Cambridge sits in a flat, green corner of eastern England, and several rewarding places lie within an hour. Some are an easy train ride, and others are best with a car or a short taxi from the station. Here are the trips we would choose, with an idea of the time each takes and who it suits.
Ely Cathedral: the easy classic
Ely is a small city about fifteen miles north of Cambridge, reached by a train of around twenty minutes. The cathedral, nicknamed the Ship of the Fens, is a Norman building with a remarkable medieval octagon and a large Lady Chapel. The town around it has a market, independent shops and a riverside walk. Allow a half day to a full day, and check the cathedral's calendar for events that can close parts of the building. In winter the interior glows in low light, and in summer the town is lively.
IWM Duxford: aircraft and big hangars
Duxford is a wartime airfield about nine miles south of Cambridge, now a museum with Spitfires, Concorde, American bombers and tanks. It is best by car, and a flying season of live displays runs in the warmer months. Allow at least half a day, and book ahead for weekends and school holidays. Families love it, and so do aviation fans, so it is an excellent choice if the colleges are not for everyone in your group.
Audley End House: a country house day
Audley End is a Jacobean mansion outside Saffron Walden in Essex, with Georgian interiors, parkland by Capability Brown and a Victorian kitchen garden. Trains run from Cambridge to Audley End station in about a quarter of an hour, and the house is a walk or a short taxi ride from there. Opening days vary by season, so check before you go. Combine it with a visit to Saffron Walden, a pretty market town with a medieval centre and a famous turf maze.
Grantchester: meadows and tea
Grantchester is a village on the River Cam about two miles from the centre, reached by a pleasant walk across the meadows, a bicycle ride or a punt for the energetic. The village is known for its orchard tea garden, where poets and scientists once sat, and for its pubs and its meadows, which suit a gentle half day. It is free to enjoy, and a good choice when the weather is fine. Allow two to three hours for the walk, the tea and the return.
The Cambridge American Cemetery: a quiet half hour
If you have a spare morning or an afternoon, the American Cemetery at Madingley is a short drive or bicycle ride from the centre and makes a moving contrast to the colleges. It is free, open daily and pairs naturally with Duxford for visitors interested in the wartime history of the region.
Further afield: London and the Fens
London is under an hour by fast train, so a day trip is possible, though it is better as a separate visit. Wicken Fen and the surrounding Fenland offer wide skies and birdwatching for visitors who love nature. Newmarket and Bury St Edmunds are good options if you have a car and a taste for racing or abbeys.
Planning tips
Check train times, especially for the last service home, and carry a contactless card for ticket machines. Weekends can be busier, and engineering works sometimes alter services, so look at the timetable the day before. Combine a day trip with an evening back in Cambridge, where the colleges and the river are at their calmest after the crowds leave. Our hotels in the centre are within a short walk of the railway station or a quick taxi ride, so late arrivals are easy.
Combining trips
If you have two days, pair Duxford with the American Cemetery on one day, and Ely with an evening back in Cambridge on the other. Audley End and Saffron Walden fit well with a lazy lunch. A hop-on hop-off bus ticket can help with the western sights, but check the stops before you rely on it. Whichever you choose, start early, because the best light and the shortest queues come in the morning. Travel light, carry a rain jacket and a charged phone with your tickets, and leave a margin of an hour or so before the last train, so that a delay does not turn a good day out into a stressful one.
