Cambridge
Cambridge or Oxford
- deciding which one to visit first? Both of these
university towns are definitely worth a visit in their
own right, with Cambridge being handily placed just
an hour away from London.
Cambridge is generally considered to be a quieter
and more secluded place than Oxford. Perhaps the
most distinguishing feature of the town is "the
Backs" - the green fields alongside the River
Cam which overlook the backs of the old colleges and
provide one of the town's most memorable images.
Cambridge is a very compact place where you
can walk around (or cycle, like the majority of students)
the pleasant historic centre in an afternoon. However
if you explore the architecture and history of the
colleges and also go for a 'punt' on the river, your
day or even weekend will have been filled very easily.
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Punting is a quintessential Cambridge past-time,
and a common sight on the stretch of the Cam running
parallel to the Backs are 'punt jams', as these hard
to navigate craft collide with each other. The main
spots from which to hire a punt (and a 'chauffeur'
- normally a student) are Magdalene Bridge and the
Rat and Parrot pub on Jesus Green.
Cambridge has been an important town since Roman
times, as it is sited at the first navigable point
on the River Cam. In the 11th Century, religious orders
were established in the town, but it wasn't until
the thirteenth century - when a group of religious
scholars broke away from Oxford University after academic
and religious disputes - that Cambridge was firmly
put on the academic map. Rivalry - sometimes friendly,
sometimes bitter - has existed between the two university
towns ever since. The annual Boat Race on the River
Thames provides an opportunity for this rivalry to
be played out in a competitive sporting environment.
There are a number of musuems in Cambridge, but the
most impressive by far is the Fitzwilliam.
Benefiting from a number of private bequests, the
Fitzwilliam (on Trumpington St) contains an array
of antiquities and artworks that range from ancient
Greek vases and Egyptian mummies through to twentieth
century pieces by artists such as Moore and Hockney.
The Colleges are what makes Cambridge famous
however, and there are fifteen colleges that can be
visited. It does pay to choose a handful to concentrate
your efforts on though, and three of the more popular
and widely visited are:
- Kings College - Most people visit this
college to take in the splendour of the King's College
Chapel (pictured at top) - a medieval masterpiece
which took 70 years to build.
- Trinity College - the largest of the Cambridge
colleges, and to make the point clear, it also has
the largest courtyard.
- St John's College - leading through three
successive courts to the river, the nearby Bridge
of Sighs links the old college with the neo-Gothic
New Court.
Note that most of the colleges are closed during
the exam period (May to early June), and most also
charge an admission fee to view the college buildings
and grounds.
Getting There
Trains depart from central London every two hours
and the journey takes just under one hour.
To access timetable and fare information call National
Rail Enquiries (08457/484950) or look at their website
on www.rail.co.uk.
The train station is about a mile southeast of the
city centre, off Hills Road. You can easily walk into
the city centre (20 mins) or you can take the shuttle
bus #1, which will run you into town (one leaves approx
every eight minutes - not Sunday).
If you arrive by car, be aware that most of the
city is closed off to traffic and you will have
great difficulty finding a park. Park-and-Ride car
parks offer a less frustrating alternative.
Tourist Information
The tourist office is located in the ornate, domed
former public library on Wheeler Street, off King's
Parade. They also offer an accommodation service (call
on 01223/457581).
The tourist office also runs walking tours of
the centre (these are very popular), which usually
last for two hours. These cost £6.25, and include
entry to at least one college.
As an alternative to this, there are also Guide
Friday buses that allow you to hop on and hop
off as and when you please during the day.
Accommodation
There is a shortage of central accommodation
in Cambridge, so innercity accommodation may prove
to be expensive. There are lots of B&B's on the
outskirts of town, and near the train station, as
well as the youth hostel. If you get stuck, try using
the tourist office's accommodation service - don't
waste your precious sightseeing time trying to find
somewhere to stay!
More Information
The Cambridge
tourism website is worth a look, or try the
Visit
Britain portal.
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