A lot of the most popular activities in Cambridge revolve around being inside; museums, unis etc. But there are so many amazing outdoor things to do in Cambridge that are worth putting on your student bucket list. From historic houses to ghost tours and outdoor swimming, here are the things I think every fellow student needs to try while they’re studying in Cambridge.
1. Visit the dinky doors
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Now here’s a doozy, dinky doors are here to put a smile on your face and inspire creativity! The miniature doors scattered around the city serve as a perfect scavenger hunt, hidden in the corners of Cambridge you pass by everyday. In fact, it wasn’t till recently that I realised I was passing by one on my way out for the past 2 years! The little doors are made to combat loneliness so grab a map from their site to find them all. You can also commission them for yourself or send in your designs to be used on the next door.
2. Attend the Cambridge Beer Festival
For my beer-loving readers, the Cambridge Beer Festival is a highly anticipated event. It typically takes place in May, and raises funds for a chosen charity. Last year, the organisers raised £14,500 for charity, and visitors drunk nearly 60,000 pints of British beer, 7500 pints of cider, 6500 glasses of mead and 3400 glasses of wine. They also ate 820kg of cheese, and around 3000 each of pork pies and scotch eggs. Sound fun? Grab your tickets and come enjoy with other beer and cider enthusiasts for the next festival.
3. Go outdoor swimming
I have a hidden gem not many residents in Cambridge even know about. There is a small paddling pool on Lammas Land, with access via Barton Road. The pool ranges in depth from 20 to 33 centimetres which is free to use from 10am to 6pm when open. So, when heat waves arrive at the UK and our heavily insulated houses are too unbearable, you can come on down to the pool throughout all summer till the 15th of September.
4. Take a trip to Great Chishill
At 146m above sea level, Great Chishill is classed as a mountain and is marked as the highest point in Cambridgeshire. It is also home to a beautiful little village for you to explore. Although Cambridge isn’t known to be hilly, which I would know; I’m from Yorkshire, there are also six other mountains officially listed in Cambridgeshire that would make you huff and puff. So if you love the idea of outdoor hiking as things to do to keep active in Cambridge, get climbing!
5. Go on a ghost tour of Cambridge
There are plenty of outdoor (and indoor) tours you can go on in Cambridge, but why not go on one with a twist. My favourite are the ghost tours, where you can go to historical places—but instead of the usual boring information, allow yourself to be spooked. There are stories about hauntings, occultists, witches, and phantom fellows and many more. There are tales of Oliver Cromwell, hangman’s house (now student accommodation FYI), and the Round Church.
6. Visit Wicken Fen
Wicken Fern is part of wider Cambridgeshire, but it’s worth the trip as it has beautiful scenic grounds. It’s a nature reserve that covers 254.5-hectares, with unique landmarks like Fen Cottage, Docky Hut Café and a Working wooden wind pump (the last in the Fens). There are also many things to do outdoors not just sightsee, like boat trips, biking and many trails to follow.
7. Head to Houghton Mill
Another place of interest is the Houghton Mill, which is a water mill located on the Great Ouse in the village of Houghton, Cambridgeshire. It is a National Trust property which offers a guided boat tour on the river Great Ouse as well as canoeing. So come on down and breathe fresh air after days of sitting stressed in the Uni library, reconnect with nature before giving your all to your next task.
8. Do Squire Archery
This archery activity is based just to the South of Cambridge and offers a range of fun and exciting archery activities like classic target archery, TAG archery and long-distance archery for all ages. All equipment is provided for, so you don’t need to come equipped with your own bows. My favourite is the tag archery where you get to shoot each other with foam-padded arrows and have the opportunity to use colourful smoke grenades.
9. Shepreth Wildlife Park
One of the most popular outdoor things to do in Cambridge is visit Shepreth Wildlife Park. Here, you can experience wildlife encounters in Cambridge with just a short 20-minute train ride away from the city. There is a restaurant onsite too so you can stop and have a snack and spend even more time with the animals.
The Park also hosts a number of events for different seasons, such the Christmas Hedgehog Ball where all proceeds go towards the development of the current educational programme for the SWCC Hedgehog Hospital. You can book tickets to Shepreth Wildlife Park and their events on their website.
Hi! I’m a second year Creative Writer at ARU. I enjoy writing about my experiences and places, so I hope I do justice writing about the beautiful city of Cambridge and all it has to offer.
