Cambridge
I strategically planned out my school schedule to only have classes at the beginning of the week, giving me time to travel. Last week, I decided I wanted to take a train to Cambridge, which is best known for its prestigious universities and colleges. I had no plans set in stone besides a punting tour at 3 p.m.
I left early in the morning and arrived in Cambridge around 10 a.m. I booked an off-peak ticket with several options for return times, so I had all day to explore without worrying about making a certain train.
Right outside the station, there were food trucks including a coffee truck where I ordered a chai latte. The weather was absolutely beautiful, I was very grateful to have a day with sunshine and no rain.
Botanic Gardens
Less than a five-minute walk away was my first stop: Cambridge University Botanic Gardens. This was my favorite thing I did while in Cambridge. There were so many different types of plants and trees to see. The walk paths were very immersive, with one leading down into a small rocky area to show mountainous plants and others leading you through tall plants and grasses. Everything was so colorful it was like stepping into a hidden fairytale land right off of the city street.
There were rotating displays of plants, such as the winter garden, showing off plants that thrive in chilly weather. I walked further into the gardens and eventually made my way to the greenhouses, also called the Glasshouse Range. You could see huge plants reaching up to the roof from the outside. |
| The Glasshouse Range |
The Glasshouses had different rooms housing plants from different climates and biomes. I would walk from one room to the next and the temperature and humidity would change drastically. There I walked through the halls of of life in deserts, tropical wetlands, tropical rainforests, mountains, and coasts all within less than half an hour. It was very interesting to see how plants thrive no matter the conditions.
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| Nerine filamentosa originating in South Africa |
After I left the greenhouses, I continued to wander throughout the park. I thought it was neat how the displays of plants protruded from precisely cut plots and asymmetrical paths through well-kept lawns. There were free booklets with more information about subjects like climate change and medicinal plants with a guide to the plants throughout the park. I walked through without looking at a map and read a booklet I picked up on climate change later in the day while I waited for my punting tour to begin.
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| Grassy paths through plots of plants |
Universities and Colleges
Cambridge's "claim to fame" is its several prominent colleges. The University of Cambridge alone has 31 colleges—many of which have an extensive history dating back over 500 years. King's College is one of those, founded in 1441 by King Henry VI. Unfortunately, you cannot enter any of these schools without paying a fee, but I was impressed just looking at the outside. Opposite the University of Cambridge, there were several touristy shops with Cambridge sweatshirts and "tchotchkes" of sorts. Even though I went on a weekday, this area was still bustling with tourists.
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| King's College |
Mathematical Bridge
Along the way around the university, I stopped at a couple other notable spots, such as a Mathematical Bridge and the Corpus Clock. These two things were neat to see along the way. I learned on my punting tour later there is a folklore surrounding the original Mathematical Bridge. The one currently standing is a replica of a bridge that was built without screws or bolts—entirely supported by compression. I just thought it was neat to watch the punt tours float by underneath it—something I would get to do later.
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| 1905 Queen's College Mathematical Bridge |
Corpus Clock
Also along the way was the Corpus Chronophage Clock, chronophage meaning time-eater. A mechanical grasshopper, the chronophage, is situated on top of a metal clock, pulling it forward with its legs every second. The grasshopper is an ode to the grasshopper escapement mechanism invented in 1722 and part of every mechanical clock. It is a traditional mechanical clock with a futuristic look. At the top of every hour, passersby can hear chains rattling and nails hammered into a coffin—a grim reminder we are all running on borrowed time. I did not stick around to hear the eerie sound.
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| 2008 Corpus Clock at Corpus Christi College |
Newton's Apple Tree
Sure, Sir Isaac Newton's story of his apple tree may be fictitious, but his apple tree is real and still alive in three locations, including Cambridge. The tree in front of Trinity College is a clone of the original tree in Lincolnshire where he was raised. Clone meaning a piece of the original tree was taken and planted at Trinity College, where Newton attended school in 1661. Whether or not this tree can still be considered the "original" will be up to one's discretion.
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| Newton's Apple Tree at Trinity College, planted in 1954 |
Punting
Before coming to Cambridge, I heard the "thing to do" was a punting tour down the River Cam to see the backsides of all the schools. A punt is a flat-bottomed boat and punting is propelling the punt forward by driving a pole down to the ground. Punting traces its roots back to the 1800s and today it's a fun sightseeing activity to learn more about the city. The tour was about 45 minutes and was a there-and-back trip going underneath many bridges including the Mathematical Bridge and the Bridge of Sighs.
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| 1831 Bridge of Sighs at St. John's College |
Our guide told us more about the schools and their history as we made our way down the river. My favorite fun fact was the secret urban climbing society at the University of Cambridge. There is a secret society that climbs university buildings and places items at the tops of buildings overnight, such as a traffic cone. The university put up more CCTV cameras and anti-climbing devices but was unsuccessful—not a single student was ever caught. To really rub it in, the society wrote a book advising people how to climb different buildings while staying out of view of cameras. The publisher refused to reveal the names of the students and it is believed the group is still active.
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| King's College from the River Cam I enjoyed the punting tour, but I disagree it is an essential activity when visiting. It was about £20 to ride for 45 minutes, which is a steep price for what it is. It was relaxing and interesting, but there was nothing jaw-dropping, just building backsides. The punts are small with little legroom, I was ok for the duration of the ride, but I imagine it would be uncomfortable for people who need more room. I booked my ticket in advance through Tripadvisor through Cambridge Punt Company. Cambridge EatsOne of the best parts of any trip—eating! For lunch, I ate at Fitzbillies, an iconic Cambridge cake shop since 1920. It is known for its Chelsea buns, or cinnamon buns, but I opted for a red velvet cupcake and a bacon jam grilled cheese instead. Both were delicious and surprisingly filling. They serve coffee as well and have a full brunch menu at the location where I dined.  |
In Sum
Cambridge was an affordable, safe day trip to do by myself. It was a quick journey from Norwich and I did nearly everything I wanted to do within the day. The only things I did not get to do were museums. There is the University Museum Of Zoology, The Fitzwilliam Museum, and the University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology I wish I had time for too. Overall, Cambridge was a lovely, busy city with a lot of interesting history and things to see—it made for the perfect day trip.
This blog post was written for HON491C
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