"Friday Nov 1st is a walk full of Autumn Colour and best done at this time of the year! John devised this walk earlier in the year and it takes in Wandlebury Park and the Magog Downs. The George pub at Babraham serves from midday so we will stop here for a drink, pls bring a sarnie with you. We will meet at Magog Down car park (the nearest postcode to Magog Down car park entrance is CB22 5FX.). Take the A14 towards Cambridge and then take the A11 towards Stansted and then off at the junction for A1307 towards Cambridge. Then head towards the park n ride site at Babraham but turn left to Stapleford about 0.5 mile before and then turn left into the large free car park. (see photo). I'm sure there will be a car share from Skyliner Way, Bury at 9.15am and I'll offer a car share from mine in Mildenhall at 9.25am. With the clocks changing we should probably meet at 10am to make the most of the daylight hours. The walk will be approx 10 miles. The weather looks mild but could be damp so be prepared."
Yes. It was one of mine. One I did for myself in February and Joyce thought it would be nice to do in Autumn, so invited me to lead the group. Looking out the window before leaving the weather didn't look promising with a persistent drizzle, but the forecast was for it to dry up.
I collected Anna from Skyliner Way and we met 5 others at the Magog Down Car Park. This was our route today - almost identical to February, but with a different route through Wandlebury at the end to cross the busy main road in the right place.
It was a little damp at times and rather dull but quite mild. We took our time and had frequent stops. Some of my photos weren't perfectly sharp and had to be discarded, but here are some of them and a couple from Joyce.
We assembled in the Magog Down Car Park...
...and we first climbed the down.
The Gog Magog Hills are a range of low chalk hills, extending for several miles to the southeast of Cambridge. The highest points are situated either side of the A1307 Babraham Road, and are marked on Ordnance Survey 1:25000 maps as "Telegraph Clump" at 75 m (246 ft), The area as a whole is undefined but is roughly the elevated area lying north west of the 41 m (135 ft) col at Worsted Lodge.
In English folklore, Gogmagog was a giant, and according to Geoffrey of Monmouth's influential 12th-century Historia Regum Britanniae, one of the inhabitants of Albion discovered by Brutus of Troy and his men. He was the last of the giants that they killed, and was thrown from a cliff by Corineus. The book Where Troy Once Stood argues that the ancient city of Troy was in fact located in the Gog Magog Downs; however, this is not taken seriously by scholars.
I don't believe it either.
Anyway up we went.
We had lovely views, although visibility was limited by the dampness in the air.
Here you can see Addenbrooke's Hospital and, on the very right of the picture you can just make out the tower of my workplace, The Triangle. You can see it from the air here.
But I digress.
We continued down the footpath alongside the road to Stapleford, passing The Granary we headed to Babraham along the River Granta passing Babraham Church which, alas, was not open, and Babraham Hall, and then on into the village.
Stapleford Granary is an impressive facility.
We admired the programme of events and carried on along the Granta valley.
Here we crossed the river.
Some autumn leaves in the woods we walked through.
The Babraham Institute "undertakes world-leading research into understanding the biology of how our bodies work, including what changes as we age and during disease", as its website says.
We liked the funny two-way bench.
There was the makings of a big bonfire in the fields opposite. Roland was all for sneaking into the field and lighting it, but none of us had any matches.
We recrossed the river to visit the church where we ate our lunches...
...before heading on past the impressive Babraham Hall. Established in the 16th century the present building dates from 1833-1837 In 1948 the estate was sold to the Agricultural Research Council, now the Babraham Institute. .
We went through Babraham village to The George - our official drink stop.
Very comfortable it was too and, tempting though it was to stay a while longer, we had the rest of our walk to do. We crossed the A1307 and walked along a quiet road parallel to the A11 to Worsted Lodge. Here we joined the Roman road, Worsted Street, which runs towards the centre of Cambridge.
We left this to go to Wandlebury through this lovely avenue of trees.
We visited Ely view, but, alas, it was too murky to see the cathedral (as it was back in February).
We walked round the ring and then back to Magog Down and the Car Park.
Well that was nice a walk, and I think everyone else enjoyed it too. Thanks to Joyce for organising and to all for coming.
You can see more detail of our route here in MapMyWalk and more of my (and Joyce's) photos here on Flickr.
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