Today’s trek took me to bucolic Cambridge. The weather was stunning and it’s insanely easy to get to from London – just 50 mins on a train service that runs every 15 mins or so. This explains why it’s one of the top couple of spots for Londoners to choose to move to and commute to work – with matching house prices.
I have been here before – some 30 years ago – as an impoverished backpacker. I had initially thought to go to Oxford for the day but my English colleagues scoffed at this decision stating that Oxford still had a ‘dollop of Pikey’ and that Cambridge was a far better choice.
London botf observation #5: Blokes are tall here. I thought Aussies were tall and back home, at just over 6 foot, I am often one of the loftiest in public company. Not so here. I am not dwarfed but it’s like walking around Holland – there are shedloads of lads above 6 foot and heading northwards.
Back in Cambridge I pottered round the streets and into the colleges. Exams were on so many were closed to the public but by going round the back to the paddocks across the Cam you could dawdle in to most of them. I did all the highlights but the weather was conducive to sitting in a sunny brew house.
Left side: The Brew House & Taps
Right side: Bridge of Sighs & Prof. McFarlane is out at the Brewhouse
Fortuitously The Cambridge Brew House is such a place. Very close to the colleges, it has a large range of crafties on tap – disappointingly not many of it’s own on this visit – and a more than serviceable lunch menu. A mish mash of seating and tables give it an eclectic feel. I had planned to move on to a few other venues but this was just too pleasant. A superb spot after wandering quads. I highly recommend a snooze in the paddocks next to the Cam afterwards.
Cambridge Brew House
Address: 1 King Street, Cambridge CB1 1LH (select for map)
Train: Great Northern from London Kings Cross
back of the ferry 