A second visit for me because I enjoyed it first time so much and missed quite a bit. Luckily, on…read moreboth occasions, the weather was kind to us. Different season, so different aspect. This is one thing about gardens that I enjoy. Love these visits but one niggle. Would the lady in the hut at the entrance give a smile, once in a while, please.

Marks Hall Gardens and Arboretum in Cogglesgall, Essex features landscaped woodland walks and…read morefootpaths, with vistas across lakes to an 18th Century Walled Garden. The Trust that runs it is dependent on their own resources and our generosity as visitors. The development of the Arboretum is an ongoing project. The trust's aim is to achieve a large collection of shrubs and trees from across the temperate regions of the world. The collection is planted geographically, so plants from the principal regions of the world are grouped together. There are areas representing Europe, Japan, China, Asia, the Americas and Gondwanaland (Southern Hemisphere). Upon entering the Arboretum you encounter the European section, which blends with the countryside beyond the deer fence thereby creating a liberating sense of space. Ancient oaks are a reminder that this former deer park contains the relics of monastic planting going back 700 years. The 'Gondwanaland' section is devoted to the super continent that eventually broke up to create South America, the Indian Subcontinent and Australasia. It is an undulating landscape of low mounds, sheltered by southern Beech and Eucalyptus trees. On warm days the aroma of eucalyptus provides a heady scent. There are also swathes of Cabbage Palm, Agapanthus and Cortaderia which in early summer lend a pleasingly exotic touch to this otherwise very English place. The lakes had once been three fish ponds created for the monastery that once stood on the site. They contain Roach, Golden Orfe and Goldfish. Next to the lower lake is an original nuttery containing Cob Nut trees. This area is now a spring flower area with snowdrops, species of daffodils, cowslips and other wild flowers. The Millennium Walk is located within the Asian section of the Arboretum, and has been planted with autumn, winter and early spring in mind. Dogwood and Rubus provide colourful reflections in the lake whilst Sarcococca (Christmas Box) combine with the Chimonanthus (Wintersweet) to provide a spicy sweet scent that compliments the bold colour contrasts. The Walled Garden is the piece de resistance of the whole garden. Created from five separate gardens, it is now a huge space containing sculptures and planting. Long stone seats provide a structural contrast to the lush planting and are complemented in turn by spheres of clipped box. In another part of the walled garden, an undulating stone wall acts as the foil to fiery plantings of red, orange, gold and yellow, where the colours last well into autumn. There is lots more besides, a walnut walk that follows a track within the conifers to a clump of young walnut seedlings, a grove which in Spring is carepeted by snowdrops and the long avenue which once formed the main entrance to the Estate and approach to the Mansion and now a planting of Oaks and Wild Service trees. The Visitor Centre offers a Tea room (with lovely cakes!), Gift Shop and Plant Centre. Marks Hall is the perfect place to escape London for a sunny Summer afternoon.

Our group of 6 (3 seniors, 2 adults, and 1 child) did the combination Cambridge Walking Tour and…read morePunting Tour, along with King's College Chapel admission, this afternoon and enjoyed it. Anita was our walking tour guide, and she was friendly and knowledgeable. We enjoyed learning about the history of Cambridge and various colleges within it. The inside of King's College Chapel is gorgeous and we were glad we purchased this "upgrade" option with our tour. The punting experience was pleasant and we got great views of various colleges from the river that we couldn't get from land. That said, it's important to note that the tour guides share much of the same content during the walking and punting tours (our punting guide Moses was also pretty good!). It was nice hearing the Cambridge student perspective from Anita. Overall, we had a positive experience and would definitely recommend this tour!

Went on the walking and punting tour through Cambridge today. Lucy was a wonderful tour guide. She…read morewas kind, knowledgeable and gave great recommendations. I stayed on for the Evensong at King's College Chapel after. Magical. Highly recommend.

I came here multiple times for gorgeous scenery, Sylvia Plath vibes, and clear air for my mind &…read morebody. At every angle, it looks as though a postcard popped out in real life. Grantchester is amazing for walking, reading, socializing, and snacking at The Orchard, which I'll write a separate review for. Grantchester is where I practice my embarrassing biking skills, walk my worries away, and pray my heart out to God. Grantchester is a very special place for me and I'm so glad it exists. P.S. there's a lot where you can park your bike. You can enter into the Meadows through there. It's hard to find but it's there :) good luck!

Grantchester Meadows is a number of things; firstly a short street in the Newnham district of…read moreCambridge, perhaps more famously a track by Pink Floyd and finally - and most relevantly to Qypers - it is a series of meadows owned by one of the Cambridge colleges leading from Newnham, just outside the city centre, to Grantchester about 2 miles away and bordered by the river Cam (or Granta). Pleasant and occasionally idyllic, rather than dramatic, a stroll through Grantchester Meadows is a great way to entertain the kids (there is a path that is suitable for cycling) or show a different side of Cambridge to visitors who are "college-ed out". On a good day, you should find plenty of picnic spots by the river, usually some punters to watch, roaming cattle and trees to climb. In August / September, there are plenty of blackberries to pick, but get there early before they are all gone. Grantchester itself has several characterful pubs, but our destination is always The Orchard for scones, coffee and juice with a straw for the little ones. For an even longer day out, Lammas Land park with its extensive play area is very close to the north end of the meadows.

Just a short drive out of Cambridge, with a good (and free !) car park but no toilets or any other…read morefacilities, Gog Magog is the closest that Cambridge gets to being hilly - it's basically Cambridge's one hill, but the views over the city from the top are quite spectacular. A great place to take children for a Sunday afternoon walk, and if they are really energetic, you can wander over to Wandlebury and take them round there too.

This has to be my favourite place to go when I need a break from the hustle and the bustle of daily…read morelife! I first went here last year on a lovely hot autumn afternoon and spent my time taking photos and exploring the paths and walkways - It's a nice place to go to disconnect for a while. Parking is free and the gates open at 8am and close at 5pm every day

A great place to spend a beautiful sunny spring day! I'm amazed that I've been living in London for…read more3 years and somehow managed not to find this place until now even though I've driven to Stansted at least half a dozen times. D'oh! Parking costs a £5 for the day and about half that if you're arriving after 5pm. It's free for National Trust members. Don't worry if you've forgotten your sticker, just show them your card at the gate and you'll be issued with a little paper ticket. There are at least 3 car parks I can think of off the top of my head. One right at the entrance, one near the lake and one by the cafe. I'd drive right in and stop by the cafe as it offers the most central location, allowing easy access to all parts of the forest. There are lots of trails, open fields as well as forested areas so a bit of everything. I saw quite a few signs of bushcraft so if you're into that then this is a great place to put in some shelter building practice.

A great day out, couldn't recommend it highly enough…read more Lots for kids of all ages to do here, there's a large lake for fishing, an area for feeding geese and ducks, loads of tree's to climb, plenty of wildlife, and best of all LOADS OF SPACE! Great to ride to and around on a bike, the cafe does a great range of homemade pies that really are worth the trip alone. There's numerous sturdy picnic benches that seat up to 8, and at easter/xmas that do a little treasure hunt for the young uns, which my lot love. Get down there pronto, but if you are going to drive, please have the decency to pay to enter the car park. For years there have been loads of people parking on the road and entering for free, so finally double yello lines have been painted on. Sad but necessary.

Loved this little village station full of plants and very well kept by the employees and locals…read more Quaint but still offering everything you need in a local station, seating inside and out, a ticket machine as well as an office, bike storage, etc. It was easy to take the train to Cambridge and then onto Norwich, or connect to London, so very easy to commute. Meldreth is a tiny village, with one shop, a primary school and some nice woodland walks, and an old church and a good pub. Maybe worth a stop for a walk and a bevvy on your travels?

This place is an absolute delight to visit and really quite unique, I was taken here on several…read morememorable school trips when that left a lasting impression on me. Look out for the passageway carved into the rock face which hosts a little seating area, the lovely pond and the peacocks, this place can also be rented for special occasions eg weddings. You can also visit Old Warden which has old cars and planes next door on the same day out.

beautiful, full of flowers and a lovely walk, keep an eye out for the peacocks and other wild birds…read moreand dont forget your pinic!

Just a quick drive from the centre of Cambridge and you come accross Wandlebury. A great park and…read morevery popular all year round. A lovely place to go for a long walk or even to take the family out for a pic nic in the countryside. It will cost £2 to park your car but there are no time restrictions as such on that - you will have plenty of time to go about enjoying your day and not have to worry abou the car park cost, something quite unique for Cambridge!

This park is a real hidden gem, it's a couple of miles outside Cambridge and is a family favourite…read moreof ours all through the year. It's owned by the Cambridge Preservation Society, who do a superb job of managing this estate. Briefly, there's a Stone Age ring which once fortified a village. It now encircles a group of cottages with gardens, a barn and a pond. There's 110 acres of down, woodland, pasture and orchards to explore. It's great for foraging for nuts, fruit, fungi and mushrooms. You can see birds, foxes, deer, bats, badgers (if you're very early). They have some great educational events here through the year and it's free. The car park costs £2 but if you're skint, you can park for free in the lay-by a bit further down the A1307 or you can walk over from Magog Down, just over the road.