Cambridge – “can such places be?”
King's Cross Railway Station (meet by the mainline ticket office near the Leon cafe by the Nigel Gresley Statue
Guided by Simon
Walk Times
| Day | Walk Type | Start Time | End Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 October 2024 | Day Trip | 9 am | 6.30 pm | Summer | |
| 22 October 2024 | Day Trip | 9 am | 6.30 pm | Summer |
You’re on the Cambridge page. For The Cotswolds trip click here. For the Oxford and the Cotswolds trip click here. For the Day Trips portmanteau page click here.
THE ESSENTIALS
This is not mass tourism. There are only so many places available. Equally to the point, the tour can only go ahead if the uptake reaches the (low) minimum required number of participants.
Not surprisingly, the tour often sells out so early booking is advisable. As soon as you book you will receive a confirmation that your place has been reserved. The link you use to pay for the tour will be sent to you a few days before the tour.
The total cost is £94 per adult; £89 for Super Adults (over 65s), Loyalty Card holders and full-time students; £84 for Super Adults and Full Time Students with the Loyalty Card; £59 for children.
The charge covers everything – guide’s fee, travel costs, entrance fees – except your lunch!
N.B., the deadline for late booking – should there be places available – is mid-day on the day before the tour. Payment must be made by 6 pm that day.
OK, LET’S GO TO CAMBRIDGE
This wonderful photo’s by Chris, a Cambridge-based professional photographer. www.
Short say: Miraculum orbis. Wonder of the world, annexe to heaven.
Customer’s say: “We had been on two other London Walks day trips in England several years ago. These tours were very good, and we always wanted to see Cambridge. Simon’s tour of Cambridge was excellent. The cost is very reasonable as it includes a round-trip train to Cambridge, buses in Cambridge, the entrance to King’s College, and Simon’s leadership and commentary. Being an engineer, I wanted to hear a lot about the great scientists who studied at the Cambridge colleges. Simon had many stories, relating to Newton, Darwin, Hawking, Turning, Watson & Crick, and Sedgewick. In addition to the stories, he showed us places where these great scientists lived and worked. However, the best part of the tour was the time we spent within the King’s College Chapel. Simon sat us down and told us the background of the chapel construction and details of the beautiful stained glass windows. We capped off the day with punting on the River Cam. Don’t miss this, as you see some great sights of the colleges that you would not see otherwise. Overall, it was a great day due to Simon’s leadership, knowledge, and enthusiasm.” Craig J. St. Louis, Missouri
Long say: Cambridge. Bridge of Sighs. Mediaeval courts. Velvet-soft emerald lawns. The unearthly beauty of Kings. Newton’s room. And the garden where he experimented. That apple tree. Think of him “forever voyaging through strange seas of thought.” The calm of the tree-fringed Backs. The Cam’s willow-shrouded banks. The plaintive note of the World War II American cemetery. Darwin’s college. Stephen Hawking and The Theory of Everything. Alan Turing – yes, welcome to The Imitation Game. The pub where the structure of DNA was announced. Punting on the Cam (we get a really generous discount if you want to take a turn – or, indeed, just go along for the ride). Leafy streets and twisty alleys. Whispering wind and yellow lantern. Shadowed passage and haunted bookstore. Pink Floyd – Another Brick in the Wall! Bicycling students. Cheese and fish stalls in the market. People who talk like books. Let alone the royal imprimatur, that new title for William and Kate – the Duke of Cambridge and his Duchess. Guided by Simon.
Good listen: here’s an interview with Guide Simon in which he goes into considerable detail about where the Cambridge trip goes, what happens on it, why it’s special, etc.
AND AS FOR THE GUIDING
CAMBRIDGE TOUR – THE PRACTICALS
The meeting time for the Cambridge Tour is 9 am. The meeting point is by the main ticket office (near the Leon Cafe) of King’s Cross Railway Station.
This is a full day tour that meets back to London around 6:30pm
We go to Cambridge on selected Tuesdays from May 7th to October 22nd and on Saturday November 2nd.
The total cost per adult is £94; for super adults (over 65s), Discount Card holders, and full-time students it’s £89; and for children it’s £59.
The charge covers the guide’s fee plus your train, coach and entrance fares.
This is not mass tourism. We limit the group size. Equally to the point, the tour can only go ahead if the uptake reaches the (low) minimum required number of participants.
So do book early 1) to make sure you get a place and 2) we can gauge the coach size we’ll need for that day’s tour. (Cambridge Railway Station is on the outskirts of Cambridge, a mile from the town centre. Which is why we charter a local coach. It meets us at the station for the trip to the town centre at the beginning of the tour and back to the station at the end of the day to catch the train back to London. You won’t have to make that long walk into and back out of Cambridge. We get you to the town centre swiftly and comfortably. And we also make use of the coach for our excursion out to the American cemetery and, en route, to see a very interesting and important part of Cambridge that’s not within walking distance.)
Basically, the day – the Cambridge Tour – has been thought through very carefully. It’s a crème de la crème excursion – the best possible way to “see Cambridge” and its environs.
We send you links for payment a few days before the tour is set to go. N.B. Re payment and refunds: it’s like buying a theatre ticket – if the show goes ahead there are no refunds. If we are not able to run the tour because of something unforeseen – a wildcat rail strike, for example – all of your money will be refunded.
LONDON WALKS REVIEWS
“Best Tourism Experience in England” Gold Medal Winner, Visit England
“London Walks was acknowledged as the premier walking tour company in the entire world” American Tour Guides Convention
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE GUIDING
“If this were a golf tournament every name on the Leader Board would be a London Walks guide”
LONDON WALKS – STREETS AHEAD!
MIND THE GAP
Lucie Jay –
We had a gorgeous day in Cambridge with our wonderful and funny guide, Simon. To see Kings College , whose Lessons and Carols I always watch at Christmas for their superlative music , was a special treat. Punting is also a special treat and we highly recommend that addition to your Cambridge Day…what a way to end!
Dr Dov –
It was a wonderful “day walk” to Cambridge!
Simon the guide was fantastic!! I heartily recommend this tour!
Thomas Arcabascio –
Simon did an excellent job!! Would go with him anywhere!
Nina –
What a great experience! Cambridge is wonderful and this walk shows you so many faces of this beautiful city! Simon is not only very knowledgeable, he can also open doors to places – huge thanks for bringing me as close to Cromwell’s head as possible! Oh, and he definitely put a charm on a somewhat jinxed railway schedule, because our journey there and back again went as smoothly as it could! Thank you for this lovely walk!
James B –
Fantastic day in Cambridge. Simon is a brilliant guide. Super knowledgeable and thoroughly engaging. Simon took us to many of the colleges and churches and was able take us to places I’m certain you don’t get to see on your own. Really enjoyed the day and his very entertaining style. Thoroughly recommend this walk.
Cath Dean –
Fantastic day, Simon is so knowledgeable, his storytelling superb. Highly recommend this day trip
James Broome –
Simon was a knowledgeable and entertaining guide. We thoroughly enjoyed the Cambridge tour!
Elizabeth –
We did the Cambridge day trip with Simon and it was one of the great highlights of our trip to London. Simon brought the history of the town, the colleges, and all the sights to life for us. He is a gifted story teller and so knowledgeable about the local history. The trip had a great balance of walking around and sightseeing versus stopping to observe and take a break. Would highly recommend this walk (and any of the London walks!! Especially with Simon). What a wonderful experience.
Joanna Harrison –
Simon is not only a real character and great fun to be around he is also very knowledgeable and well organised! Our group had a wonderful day learning all about Cambridge and its world famous University. I would thoroughly recommend this walk to anyone wanting to have a fun but also informative day out!
Visitor –
Great, well organized, full of small things and big ones. The best way to visit a place like Cambridge. Under the leadership of Simon Law. I’m already exiting for the next trip.