Cambridge

Having never been to Cambridge, it seemed as good a place as any to spend a day or two before heading to London.

The campsite was a short bus trip away and we headed into town - in the rain and cold of course. We booked a walking tour through the city which included looking through some of the Colleges of the University. Queens' College was a collection of stunning old buildings, some with the most amazing Tudor half-timbered structures we have ever seen. Small courtyards or 'courts' are sheltered amongst the buildings and are green oases sheltered from the wind. Queens' Chapel is a small serene gem but it paled into insignificance beside the extraordinary magnificence of King's Chapel with its soaring ceilings, its windows and beautiful choir stalls. The River Cam, despite the miserable weather, was still full of people in punts. Some were poled by obvious professionals while others were amatuers. It is easy to tell the difference - the amateurs seem to head the punts straight into the walls of the buildings lining the river; the professionals seem to know where the river goes!

We wandered through the local market in the town square, picking up some local beef for a roast that night back in the van, along with some delicious sausages in rolls for lunch. A wander through the cobbled streets brought us to the Folk Museum, a small display in an old pub with interesting exhibits of items from the everyday life of Cambridge citizens over the centuries.

We thought Cambridge a lovely city - pretty buildings, small streets and of course the impressive colleges and gardens. There are apparently some 35,000 bicycles in town - I think we saw every one of them!