December walks

Our second month of weekly circular walks. I’m keeping a record here for future reference – and maybe some ideas for other walkers.

7 Dec 2020 – Wimpole Estate

Walk 5 in Cambridgeshire Circular Walks. 4.75 miles.

Nice to be joined by Ella, who is back from Oxford for Christmas. We chose Wimpole because we (correctly) thought it might be a bit less muddy than other options. It was good to have a little more up-and-down in the walk too, although we were denied what should have been some nice views by a persistent fog. We must come back on a clear day. The new car park and visitors’ centre are now in place, and much of the route we walked has renewed paths, which are in great condition – so it is a comfortable stroll. If using the 2016 edition of the Circular Walks book, be aware that the exact layout of some of the paths at the top of the walk has changed.

(Update: we went back on a clear day in Winter 2022 and enjoyed both the views and The Chequers pub at Orwell).

See November’s walks.

14 Dec 2020 – Cambridge to Grantchester

Walk 8 in Cambridgeshire Circular Walks but starting from the University Library. 6 miles.

Our familiarity with this walk dates right back to our student days, though it’s not one we’ve made for a long time. On a pleasant winter’s day we walked out from the city centre (with a slight variant on the walk in the book, we started and finished at the University Library) through Newnham and the Grantchester meadows to Grantchester and back, stopping for a coffee underneath the church clock. On the way out, we did discover a bit of path we’d never been on before, through the Paradise Nature Reserve. In the meadows, it was way too wet underfoot to use use the path alongside the river, as suggested in the book, but the main path is very easy going.

28 Dec – Chesterton to Cambridge

5.3 mile circuit. From Water St., Chesterton, along the river into Cambridge, cutting via Clarendon St to Parker’s Piece, Lensfield Rd, Trumpington St, Trinity St, Portugal Place and back along the river.

Post-Christmas walk for the whole family. It’s been quite wet, so we decided not to go cross-country and headed along the river into Cambridge on another foggy day. The city is in its latest form of Covid lockdown, so was very quiet – and very few boats out on the river. A good mix of riverside stroll and historic Cambridge, with endless potential stopping-off and refreshment options along the way!

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