With the latest major Covid-19 briefing permitting unlimited travel within England and unlimited outdoor exercise, lockdown life has loosened somewhat.
You can finally take that day trip to the beach or escape to the country for a few hours as long as you observe social distancing rules and don’t stay away from home overnight.
Cambridge offers a vast range of beautiful outdoor spaces for you to take a socially distanced walk or to simply while away the day.
Whether you’re travelling from a little further afield by car or are a local exploring Cambridge by bike, there are some stunning spots to choose from. Take a look at our top picks for a socially distanced wander in Cambridgeshire.
Village fens
Many reserves that form part of the famous Cambridgeshire Fens still remain closed as the organisations that run them look for ways to reopen safely for both people and the wildlife that live there. You can still explore Cambridgeshire’s striking fenland by foot or bike though.
The Cambridgeshire Fens is home to a number of towns and villages (including Whittlesey, Chatteris, and March), most of which offer miles of fenland, winding country paths, and meandering riverbanks to discover.
The village fens are great places to explore with the whole household in tow, just don’t forget to bring your binoculars to observe nature at its most beautiful.
Beechwoods
Based in south east Cambridgeshire, Beechwoods is a local nature reserve that has a long history within the area.
As its name suggests, the reserve is home to a small but majestic wood of beech trees. The trees were planted in the 1840s and have been maturing ever since.
The beech trees provide the perfect habitat for flora and fauna, so there’s plenty to see. The Beechwoods site consists of an old wood, where you’ll find the reserve’s oldest resident trees, and a new wood of broadleaved trees that were planted by locals some 20 years ago.
Grantchester Meadows
Grantchester Meadows is located just a stone’s throw away from Cambridge. In fact, it’s so close it can be reached by foot from the city centre via Lammas Land.
Grantchester Meadows is a famously popular wild swimming spot, with its riverway recently included in the Telegraph’s rundown of the best wild swimming locations in Britain.
Those who don’t fancy a dip in the cool waters of the River Cam, will find an interesting walk filled with wildlife of all sorts.
Cherry Hinton Chalk Pits
Despite resembling a lunar landscape, Cherry Hinton Chalk Pits is far from sparse. The pits are teeming with nature, including endless carpets of wildflowers and more than 60 species of bird.
The story of the former chalk quarry is also fascinating as The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire explains:
“These two chalk quarries once provided hard chalk to build Cambridge University colleges and lime for cement. Today they support a variety of habitats that harbour some rare plants and insects. Quarrying finished in Lime Kiln Close approximately 200 years ago.
Nature has reclaimed the site and woodland has developed; large ash trees now tower over field maples below. The cherry trees in Lime Kiln Close are descendants of trees that gave Cherry Hinton its name.”
The pits are just 2.5 miles away from Cambridge city centre, making it the perfect day out for locals or those looking to combine a nature filled trek with a look around one of the most charming cities in the UK.