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Fiona Whitty and her son visit historic Cambridge to try pastimes old and new, meeting a herd of cows and learning about the city’s history while on a bike ride tour
Cycling across Cambridge city centre’s vast swathes of parkland, wind gently whistling through my hair, life couldn’t feel much better.
And then came the cows – a herd of brown and white splodged beasts bumbling towards me, not a fence between us to protect me from their plodding hooves. But all around me was an air of calm, no one else the least bit perturbed by a bunch of farm animals trampling over a city green. Was this normal?
Well, normal it was not. But then again this was Cambridge, a place where deep tradition seamlessly merges with modern flair and a few added quirks in between. Centuries ago cattle were a common sight in UK cities when local farmers would graze them in public spaces.
Industrialisation drove most out but Cambridge’s bovine beasts stood firm and have become a symbol just as striking as its River Cam punts. Nowadays dozens graze on commons between April and October, mingling happily with residents and visitors alike.
And, once we’d got over our surprise, my 15-year-old son Freddie and I found them an added delight to our bike ride. We’d picked up hire cycles from Primo Bikes and found ourselves meandering along river paths, across greens and past history-steeped colleges.
We weren’t the only ones. Cycling seemed to be the form of transport for many, from students to parents pushing child-filled karts hooked up in front. Streets away from the main drags were surprisingly quiet, there were plenty of bike lanes and paths and motorists tended to be respectful of their two-wheeled neighbours.
Saddling up was a relaxing way to gain a good feel for the place while blowing off a few cobwebs. (bike hire from £15, primocycles.co.uk ) Cambridge is great for kids as there’s so much to see and do, yet it’s compact enough to keep tired legs and grumbles at bay.
Punting turned out to be a pretty good way to gen up on some of its history. The flat-bottomed vessels, propelled by pushing a pole onto the riverbed, were once used to transport cargo along its shallow waters. But then 114 years ago former boat builder Maurice ‘Jack’ Scudamore hit on the pleasure boating market – and launched Cambridge’s iconic image.
You can still hire one from Scudamore’s today but I played it safe with a guided punt (from £49 for two, scudamores.com ). During our trip we glided past some of the most prestigious colleges as our guide Kathy extolled colourful tales.
Pranksters from a secretive student society called The Night Climbers, for example, once scrambled up one of King’s College’s four 148ft high spires to pop a traffic cone on top – only to return and do it again after the headmaster had spent days (and a lot of money) having it removed.
And at Clare College a statue of alumnus Sir David Attenborough now has a nose ‘as flat as Voldemort’s’ because students rub it for good luck before an exam. Our base was The Fellows House, a Curio Collection by Hilton hotel that was smart, modern and individual yet friendly and laid-back.
Situated quietly on the outskirts, it was a pleasant 15-minute stroll from the centre across pretty Jesus Green or along the riverside. I was impressed by how family-friendly it was, with kitchenettes in most rooms, a laundry room in the basement and a snooker table in the bar. There was also a gym and pool.
Fred and I spread out over what felt like a luxurious apartment – two large rooms with interconnecting doors. Both had king-sized beds alongside kitchenettes while mine also had a sofa bed – perfect for larger families. Meals at the hotel matched the grandeur. For dinner Fred enjoyed a sirloin steak washed down with a raspberry sour mocktail while I loved my salmon with truffle broccoli.
Breakfasts were hearty with a huge choice of hot and cold buffet goodies, plus a pancake making machine and made-to-order omelettes. The kiwi, spinach, cucumber and lime super smoothies were incredible. We’d arrived in the city by train on a Great Northern one-stop service from London which takes less than 50 minutes. The station’s the other side of the city to the hotel so we hopped on a bus from there.
Just down the road from The Fellows House lay Tivoli leisure complex. A former cinema with its original Art Deco charm, it has four floors of entertainment including games, a restaurant and bar, views over the River Cam and a terrace that would be perfect on a sunny day.
Sadly ours wasn’t – but we still made the most of it, starting off with a round of crazy golf, all the more fun with neon lights and cool music. Afterwards we tried shuffleboard, where the aim is to push a puck down a board and into a scoring zone while trying to knock your opponent out.
It was the first time Fred and I had played – and we’re hooked. A pizza for him and a salad for me rounded off a fun session. (golf from £7.50pp, shuffleboard from £15, thetivoli.co.uk )
Back in the city centre we swung by a Cambridge institution – Jack’s Gelato, where top-notch ice cream is made by hand, sometimes even with produce from Jack’s own allotment.
The queues are worth it thanks to fresh flavours such as chilli and salt and roasted banana. ( jacksgelato.com ) We also took a self-guided walking tour with CityDays. Riddles and clues centred on various landmarks were sent via WhatsApp, and after solving them we received more background information – like how the Wren Library houses an original manuscript of Winnie the Pooh. (£15pp, citydays.com )
It was an ideal way to keep a lively teen engrossed while covertly teaching him a bit of history. Once again Cambridge had nailed it.
Book the holiday
- Great Northern and sister firm Thameslink run direct services to Cambridge from London King’s Cross, King’s Lynn, Stevenage, Brighton and various other stations. Return fares from London from £30.50, accompanying children can travel for £2 off peak. greatnorthernrail.com
- Rooms at The Fellows House Cambridge hotel start at £129 a night room-only. hilton.com.
- More info at love-cambridge.com