A CAMBRIDGESHIRE ODYSSEY
Inspiring cathedrals, welcoming gastropubs and Oliver Cromwell’s life story draw Susan Taylor to Huntingdon
Snow at Easter, downpours in midsummer, brilliant sunshine in the depths of winter. No wonder we have a reputation for being obsessed with the weather – especially those of us who love to spend as much time as possible touring and adventuring outside.
I regularly find myself peering out of the ’van windows and wondering if I need an umbrella, or another jumper. Such was my dilemma in Cambridgeshire as January turned into February.
Searching for a midwinter weekend destination, I came across The Willows campsite in Brampton, perfectly located on the River Great Ouse and within easy walking distance of local towns
(not to mention having a gastropub next door).
At this time of year they were, very sensibly, accommodating motorhome guests on the gravel roads rather than grass pitches. So here I was, peeking out of the window trying to guess what the weather might have in store.
Sunny days in Huntingdon
Happily, bright sunshine was the order of the day as we set out to enjoy a gentle stroll along the riverbank and across the fields to the historic market town of Huntingdon.
Huntingdon is most famous as the birthplace of Oliver Cromwell and today, his old grammar school is a museum dedicated to his life story, with exhibits ranging from some of his clothes and weapons, to a lifesize portrait.
The building itself is full of history, starting life as a medieval monastic hospital until the
Reformation, when it became a grammar school. Just opposite the museum is the equally historic All Saints Church. This building dates from the 15th century, although there has been a church here for more than 1000 years.
Cromwell’s baptismal font is here, along with the Cromwell family vault, burial place of his father and grandfather.
After all that history, we were ready for lunch, so we called at The Falcon for a ploughman’s and an excellent pint of local ale. But it’s impossible to escape history around here – this former coaching inn, reputedly the town’s oldest pub, was also a civil war headquarters for Cromwell.
Riverside strolling
We decided to walk to the neighbouring town of Godmanchester, where there is a landing stage for the small local ferry, allowing us to return to our site via the river for a different viewpoint.
Suitably refreshed, we continued our stroll as far as Riverside Park, on the banks of the Ouse. This would be a good place to sit and watch the world, and the boats, go by and to picnic on the grass when summer arrives.
It was bright and sunny for our walk, but still too chilly for sitting on the ground. And besides, we had a mission – to board a boat. Walking back towards town, we found ourselves at the old bridge across the river, which joins Huntingdon and Godmanchester.
Tradition tells that both towns began building bridges on their own side of the river at the same time, but when they reached the middle, they didn’t quite meet, so there is a kink in the centre of the bridge, which is still visible today.
Fifteen minutes later we were at the landing stage. The journey takes around 20 minutes, and we had the boat all to ourselves – apart from the captain, of course.
There is plenty of wildlife along the Ouse, and although we saw mainly wildfowl, our captain reliably informed us that kingfishers and swans are common sights, and if you are very lucky, river mammals going about their business, too.