Cambridge lock down, part 1 - Town

    June 2, 2020 in England ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Helen and I thought we would walk around Cambridge mid-week during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown to enjoy a local and tourist free experience - it was not disappointing.

    The town centre was virtually deserted, as you can see from the pictures of Kings Parade, Trinity Street and the Market Square. The statue is William Harvey (he discovered blood circulation, apparently) and the final picture is something we had never visited before - the Ascension Parish Burial Ground located on the outskirts of Cambridge. It was formerly the burial ground for the parish of  St Giles and St Peter's and includes the graves and memorials of many academics.Read more

  • Andrew's TravelsCambridgeshire; Cambridge CityTraveler
    1

    Cambridge lock down, part 2 - Gown

    June 2, 2020 in England ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    As a result of the lockdown, there are no students at the University. The photos show:
    1. The University Library,
    2. Empty punts viewed from Garret Hostel Bridge,
    3. Trinity College chimneys,
    4. The Great Gate of St John's College; the animals are mythical beasts called yales, which have elephants' tails, antelope' bodies and goat's heads with swivelling horns,
    5. The Senate House and
    6. The Mathematical Bridge spanning the River Cam at Queens' College.    Read more

  • Andrew's TravelsCambridgeshire; Cambridge CityTraveler

    A place of springs, cliffs and lakes

    November 17, 2020 in England ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Who would have thought that the beautiful university city of Cambridge would contain these geographical features within its boundaries?  The idea for this post came from Cambridge Critique, an occasional email on the local cultural scene, describing some local hidden delights; visiting these made for a really enjoyable few hours out and about.
     
    Springs
    Nine Wells is a small area of woodland and nature reserve close to Addenbrooke's Hospital; concealed within the trees are four natural springheads.  Hobson's Conduit was constructed in 1610 to bring water from here to the city in order to sanitise the open sewers and to provide water for the population (see Cambridge Urban Ramble, part 3); water continues to flow into Cambridge to this day.  It is a lovely place to walk around and there is also a monument to Hobson's Conduit here.
     
    Cliffs
    It is short drive from Nine Wells to Cherry Hinton, where hidden between Fulbourn Road and Limekiln Road are the Cherry Hinton Chalk Pits - a 12 hectare site.  It was astonishing to see this for the first time after many, many years of living in the Cambridge area!  It is possible to discern coloured strata in the rocks, showing the levels of ancient seas that used to cover Eastern England.
     
    Lakes
    A couple of miles away close to where Mill Road meets Brooks Road is access to a walk that runs alongside a clear chalk stream known as Cherry Hinton Brook; it is called "Snakey Path" and it was another first for me - the walk passes several designated City Wildlife Sites.  Concealed behind a fence and trees are two old chalk pits that have been filled to form private fishing lakes.  Occasionally there are some wonderful views across these impressive stretches of water.    Read more

  • Andrew's TravelsCambridgeshire; Cambridge CityTraveler

    Fantastic beasts and where to find them

    November 19, 2020 in England ⋅ 🌧 8 °C

    The idea for this post came from Atlas Obscura (thanks Ant) - an online catalogue of unusual / obscure travel destinations - and its entries for Cambridge.
     
    Perusing this, I saw the entry for "Reality Checkpoint"; this is a large cast-iron lamppost with intertwined, wide-eyed dolphins on its base, and is situated in the middle of Parker's Piece at the intersection of the park's diagonal paths. I have walked past this many, many times and never really clocked it! I had to go and see it - check the Atlas Obscura entry on-line or Wikipedia for the theories regarding its curious name.... 

    I also saw in Atlas Obscura the entry for the Corpus Clock and Chronophage ("time eater") which overlooks King's Parade at the junction with Bene't Street.  It features a large, toothed grasshopper devouring time and is particularly interesting on the hour and at night; I have seen and photographed this before.

    So, what other beasts are on display in Cambridge?
     
    From the University's perspective, the Great Gate of St John's College features mythical beasts called yales - these have elephants' tails, antelopes' bodies and goats' heads, with horns which can, supposedly, swivel from back to front.  Heading from here to Downing Street, we reach the University Museum of Zoology and see an excellent display showing the diversity of animal life.
     
    Shopping at Scotsdales Garden Centre along Cambridge Road is also interesting; you never know what you might see lurking in the undergrowth surrounding the displays.....
         Read more

  • Andrew's TravelsCambridgeshire; Cambridge CityTraveler
    Cherry Hinton Brook source
    Cherry Hinton HallColdham's CommonAbbey Stadium and Barnwell LakeThe Leper ChapelStourbridge Common

    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

  • Andrew's TravelsCambridgeshire; Cambridge CityTraveler
    The Eagle, Bene't Street
    Plaques outside The Eagle and Cavendish LaboratoryPortugal PlaceClare CollegeDNA Cycle Path near Addenbrooke's Hospital

    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

  • Andrew's TravelsCambridgeshire; Cambridge CityTraveler

    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

  • Andrew's TravelsCambridgeshire; Cambridge CityTraveler
    Classic images of cows about Cambridge
    Moss Cow / Four-Four-MooCowbridgesKowmono / MooMoo-o-Tron IIIButtercup / Art Attack SplatThe Moostery Sculpture / Mooshu

    Cows about Cambridge

    July 24, 2021 in England ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    When one thinks about cows about Cambridge, you usually think of the classic image of cows grazing close to Kings College or on Midsummer Common..... but, there is currently a public art event in the city called Cows about Cambridge; this is a free trail of 90 individually designed cow sculptures (44 large and 46 small) around the city that is available until 4th September 2021, after which they will be auctioned off for charity.   All the cows are based on the same two moulds, are made from fibreglass and have been painted by regional artists and sponsored by businesses from many different sectors.

    The trail had to be done, of course, and the pictures show some of the large cows (they are approx. 1.34m tall, 2.13m in length and 0.55m wide and weigh approx. 45kg).    Read more

  • Andrew's TravelsCambridgeshire; Cambridge CityTraveler
    Cambridge North station; mathematical cladding (zoom in)
    Cambridge North station; Hercules meets GalateaThe new Abbey Chesterton Bridge across the River Cam / View towards Fen DittonDitton MeadowsThe Leper ChapelNewmarket Road underpassColdham's Common; Barnwell LakeColdham's Common; Cambridge United - Abbey Stadium / Cows on the common

    Chisholm Trail, Phase 1

    May 23, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    The Chisholm Trail is a walking and cycling route which will link the business and science parks via Cambridge North railway station to Addenbrooke's Hospital, the Biomedical Campus and the proposed Cambridge South railway station; it will also connect with the Guided Busway to St Ives, Cambs and the National Cycle Network.  Phase 1 was opened in December 2021 and covers the area from Cambridge North Station to Coldham's Lane; Phase 2 will connect to phase 1 at Coldham’s Common on Coldham’s Lane.

    We start at Cambridge North railway station; the aluminium roof cladding has a mathematical design derived from the Game of Life 'cellular automaton‘ and outside it is a 2021 statue depicting the Greco-Roman deities Hercules and Galatea where the man looks "rigid and dated" and the woman appears  “strong, dynamic and empowered".....  We walk down to the river and cross the new Abbey Chesterton bridge for bicycles and pedestrians across the River Cam, installed in November 2020, before crossing Ditton Meadows towards Newmarket Road via properly surfaced paths.  We reach the 12th century Leper Chapel, part of the buildings of a leper hospital that stood a little beyond the outskirts of the city on the road to Bury St Edmunds.

    We are now able to cross Newmarket road via the new The Newmarket Road underpass, an important link in the Chisholm Trail, that reopened in 2022 with proper artwork to replace the graffiti and "street-art" that was there previously.  On the other side is Coldham's Common and a proper view of Barnwell Lake - previously, it could only be glanced through trees.  The Chisholm Trail crosses the common outside the Abbey Stadium, home of Cambridge United, before reaching Cromwell Road.

    Phase 2 of the Chisholm Trail will connect here, providing a route through the city via Cambridge main railway station to the south of the city on both sides of the railway track.  Watch this space.........    Read more

  • Andrew's TravelsCambridgeshire; Cambridge CityTraveler
    Cambridge University Library
    Spitting Image; Margaret ThatcherSpitting Image; John Major / Jacob Rees-Mogg / Tony BlairSpitting Image; Mikhail GorbachevSpitting Image; Prince Charles / Princess DianaSpitting Image; The Queen MotherSpitting Image; Sting / Gary LinekerSidgwick Site; Sculpture / DAZE IV, a human form by Sir Anthony GormleyRidley Hall

    University Library; Spitting Image

    February 17, 2024 in England ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Cambridge University Library is the main research library of the University of Cambridge and the largest of over 100 libraries within the university; the current building opened in 1934. The main University Library hosts exhibitions in its purpose-built Milstein Exhibition Centre; this is the reason for our visit, as there is an exhibition relating to Spitting Image, a British satirical television puppet show, created by Peter Fluck, Roger Law and Martin Lambie-Nairn in 1984.  There is a Cambridge connection as Fluck and Law both attended the Cambridge School of Art; indeed, Robert Fluck used to live in Duxford, where I live.

    The series featured puppet caricatures of contemporary celebrities and public figures, including British Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher and John Major and the British royal family.  Some of these were on display together with original drawings, letters, and notes at the small exhibition.  It was excellent and brought back many memories of the program.

    From there we walked across the University's Sidgwick site (home to several of the university's arts and humanities faculties, and where there are a couple of interesting statues and carvings) and past Ridley Hall (a theological college that trains men and women intending to take Holy Orders as deacon or priest of the Church of England - it is not a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, but the school does have ties with the university's Faculty of Divinity).    Read more

  • Andrew's TravelsCambridgeshire; Cambridge CityTraveler
    Nine Wells; general view / one of the springs here
    Nine Wells; the waterway / monument to the conduitHobson's Park Bird Reserve, with the biomedical campus behind itSmall Lake on Darien Meadow / Bridge on the other side of the Long Road crossingThe junction where the man-made Channel branches from Vicar's BrookEn route to, and the Empty Common Community Garden allotmentsBotanical Gardens; the cottage at the edge / an unused entranceBrookside / The conduit head at Lensfield Road; the old market Fountain was moved here as a monumentTrumpington Street branch; runnels run along both sides of the road / View to Fitzwilliam MuseumThe fountain in Cambridge Market Square

    Hobson's Conduit; Nine Wells - Cambridge

    May 2, 2024 in England ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    I have long wanted to do this complete walk, from the source of Hobson's Conduit to the city centre, having walked parts of various sections over the years.  Hobson's Conduit, also called Hobson's Brook, is a watercourse that was built from 1610 to 1614 to bring fresh water into the city of Cambridge from the freshwater chalk springs at Nine Wells; the scheme was financed by Cambridge University, but Thomas Hobson, a local businessman, was involved in the construction and set up a maintenance endowment for the waterway which is now named after him.  

    Nine Wells is a nature reserve close to Addenbrooke's Hospital; there are four springs here and a monument, one of two, to the conduit.  Hobson's Brook runs past the hospital and biomedical campus; there is a slight diversion for walkers away from the brook due to ongoing building work at the new Cambridge South railway station, but I soon re-join the path and follow it with the Hobson Park Bird Reserve on one side and the edge of Great Kneighton village on the other.  I then cross the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway track before walking through more green space to reach Long Road (A1134); after this, the waterway reverts to its original name of Vicar's Brook as I cross over and onto Darien Meadow.

    At the end of the meadow, the man-made channel of Hobson's Brook branches off from Vicar's Brook - there is a small bridge to cross here (obviously) and the two run parallel for a while enclosing a stretch of common ground, now used for allotments (the Empty Common Community Garden), emerging at the junction of Brooklands Avenue and Trumpington Road.  The waterway passes the west side of the Cambridge University Botanical Gardens (it supplies water to the small lake here) before reaching the conduit head at Lensfield Road, where there is the second monument to Hobson and the conduit - the original Market Fountain was moved here in 1856.  

    The flow of water was divided into four separate branches from here for different uses, but only one branch remains - the Trumpington Street branch, which fed Peterhouse and Pembroke Colleges, as well as the original Addenbrooke's Hospital.  I follow this, seeing the deep channels known as runnels at the side of the road that did this, and then divert to the Market Square; the original fountain was partly moved to form the monument in Lensfield Road and soon after a Gothic Revival gabled fountain was erected, but most of this Victorian fountain was pulled down in 1953.

    It has been a very interesting 4.4-mile walk with great views in places (see captions on photos).    Read more

  • Andrew's TravelsCambridgeshire; Cambridge CityTraveler
    Eddington; Giraffodil / Cosmic Explorer
    West Hub, Hubert the Giraffe / University Library, UmnyamaSt John's Street; Grandifolia Camelopardalis / Anne of Grey GablesGreat St Mary's Church; Growth / Theory of EverythingSt Mary's Street, Find a New Perspective / Market Square, CaratThe Graduate Hotel, Boaty / The Hilton Hotel, On Yer BikeLion Yard; Gearaffe / Nelson MandelaGrand Arcade; Metropogiraffoplis / Gina GiraffactsDrummer Street, Go Wild / Christ's Pieces, PoppyNew Square Park, Jiggles and Iggles

    Standing Tall; Giraffes in Cambridge 1

    May 12, 2024 in England ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Cambridge Standing Tall is a giraffe sculpture trail in Cambridge city centre from 21 March to 2 June 2024; after this the sculptures will be sold off to raise money for Break, a charity organisation working in Cambridgeshire.  Break "gives vulnerable children, young people and families the time, support, and care they need to achieve their full potential", and the purpose of the trail is to raise the aspirations of the county’s young care leavers.  

    The trail comprises 31 large giraffe sculptures, each decorated by an artist and sponsored by a local business; en route, there are also 60 mini giraffes created by local schools and community groups.

    We followed the trail for the large ones, and these are shown in the order on the Trail Map. This post covers Eddington, on the northwest of the city centre, to New Square Park, in the centre. Captions on the photos indicate the location and the name of the sculpture.    Read more

  • Andrew's TravelsCambridgeshire; Cambridge CityTraveler
    The Grafton Centre, In My DNA / Anglia Ruskin University, Endangered
    Parker's Piece; Evie / Swifts - Visitors to CambridgeParker's Piece, Savannah's Golden Guardian / The Gonville Hotel, Strawberries and CreamHills Road War Memorial, Jungle Giraffe / Cambridge Railway Station, Kind HeartedCambridge Railway Station, Glisten UpCambridge Railway Station, Born to Stand OutCambridge North Railway Station; Kickers / Honey

    Standing Tall; Giraffes in Cambridge 2

    May 13, 2024 in England ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    This post follows on from Standing Tall; Giraffes in Cambridge 1, and shows the rest of the sculptures in Cambridge Cilty Centre as well as those at the two railway stations; once again, location and sculpture name are indicated on the the photo captions.Read more

  • Andrew's TravelsCambridgeshire; Cambridge CityTraveler
    Spacecraft; the Museum of Technology
    Octospa; Sedgwick StreetReality Checkpoint; Parker's PieceTeloport-o-matic; Market SquareLove from above; All Saints Garden, Trinity StreetRide and Park portal; Jesus Lock footbridgeRocket Rocket; Green StreetWonder Emporium; Sussex StreetMage's Pages; Cambridge Press bookstore, Trinity StreetDinky Shrinky; Entopia Building, Parkside10 (and a quarter) Downing Street; outside The New Museum site

    Dinky Doors

    March 26 in England ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Dinky Doors are a series of miniature sculptures (with doors), lovingly made and hidden just out of plain sight in the beautiful city of Cambridge; they are intended as little portals into other worlds, made with a dollop of humour to spark imaginations and make people smile - and there is usually a story behind them.  The artists "dream of a world where the young, old, rich and poor can experience a 'jolt of joy’ or a ‘dollop of delight’ to brighten their day and momentarily forget their worries.  They were involved with "Moomoo-o-Tron III," one of the Cows about Cambridge (see other FP trip, July 2022)  which was auctioned off to raise money for charity.

    The artworks change over time and mysteriously appear in various locations; here are those that I have seen in situ:

    1.  Museum of Technology - Here, a  spaceship containing the Dinky Doors Supreme Leader has crashed into the wall.

    2.  Sedgewick Street - The Octospa artwork incorporates a bollard on the street which has been painted to look like a lighthouse; in front, there's a lighthouse keeper’s cottage (including the door) and, just outside, an octopus enjoying a spa bath in a flower bed.

    3. Parker's Piece - Situated at Reality Checkpoint, where the reality bubble of "gown" meets the reality of "town."

    4. Market Square - The Teloport-o-matic is a new and improved teleportation service costing only 3 pence.

    5. All Saints Garden - Love from above has a present on a doorstep for a demon behind the door; the present has been left by an angel on the roof above.

    6. Jesus Lock footbridge - The Ride and Park portal enables you to get a ride to Wandlebury or Milton Country Parlk, depending on your choice.

    7. Green Street - Rocket Rocket is a vehicle ror going off to find the Supreme Leader, powered by rocket (arugula).

    8. Sussex Street - Wonder Emporium is a little storefront where various knick knacks can be purchased for 3p each (genuine 3p coins only).

    9. Trinity Street - Mage's Pages outside the Cambridge Press bookstore a little book garden tended by a Bookmage and the source of all the books in the store.

    10. Parkside - Dinky Shrinky outside the Entopia Building on Regent Street next to Parkside is a solar-powered shrink ray and observation laboratory that can shrink both unhappiness and also CO2 emissions.

    11. Downing Street - 10 (and a quarter) Downing Street outside the New Museum site has a purple octopus pouring out of the door panels (perhaps from the Zoology Museum on the other side of the wall).    Read more

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