I met up with Kirsty and David again today. We met once more at the St. Ives Park & Ride, but took the guided busway to Cambridge for the day. This was our approximate route, after we got there, although my tracker was playing up a bit with the rainy weather, particularly while we were stopped for coffee and lunch where it shows a big squiggle each time.
As you can see, it was a bit of a meander! We managed to take in 6 of the Dinky Doors, have coffee at the Michaelhouse Centre, admire the chronophage, sneak into Pembroke College while the gate was open (and then got locked in), see the three places I lived in Cambridge as an undergraduate, take in a bit of river and the backs and lunch at Zizzi's.
Here are a few of my photos.
Coming up to the guided section on the bus. This was a novel experience for Kirsty and David.
We walked along King Street and I told them about the King Street Run. Cambridge Strings, where Sarah got her violin, wasn't open today.
We found our first Dinky Door, No. 6 - The Wonder Emporium.
From Jesus Lock we walked along the river to Magdalene Bridge.
The Michaelhouse Centre opposite the porters lodge for my old college, Gonville and Caius, is a great place for a coffee stop. Kirsty never knew the St. Michael's Singers were named after the church and college courtyard behind (where I had a set in my 3rd year). I also pointed out the cellar entrance opposite for what used to be the Late Night Bar.
We tried to get into the college to visit, but member of the college or not, I was not allowed to take visitors in due to COVID-19 restrictions. We stopped by the Gate of Honour, through which you exit the college on graduation day.
The clock on the corner of Corpus Christi college, known as the Grasshopper Clock, is interesting. The "Chronophage" insect moves its mouth, appearing to "eat up" the seconds as they pass, and occasionally it "blinks" in seeming satisfaction. The creature's constant motion produces an eerie grinding sound that suits its task. The hour is tolled by the sound of a chain clanking into a small wooden coffin hidden in the back of the clock. The clock is entirely accurate only once every five minutes.The rest of the time, the pendulum may seem to catch or stop, and the lights may lag or, then, race to get ahead. According to its creator, John C. Taylor this erratic motion reflects life's "irregularity". Taylor deliberately designed it to be "terrifying": "Basically I view time as not on your side. He'll eat up every minute of your life, and as soon as one has gone he's salivating for the next."
All the colleges had signs up saying "No visitors", but we found the gate of Pembroke College open.
But we had tail-gated someone in and got locked inside. The kindly Head Porter forgave us and let us out.
We had a little meander on the meadows to The Granta,...
...before heading back to Silver St bridge to see the mathematical bridge.
We sneaked into the grounds of Harvey Court. My room in my first year at Cambridge was the one right in the middle of this photo, although it has been modernised since my time there.
Of course we had to go along the backs to get this iconic view....
...and cross the river via Garret Hostel Lane bridge (aka, I kid you not, the Orgasm bridge - check out that link). There appears to be a lot of building work going on in Clare College.
There is no end of options for eating out in Cambridge, but Kirsty and I both fancied a pizza so we ate at Zizzi's, overlooking Parker's Piece.
One last Dinky Door before heading for our bus back to St. Ives... at Reality Checkpoint, said to be the oldest remaining electrical lamppost in the city. It was restored in 2017 as part of the project to rebuild the University Arms hotel. Read an interview with the resident here.
Despite the drizzle for a lot of the time, it was a lovely day out and strange to see Cambridge so quiet in June. Then it was goodbye to Kirsty and David. Hopefuilly we'll meet again over the summer.
You can see more of my photos here on Flickr and more details of our route here on MapMyWalk.
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