Shelford to Cambridge walk

1. [1] Coming off platform 2 at Shelford Railway Station, from Cambridge, turn right on to the main road, Station Road, your direction 215°. In 40 metres you pass on your left-hand side a new residential development on the site of where once stood the Railway Tavern pub.
2. In 115 metres you cross the A1301, Tunwell’s Lane, to continue straight ahead on Woollards Lane, ignoring ways off. You should pass a café or shop open as you proceed through the village if in need of pre-walk refreshments. In a further 325 metres, you come to a T-junction (with house No.90 opposite) where you go left, on Church Street.
3. In 160 metres you come to the Church of St Mary the Virgin, Great Shelford, which is well worth a look inside - to see its Doom mural.
4. In 50 metres you pass Kings Mill Lane on your left-hand side.
5. [2]. Now there are two alternatives: the road route takes you by an interesting church, and this route is shorter in length than the permissive farm track route. However, the latter is more relaxing – and given the amount of tarmac you are facing today, is easier on the feet - and is the recommended route.
6. The road route
7. Continue on the main road (Church Street). In 125 metres cross a bridge over the river to enter Little Shelford. In 60 metres cross another bridge, and you are now on Bridge Lane with an old red brick wall on your right-hand side. Continue for a further 250 metres to a junction. Here swing right on Church Street, signposted Hauxton and Harston, and in 35 metres you pass on the left-hand side of All Saints Church, Little Shelford (worth a look inside). In a further 250 metres you come to a T-junction by the Sycamore House Restaurant. Here turn right along Hauxton Road.
8. Ignore ways off and in 550 metres you pass over a level crossing. In another 250 metres you pass under the M11. In a further 500 metres, you enter the village of Hauxton and pass the bus stop. Continuing along Church Road, ignoring turn-offs, in 440 metres you come to the Church of St Edmunds (worth a visit inside), rejoining the route at point [3] below.
9. The permissive farm track route
10. Almost opposide Kings Mill lane, turn right through a wooden swing gate, some 20 metres to the right of the entrance into Rectory Farm and proceed up a fenced-in path. In 160 metres the path ends and swings left into a field, beyond a barn over to your left. In 70 metres the path merges with a farm track coming in from the left. You now keep ahead on this track all the way to Hauxton, with the River Cam over to your left, on what is now a Permissive Path (you no longer need the farmer’s permission to walk along it). In more detail
11. In 45 metres ignore a fork left to continue on, with treeline on your left and open fields to your right, your direction 310°. In a further 180 metres, just before you reach a gated crossing across the railway line [!] veer left downwards to go through a tunnel under the railway, and come up the other side. Do not try to cross the railway crossing.
12. In 150 metres pass through a field boundary and keeo ahead. In a further 600 metres pass through another field boundary and bend with the track to the left to continue on, your direction 260°, still with the river over to your left.
13. In 305 metres go under the M11 motorway bridge.
14. In 325 metres pass through a field boundary and keep ahead. In a further 400 metres veer right, with a field hedge on your right-hand side, your direction 340°, following the main track.
15. In 290 metres you come to some farm buildings on your right-hand side, where you veer left with the road, your direction 315°, towards a pair of cottages. In 170 metres you pass these cottages.
16. In a further 175 metres, you come to within 25 metres of the A10. But here you turn sharp left on a driveway, past a wooden fieldgate, on a signposted public footpath, your direction 175 degrees, towards Hauxton Mill building. In 65 metres go over a bridge and straight on. In 40 metres go over a mill stream. At the end of the Hauxton Mill building you go left, your direction 120 degrees, with the river on your left and a new housing development on your right (where once stood a chemicals factory).
17. In 40 metres ignore a footpath leading to a wooden bridge on your right (although Note : you can if you wish cross this bridge and walk through the new Hauxton Meadows housing development, coming out onto the A10 road. If you do, turn left along this road until you reach the signposted turning to Haslingfield). Otherwise, continue ahead with the Mill stream on your left. In 480 metres your path leads to a concrete bridge with wooden railings, which you cross to continue on, now with the new housing development on your right-hand side.
18. In 200 metres go through the wooden swing gate to your left, your direction 165°. In 20 metres go through a wooden kissing gate, and head along the left-hand edge of a field towards the church.
19. In 150 metres you come out to the road and to the Church of St Edmunds, Hauxton (worth a look inside).
20. [3] Continuing on the main walk:
21. Turn right onto this road (Church Road) from the farm track route or keep ahead on the road route.
22. Ignore all ways off as you pass the new housing development – Hauxton Meadows – on your right-hand side.  In 300 metres you come to the A10 where you turn left. In 35 metres there is a bus lay-by, with buses to Royston and 50 metres further down the road, on the opposite side, buses to Cambridge. Opposite the nearside bus lay-by, take the public bridleway signposted to Haslingfield, your direction 285°, onto a wide gravel farm track with a large open field on the left.
23. In 260 metres ignore a fork to the left towards Rectory Farm (marked on the OS map). In 50 metres ignore another fork to the left, to carry straight on, your direction 300°; the church in Haslingfield is already visible ahead to your left.
24. In 180 metres ignore a turning to the right marked ‘Private Road’.
25. In 60 metres the earth track becomes grassy. In 200 metres the track swings gently left between vast fields and over a stream, with a small coppice on your left. Keep ahead, on a bearing of 245°. In 150 metres pass through a part tree-lined field boundary. Follow the grassy track with a ditch and field boundary on your right. In 400 metres pass through another field boundary and at a path junction, bear right, your direction 305° now on a gravel path;.
26. In 200 metres go on a bridge over the River Cam and turn left, with the river alongside on your left-hand side, your direction 235°. In 230 metres your way merges with a farm track [4].
27. In 50 metres the farm track swings left. Ignore the path ahead [[!] unless you wish to bypass the village of Haslingfield and head direct to Grantchester, in which case keep ahead here and in 150 metres, turn right into Cantelupe Road. In 385 metres you keep ahead through Lesanna Farm where the path from the main walk route joins from the left]. Otherwise, the main route continues: bear left with the track and in 30 metres, with playing fields on your right-hand side [!] turn right through a metal gate, your direction due west, along the right-hand edge of the playing fields.
28. In 100 metres you pass a thatched cottage on your right-hand side. In a further 100 metres, you come out through metal barriers (with wooden posts) to a road (New Road) where you go left, your direction 200°.
29. Stay on this road, ignoring Fountain Lane to the right, coming to the High Street T-junction in 80 metres. Here you go right. In 55 metres go left on Baldock Road and immediately right, to the modern building that is the Little Rose pub, the suggested lunchtime stop.
30. After lunch return to the High Street and turn left, your direction 285°. Ignore ways off. You pass the village shop on your right and then Haslingfield’s Village sign. After 330 metres, where the High Street veers left, and some 50 metres past the Village sign, you go straight on, along Church Way, with a pair of thatched cottages on your right-hand side. In 80 metres you come to the Parish church of All Saints, Haslingfield (worth a look inside).
31. Coming out of the church door, go straight ahead on a narrow stony path through the churchyard, your direction 340°. In 110 metres you come out to a tarmac road where you continue straight on. In 25 metres you pass the thatched Oak Cottage on your left-hand side. In a further 35 metres, fork right on Dodds Mead. In a further 45 metres, pick up the tarmac path to the left of a house called Adelaide (No.1), straight on, your direction 15°.
32. In 85 metres you come out on to a road (New Road) by house No. 118 opposite, where you turn left, your direction 320°. In a further 95 metres, you come out on to Barton Road, with a thatched house opposite where you turn right.
33. In a further 175 metres, opposite house No.31, [!] take the signposted public footpath to the right [5], your direction 95° (the pub marked here on old OS maps is long gone).
34. In 45 metres go over a wooden footbridge with railings over a stream on a gravel path and in 20 metres dogleg left then right with the path. In a further 60 metres go under mini pylons and in 70 metres the gravel path becomes a wide grassy path. In a further 140 metres cross a farm track and go over a ditch and with a farm gate directly ahead, turn left, your direction 10°.
35. In 80 metres veer right with the path, your direction due east. In a further 240 metres, go over a wooden bridge with railings over a ditch-stream, to go straight on.
36. In a further 175 metres dogleg left then right over a ditch, then pass a corrugated shed on your right-hand side (part of Lesanna Farm) and in 90 metres you come to a tarmac lane T-junction, where you go left, your direction 25°. This lane is Cantelupe Road per the OS sheet.
37. Continue ahead, ignoring all ways off. In about 300 metres radio telescopes are visible off to your left-hand side. After 1.75 km along this lane, with cottage No.6 on your left-hand side, cross a track junction and ignore a lane to your right to Catelupe Farm (marked on the OS map) to continue straight on, passing a car barrier, along the concrete lane serving as a bridleway, your direction 20°.
38. In 250 metres you pass well to the right of the end of the railway track for the Travelling Telescope, usually parked about 1km down the track away to your left (the railway track used to end 75 metres to the left of the lane but in recent years the nearest section has been taken up). [!] If you wish at this point you can take the Permissive Path on your left, initially parallel to the travelling telescope, before it veers right to meander beside the Bourn Brook, with its wildlife, before rejoining the main route as it enters the light woodland below.
39. Continue straight on, now on a wide grassy way, with Grantchester Church just visible behind the trees to your right (60° on your compass) and Barton Church away ahead to your left.
40. In 550 metres go over Bourn Brook, on a concrete bridge with high wooden railings, and enter light woodland. In 55 metres fork right, your direction 65°, along the left-hand edge of a field.
41. In a further 120 metres, go over the M11 footbridge, the top of which offers a panoramic view of the landscape [6]. On the other side of the bridge, turn half right, on a grassy path, with Grantchester Church ahead of you, your direction 95°. In 50 metres, swing left, your bearing now 60°.
42. In 500 metres, at a four-way footpath sign and crossing of ways, go straight on along a tarmac path, your direction 25°. In 80 metres you pass a children’s adventure playground on your left-hand side.
43. In 100 metres you come on to an estate driveway, Burnt Close, and in a further 120 metres to Cotton Road, where you turn right, your direction 105°, by the thatched Grant Cottage on your right-hand side. Keep ahead on Cotton Road to the T-junction with the main road (High Street), with the Rupert Brooke pub opposite (a possible late lunch stop - it reopened in January 2022).
44. Turn right on the High Street, your direction 150°. In120 metres the road swings to the right and you pass the Green Man pub on your left, (reopened and back operating as a pub, June 2023). Just before this pub and some 50 metres over to your left is the thatched Red Lion pub, another late lunch option.
45. In 100 metres you come to the Parish Church of St Andrew and St Mary, Grantchester, on your right-hand side (worth a look inside). Coming out of the church, turn right (to continue in your direction as before down the High Street) and you pass the entrance to Manor Farm on your right.
46. In 40 metres, as the road swings right, go down a gravel track to go through a wooden swing gate into the garden of the suggested tea place on this walk, The Orchard. After tea, if not taking the detour to the Old Vicarage, your route continues at point [6A] below – the path by the low level sign “To the River” is on your left, almost opposite the entrance to the tea rooms.
47. After tea in the Orchard’s garden, it is worth your while to take a short detour to view the outside of the Old Vicarage where Rupert Brooke used to lodge. Walk through the Orchard’s car park in a southerly direction and pass the Rupert Brooke Museum buildings on your right, to exit the car park, back onto the main road, where you turn left. In 50 metres, the road swings to the right, and there is a footpath ahead between high walls. The Old Vicarage is the house on your left, with a post box in a wall. The property is now owned by Lord Jeffrey Archer and Lady Mary Archer. The large conservatory where Lord Archer wrote many of his novels is clearly visible. In the front garden of the house is a statue of Rupert Brooke in military uniform. Retrace your steps, through the Orchard’s car park, to the entrance to the Orchard tearoom building.
48. [6A] Returning from the Old Vicarage detour, opposite the entrance to the tea rooms, [!] there is a low level sign on your right “To the River”. Go right down this path, your direction 100°, in 40 metres going through a metal kissing gate. Keep ahead over a field and in a further 100 metres go through another metal kissing gate, to the banks of the River Cam .
49. Your onward route is more or less to follow the River Cam to the outskirts of Cambridge, but in more detail:
50. Bear left and in 80 metres go through a metal kissing gate. In a further 120 metres go over a stream. In 110 metres go through metal kissing gate No.19 and onwards along the bank. In a further 200 metres go through a metal kissing gate. In 80 metres go through a gate and over a wooden footbridge with wooden railings. In dry weather, follow the path to the right and along the banks of the River Cam; in the wet, take the tarmac path some 50 metres over to your left.
51. Continuing by the river, in 240 metres go over a wooden footbridge with wooden railings. In 130 metres go through a metal gate and over a wooden footbridge with wooden railings. In 150 metres go over another wooden footbridge with wooden railings and in 55 metres yet another one.
52. In 100 metres go over another wooden footbridge with wooden railings. The path now swings left and in 300 metres joins the upper (tarmac) path. Turn right, through a metal kissing gate to join the tarmac path, your direction 40°.
53. In 200 metres, having passed Grantchester Meadow on your right, keep ahead along a badly maintained car road, your direction 65°, with a car parking area on your left. In 100 metres your way becomes a tarmac road.
54. In 115 metres at a three-way road junction [!] ignore Marlowe Road on your left and turn down Eltisley Avenue (the middle junction), your direction 30°. In 200 metres turn left to go northwards up Grantchester Street.
55. In 160 metres, you come to the junction with the A603. [!].Your way ahead depends on whether you intend to tour the Cambridge Colleges, or if not, you prefer to take a direct route to Cambridge Railway station (passing the entrance to Cambridge University Botanic Gardens which you may like to visit.
56. To go to the railway station : turn right at the junction with the A603 and head just south-of-east, on a surfaced path on the southern edge of Lammas Land, to cross a stream on a bridge after some 350 metres, and where a path joins you on your left, continue ahead; then follow the directions at [8] below .
57. To continue on the main walk – which includes the “City Tour” (NB: if you have never visited Cambridge before it is a shame to miss out on the tour of the colleges): At the junction with the A603, cross over and go straight ahead  on Newnham Road with the A603 on your left-hand side, your direction 40°. Keep to the bike path, parallel to the road on the right of the pavement and in 45 metres, with pedestrian traffic lights on your left, fork right with the bike path, your direction 70°, across Lammas Land (open grass).
58. In 240 metres cross over the main road, Fen Causeway, diagonally to the right, to go across the bridge and turn left, on a bearing of 350°, to pick up the path beside the Old Mill stream on your left-hand side. In 10 metres go through a metal swing gate (with a cattle grid to its right-hand side).
59. In a further 100 metres, by the Bella Italia restaurant on your left-hand side, fork right over a footbridge with white metal railings and continue on the tarmac path, your direction 45°.
60. In 70 metres go over a similar bridge. In 40 metres bear left and you are beside the River Cam on your right-hand side and you continue on, your direction 350°, with the Hilton Double Tree Hotel on the other side of the river. In 50 metres go over a weir. In 80 metres cross a bridge to your right, towards the Mill pub. On the other side of the bridge, turn left , and in 15 metres go left down Laundress Lane, which has bollards at its entrance.
61. In 50 metres you come to a T-junction, Silver Street, with Queens College opposite you. Turn left , your direction 230°, passing the Anchor pub on your left, and in 30 metres go on a bridge back over the river.
62. For a Tour of Cambridge Colleges follow this suggested route: 
63. In 80 metres fork right following the signpost to “The Backs”, your direction 290°.
64. In 120 metres, having just gone past the white pyramid building on your right-hand side, go straight on away from the river, your direction 330°. In a further 180 metres you come to the main road where you turn right, your direction 345°.
65. In 25 metres, do not go through the gates on your right-hand side into the grounds of Kings College, but keep to the wide path with the river on your right-hand side. In a further 150 metres you pass the gateway to Clare College. In 85 metres [7] turn right on to Garret Hostel Lane, eastwards, on a long tarmac lane between railings, with the Wren Library away to the left. Go over the bridge (with Clare Bridge visible to the right).
66. In 140 metres, at Trinity Lane T-junction, turn right, your direction 190°.
67. In 40 metres, having passed Trinity Hall on your right-hand side, turn left into Senate House Passage, passing on your left the Gate of Honour, topped with sundials (the gateway through which undergraduates pass on their way to receiving their degrees).
68. At the main road, Trinity Street, turn left, your direction 5°, passing an entrance to Gonville and Caius College on your left-hand side and St. Michael’s Church on your right. In a further 100 metres you pass the gatehouse to Trinity College on your left-hand side.
69. In 55 metres you come to St.Johns College on your left. Here turn right on All Saints Passage, your direction 110°. In 60 metres, at the T-junction, go left, your direction 50°. In a further 45 metres, at the Bridge Street T-junction, go right, your direction 145°. In 20 metres continue straight on , now on Sidney Street. In 70 metres you pass Sidney Sussex College on your left.
70. In 75 metres you pass Market Passage on your right-hand side. In a further 40 metres turn right on Market Street, your direction 240°. In 35 metres you pass Holy Trinity Church on your left-hand side. In 90 metres you come to the back of Great St. Mary’s Church, where you go left, your direction 170°, with market stalls on your left-hand side. In 35 metres, go straight on along Peas Hill.
71. In 25 metres, at the end of the HSBC Bank building, go right, signposted to “G David Bookseller”, your direction 290°. In 50 metres you pass the front of the Church of St. Edward and in 10 metres, at the T-junction, go right on St. Edwards Passage.
72. In 30 metres you come on to the main Kings Parade, where you go left, with Kings College opposite.
73. Continuing south on Kings Parade, you pass in 30 metres the Rainbow Café on your left-hand side. In a further 55 metres, turn left on Bene’t Street, your direction 85°. In 35 metres you pass the Eagle pub on your left-hand side and Saint Bene’t’s Church on your right.
74. Go right on Free School Lane, your direction 150°. Corpus Christi College is on your right-hand side and the Old Cavendish Lab is to your left.
75. In a further 65 metres you come out on to the main road, Pembroke Street, with Pembroke College opposite and you go right, your direction 245°.
76. In 100 metres you come to Trumpington Street where you go left, your direction 150°. In 15 metres you pass the entrance of Pembroke College. Almost opposite this college is Peterhouse, the oldest of the Cambridge colleges. In 35 metres go right on Little St. Mary’s Lane, your direction 250°, passing Little St. Mary’s Church on your left-hand side. This ends the College Tour .
77. You are now heading for the railway station. In 80 metres continue straight on, along a narrow lane. In 50 metres, at the T-junction (Granta Place), by the modern Cambridge University Centre on your right-hand side, turn left, your direction 150°.
78. In 50 metres, with the Hilton Double Tree Hotel on your right-hand side, go through the railings and over the cattle grid to fork left, with the wall of Peterhouse College on your left, your direction 130°.
79. In 120 metres you pass the Fitzwilliam Museum (behind the wall on your left-hand side). In 230 metres go through a metal swing gate [8] and across the Fen Causeway (A10) to continue straight on, through a metal swing gate and across the Coe Fen .
80. [8] (The Station Shortcut rejoins here). In 310 metres at a T-junction go left, your direction 125°, with a stream on your right. In 190 metres fork left, due east, with a wall on your left-hand side.
81. In 120 metres you come to the A10 (Trumpington Road) where you go left.
82. In 110 metres turn right on Bateman Street, due east. In 70 metres you pass the entrance to Cambridge University Botanic Gardens on your right-hand side. For the next 450 metres ignore all ways off.
83. You come to the A640 T-junction, where you turn right, your direction 155°. In 55 metres, by the war memorial, fork left on Station Road. Ignore all ways off and in 360 metres you come to Cambridge Railway Station.

To Cambridge via Trumpington

1. After tea, walk ahead through the Orchard’s car park – in a southerly direction – and pass the Brooke Museum single storey buildings on your right. Go under a barrier and exit the car park back onto the road, where you turn left . In 50 metres, as the road swings right, keep ahead through wooden posts onto a signposted gravel footpath between high walls, your direction 100°. The house on your left at this junction is The Old Vicarage . Note the statue in the front garden of Rupert Brooke in military uniform.
2. Go down the gravel footpath, which swings right and in 120 metres comes back out onto the road by Mill Pool. Turn left to cross a bridge and in 30 metres you cross another, smaller bridge. In 70 metres the road swings to the right and in a further 50 metres you go over a bridge with brick parapet walls over the River Cam.
3. In 120 metres you come to a public footpath sign on your right to Byron’s Pool , a local beauty spot. Lord Byron was a pupil at Trinity College, Cambridge in 1805 and he used to enjoy an early morning dip on the river here by a weir. A detour of 400 metres takes you to the Pool, after which retrace your steps back to the road.
4. Back at the road, continue ahead. In 150 metres the road swings left, and in a further 50 metres, right. In 80 metres you pass St. Mary and St. Michael’s Church, Trumpington on your right. Keep ahead on the road and in 100 metres, with a war memorial ahead, turn left on the main road.
5. In 85 metres you pass the Green Man pub on your right and in 25 metres the former Coach & Horses pub on your left (now an oriental buffet restaurant). Cross a road junction and keep ahead on the pavement of this busy road, ignoring all ways off.
6. In 350 metres, at a road junction with traffic lights, turn right into Long Road. In 650 metres you pass Rutherford Road on your left. In a further 70 metres [!] turn left off the road onto a footpath and head along the left-hand side of a grassy field, signposted to Brooklands Avenue, your direction 20°, with Vicar’s Brook over to your left.
7. In 300 metres the path swings left on a bridge over the brook, then right. Ignore a path to your left, and keep ahead, with the brook now on your right-hand side, your initial bearing 25°. You now walk through a woodland section, with Clare College Sports Ground over to your right.
8. In 300 metres, at a path crossing, ignore the bridge on your right leading to the Sports Ground, and keep ahead. In 200 metres you cross a stream to the brook on a wooden footbridge with wooden railings, and keep ahead, the brook still on your right-hand side, now on a gravel path, your direction due north.
9. Keep ahead and ignore all ways off. In 350 metres you come to a large allotment site on your left. In 100 metres the path doglegs right then left with the brook. In a further 200 metres go up 5 concrete steps by the side of a bridge onto Brooklands Avenue.
10. Cross over Brooklands Avenue, slightly to your left, to go through metal posts and down 4 concrete steps, to continue on a path besides the brook, your direction 320°, with the grounds of the University Botanic Gardens over to your right.
11. In 90 metres go through metal posts to come out onto the pavement of Trumpington Road. Keep ahead with the brook on your right and in 275 metres turn right into Bateman Street. The entrance kiosk to Cambridge University Botanic Gardens is at this road junction on your right-hand side.
12. Walk down Bateman Street and for the next 450 metres ignore all ways off. You now come to the A640 T-junction, where you turn right your direction 155°. In 55 metres, by the war memorial, fork left on Station Road your direction 105°. Ignore all ways off and in 360 metres you come to Cambridge Railway Station .