Vacations In Cambridgeshire, A County In England

Cambridgeshire is a county in the east midlands part of England landlocked by the counties of Rutland, Suffolk, Northamptonshire, Norfolk, Hertfordshire, Essex, Lincolnshire and Bedfordshire. Cambridgeshire may not have any coastal attractions but there is a wide range of places to visit which make this an outstanding place to have a vacation.  In the article below I  explain why people should think about a trip to this most picturesque region of the United Kingdom.

Cambridgeshire features prestigious stately homes, breathtaking countryside, exciting waterways, outstanding cathedrals, busy picturesque market towns and the fascinating city of Cambridge. The city of Cambridge is a very popular visitor attraction which is highly suitable for vacations at any time of the year.

Visitor attractions in the photogenic university town include The Round Church, The Folk Museum, The Backs, The Fitzwilliam Museum, Denny Abbey and The Orchard Tea Garden, but the majority of people visit the town to look at the sights associated with some of the thirty one colleges such as King’s College & King’s College Chapel and Cambridge University Botanic Garden. It can take a very long time to visit all of the university colleges but the finest buildings to meander around are those belonging to St John’s College, Trinity College, Corpus Christi and Magdalene College.

The Fenlands

The Cambridgeshire Fens are a generally marshy district almost at sea-level. There have been many attempts at draining the land some dating back as far as Roman Times. It wasn’t until the beginning of the 17th Century that serious efforts were made. Unfortunately these attempts failed and it wasn’t until the 18th & 19th Centuries that they eventually gained some success and the land was turned over to farming.

In modern times the unique landscape of marshes of salt and fresh water provide a superb environment for leisure and wildlife. Cambridgeshire features some of the least crowded waterways in the UK, ideal for narrow boat vacations.

If you wish to discover more about the interesting Fens then you will discover that the small towns of March, Wisbech, Whittlesey and Chatteris each feature a superb local museum.

Cambridgeshire’s Market Towns

Across the district are situated pretty little market towns, which, at one time in the past were actually islands. March grew up as a port during the Tudor era and has a fascinating history. Other petite island communities included Littleport, Whittlesey, Ramsey and Chatteris. These towns feature architecture spanning several centuries such as the 17th century Butter Cross at Whittlesey. Many pleasant hours can be passed searching the numerous independent businesses, shops and stalls.

Other Cambridgeshire Visitor Attractions

The list of local attractions is huge. Railways include the Wisbech and March Bramley Line and the Nene Valley Railway and there a handful of interesting buildings worth seeing including Lode Watermill, Houghton Mill, Down Field Windmill and Great Gransden Post Mill.

The county features a small collection of religious buildings of historical importance for example the abbeys of Anglesey, Spinney, Ramsey and Denny, Peterborough Cathedral and Ely Cathedral as well as Duxford Chapel and the Old Vicarage at Grantchester. The list of historic houses, castles and stately homes is simply so  big that there is insufficient space to add it here, it is virtually the same with the listings for art galleries and museums.

If you are currently thinking about a Cambridgeshire vacation and are booking hotel accommodation in Cambridge please take a look at our comprehensive bed and breakfast in Cambridge