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CANTAB 93 – December 2018

CANTAB 93 – December 2018 published on

** Please note that this is an archive of the CANTAB publication and contains out-of-date information **

CANTAB RAMBLER

Editorial
As the Winter days close in, activities closer to Cambridge predominate. This issue will, for once, concentrate largely on Cambridge RA Group, and Cambridge matters.
Janet Moreton

RA Cambridge Group AGM
The AGM was held on the evening of 30 November, with the formal business followed by an interesting speaker, and a buffet supper with wine for £5 a head. The enjoyable evening was attended by less than 10% of the 450 membership. From this, and other such evenings it is clear that our members at large are generally not attracted by evening or indoor engagements, but would rather be out and about! Here is an opportunity for members to learn what they missed!

Formal business – From reports presented, members learnt of the Committee’s involvement in matters affecting public paths, be it: planning; development; Network Rail’s attempts to close dozens of level crossings affecting paths in Cambs; “Greenways” (proposed new cycling/walking routes); and proposed new busways into Cambridge.

On the path network, there had been very few problems of overgrowth throughout the dry Summer. However, general path problems reported received very poor attention from the County Council for an unexplained gap of 4 months during the Summer. Issues of overgrown hedges adjacent to paths, damaged stiles and kissing gates, and missing/damaged signposts have been reported, and some of the problems have been addressed.

Our Chairman, Lisa Woodburn thanked walks leaders for another year’s very successful walks programme. The printed version is much appreciated, although the programme is also available on the Group’s website. The Treasurer’s report showed the Group is solvent, having an end-of-year balance of £1343. Income derives from a grant from subscriptions via National Office, and Group book sales, and major items of expenditure are the walks programmes and the cost of posting them.

The election of officers resulted in no change in the Committee, and no-one came forward to be a “member without portfolio”. This is sad, as the Committee members would freely admit themselves to be ageing, and would welcome new input.

The Talk – An illustrated lecture, “Horseheath Hall – a vanished country house” was given by Mrs Janet Morris, Secretary and founder member of West Wickham and District Local History Club and Council Member of Cambridge Antiquarian Society.

We were shown the attractive countryside around Horseheath, and the footpaths many of us know and love, and, super-imposed on this landscape, the impressive hall as it was in the C18th, before it was, sadly, demolished.

An original hall was created in the C15th, and a deer park added later, and by the C18th parkland covered a wide swathe of countryside between Horseheath and West Wickham. A new hall had been built on the site in 1663, designed by Sir Roger Pratt whose design was the first to put the servants quarters in the basement (thus the originator of the concept Upstairs / Downstairs). The hall was later altered and extended. At its peak, the site included gardens, orangery, summer house, ice house, ponds, and specimen trees – two of the original cedar trees can still be seen from the Roman Road. Finally, the last owners, The Bromley family, over-extended themselves, and the house was sold, and demolished, many of the fragments of splendour re-appearing elsewhere in the County. The magnificent wrought iron park gates may be seen along The Backs behind Trinity and St John’s colleges.

Cambridge’s Trees
The City Council reckons there are over 240,000 trees in Cambridge. The canopy covers 17% of the City’s surface area. Some 94% of the trees are under 50 years old, with only 1% aged over 100! The majority are planted in private gardens, but many line streets, or are in parks. The trees around Parker’s Piece, and on Christ’s Pieces and Jesus Green for example, give character to the location, as well as helping to counter climate change effects.

The Council’s Tree Strategy aims to protect and manage existing trees, including veteran and heritage trees, and to increase new tree planting. During 2018, there has been a survey of old willow trees on Sheep’s Green; an investigation into the health of ash trees (the City’s most common species); and setting up a Tree Trail at Cherry Hinton Hall.

To encourage the planting of trees in gardens, residents with a new baby can apply to the Council for a free tree under the “Free Trees for babies” scheme. See e-mail trees@cambridge.gov.uk

Meanwhile, enjoy a tree-spotting walk about the City – easier when the leaves return in Spring!

£4.6m approved for Greenways
During the Summer, the Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) endorsed a £4.6m package to accelerate delivery of short-term improvements across the network of proposed “Greenways” – a series of routes for walkers, cyclists and horseriders, linking nearby villages and towns to Cambridge. There are a total of twelve Greenways planned: Barton; Bottisham; Comberton; Fulbourn; Haslingfield; Horningsea; Linton; Melbourn; Sawston; St Ives; Swaffham; and Waterbeach. A series of public consultations have been held.

Short term improvements in the system include the widening and resurfacing of a number of existing cycleways across greater Cambridge, such as those between Sawston and Stapleford. One suggestion was a new shared use path linking Cottenham to the Guided Busway.

While there was broad support for the Greenways scheme, the representative of the Federation of Cambridge Residents Associations felt that some proposed routes touched on sensitive parts of the historic City centre, and sought re-assurance that no cobbles or paving stones would be removed. Some residents of Newnham were worried about the impact of a Greenway on Barton Road on the leafy character of the area. Ramblers too, while welcoming more access and car-free routes, might mourn the quieter footpaths they may in some cases replace.

A14 Archaeology
The A14 works rumble on, resulting in many motorists seeking new routes for work and recreation. Walks approached from Cambridge by the A14 have been unpopular this year, with two such led walks on the Cambridge Group programme being very poorly attended.

Meanwhile, nearly 250 archaeologists have been working to uncover sites of interest, before they are sealed beneath the asphalt of the new road. About 1.35 square miles (350 ha) have been investigated, comprising over 40 separate excavations. Some 15 tonnes of finds (pottery, animal bones, metalwork) have been uncovered. A further 140 tonnes of environmental soil samples were also collected (filling 5 shipping containers). About 25 settlements, burial and industrial sites were uncovered. These include: 7 prehistoric burial grounds, barrows, and cremation cemeteries; 3 prehistoric henges; 8 Iron Age to Roman supply farms; 40 Roman pottery kilns; 3 Saxon settlements; 1 deserted medieval village with remains of 12 buildings from C8 – C12th; and 2 C19th brick kilns.

Individual treasures include a Neolithic flint axe head; an Iron Age timber ladder, dated to 525-475bc; A Roman pendant of Medusa; and an Anglo-Saxon bone flute. The archaeologists, led by MOLA Headland Infrastructure, say they “have evidence to rewrite the prehistoric & historic records for the area for the last 6000 years.”

Prehistoric trackways came this way, later as a Roman Road, the “Via Devana” or Worsted Street. We will never be allowed to walk the A14 on a line once tramped by the Romans, but hopefully by 2020, the A14 will once more give easier access from Cambridge to attractive walks in Huntingdon, Brampton and beyond.

Open Spaces Society defends Therfield Heath
The Open Spaces Society has recently assisted in the defeat of a proposed exchange of common land on part of Therfield Heath, Royston.

The conservators of Therfield Heath and Greens wanted to swap 1.65 acres of common land at Sun Hill (where it wished to build 8 houses) for the same area of woodland over a mile away. The objectors included Natural England, and Herts. CC and a public Inquiry was held. The Inspector, Mark Yates, rejected the application, concluding that, since the land to be lost at Sun Hill has been used for recreation, the exchange would have an adverse impact on those living close by. Also, there was evidence that the replacement land was already being used by the public and therefore there would be an overall loss.
Info from “Open Space” Autumn 2018, vol 32, No 3.pp 10, 11. Acknowledged with thanks.

Chisholm Trail – progress report
Readers will be aware of the long term scheme to create a new cycleway/walkway across Cambridge, avoiding vehicular traffic. We are delighted to have a progress report direct from Jim Chisholm, for which many thanks.
“Progress on the Chisholm Trail has been slow recently despite both the new river bridge and ‘phase one’ as far as Coldham’s Lane having full planning permission for a while. There is also consent from the Planning Inspectorate, under the Commons Act 2004, to widen the existing tarmac path over Coldham’s Common. A number of leases have been agreed including those over parts of the Old Barnwell oil sidings and adjacent to Coldham’s Brook over Cambridge Past Present and Future land around the Leper Chapel.

“Exploration will show ‘preliminary’ work at a number of locations, but final signing of some long leases, and ‘signing off’ of some pre-commencement planning conditions is needed before work starts in earnest. There has always been the hope that this section could be completed before the end of 2019. This would mean that there would finally be a pleasant walking route from Cambridge North station, over the new river bridge to Ditton Meadows, and then via the Leper Chapel, through the new underpass beneath Newmarket Road, and onto Coldham’s Common. The section south from Coldham’s Lane will go through the old Ridgeon’s site which is being redeveloped for housing, and then parallel with the railway, under Mill Road and link to the ‘Carter’ bridge and to Clifton Road. Work on agreeing the detail here proceeds. The outline plans for the housing include a route, and that over the Network Rail land needs no formal planning permission and may be built as part of the planned major work on the sidings both N & S of Mill Road bridge.

“Much of this route will be 3.5m of tarmac. Some wanted full segregation, but others objected to a ‘highway’ over green space. The 3.5m is as wide as the widest paths in the Sheep’s Green area, so it is hoped that conflicts between those on foot and on bikes will be minimised. Recently, and controversialy, planning permission has been granted for a Cafe adjacent to Barnwell Lake. This will be at the opposite end of the underpass beneath Newmarket Road from the Leper Chapel. It will offer welcome sustenance and relief to those exploring these wonderful green spaces, or those just passing through as part of a longer trip…. Won’t it be great to walk or cycle all the way fro Milton Country Park to the new Hobson’s, and Trumpington Meadows Country Parks south of Cambridge yet avoiding busy main roads.”

The Leper Chapel
The Autumn Issue of The Ring, the magazine of Cambridge Past, Present and Future (CPPF) describes current plans to upgrade the facilities of The Leper Chapel and associated land.

Built ca 1125 as an outlying leprosy hospital, the chapel is one of Cambridge’s oldest buildings. The Leper Chapel nowadays needs £200K spending in the next 5 years on essential repairs, retiling the roof, and a small extension at the rear to house toilet, storage and kitchenette. The article continues “Plans for the Chisholm Trail adjacent to the chapel continue to move slowly forwards, but that project will give CPPF the opportunity to extend the chapel lawn, connecting with the Chisholm Trail and making the chapel accessible for wheelchair users”.

CPPF has submitted a Lottery Funding bid, and expects to hear the result of their bid sometime this month, so we wish them the best of luck.

Mill Road Bridge works.
A new issue clouds the Mill Road Bridge in 2019. Govia Thameslink plan to create an extra railway line under the bridge, to allow 12-carriage trains for the new direct service to Brighton to be cleaned without interruption of the main railway lines. It is proposed to close the bridge for much of the time for 2 or 3 months next Summer, with a 1km pedestrian detour. This may be negligible for the fit walkers in our membership, but devastating to the elderly, infirm and disabled amongst us. No buses will pass down Mill Road, cutting people off from the City Centre, and hospital and trade would be affected.

John Fuller
Ramblers Cambridge Group record with sadness the death of our member, John Fuller, aged 94. He is survived by his widow Beryl and family, to whom we send our sympathy. The funeral was held on 15 October, at the Arbory Trust Woodland Cemetery at Barton, and was attended by representatives of the Cambridge Group.

John was an enthusiastic rambler for many decades. He led walks locally and on holidays with The Cambridge Rambling Club. In the period 1980 – 1990, when the Cambridge RA Group did much way-marking and clearance work in South Cambs, John was an active volunteer. His long familiarity with local paths made him a much valued and authoritative witness at public inquiries, as well as a wonderful companion.
JM

Cantab Rambler by E-Mail & Post
Cantab now appears some four times a year. A large number of you now receive Cantab by e-mail.

This is a privately produced magazine, and the views expressed are solely those of the editor, or of the author of an individual item.

Janet Moreton 01223 356889
e-mail roger.janet@outlook.com
Cantab93 © Janet Moreton, 2018.

CANTAB 91 – May 2018

CANTAB 91 – May 2018 published on

** Please note that this is an archive of the CANTAB publication and contains out-of-date information **

CANTAB RAMBLER

Editorial
The present issue focuses on Fenland, and the fen edge: walking opportunities, the villages, and issues affecting the long term state of the countryside. I hope you find it of interest: if not, please write with suggestions – or articles!
Janet Moreton

Along the Rothschild Way – OS Explorer Sheets 225,226,227
In 2014, Adrian Kempster, of Huntingdon’s RA Group created the 39 mile walking route between Wicken Fen and Woodwalton Fen. He sought to celebrate Charles Rothschild’s purchase in 1912 of land to preserve the fenland landscape. The Beds, Cambs and Hunts Wildlife Magazine of Spring 2017 celebrated the first full-length walk along the route by a party including Helen Bailey and Andrew Cuthbert, taking some 18 hours! The article suggests use of the route as a challenge walk, but this seems to me a poor way to appreciate the ambient countryside. Besides, how many of us can walk 39 miles in a day!

This article suggests that the route is used as a focus for a series of fenland rambles, each including a short section of the route, and one or two of the fenland villages nearby. For several long sections, the route follows existing LDPs.

Synopsis of the route
Start on the Rothschild Way along the well-used Wicken Lode path to Upware. From Upware, follow the Fen Rivers Way and Rothschild Way along the W bank of the R Cam to the Holt Fen Drove bridge over Old West River. (The last news reported the pub here is closed).

The 5 mile route uses Stretham Ferry Bridge, by The Lazy Otter pub, and crosses the A10, continuing alongside the Great Ouse and over The Twenty Pence Road. The route, still co-incident with the Ouse Valley Way, passes to the S of Aldreth along the river bank to the lock at Earith and continues to Brownshill Staunch, the highest point reached by North Sea tides.

From Brownshill Staunch to Broughton it is co-incident with the Pathfinder Walk. Finally, the route passes Little Raveley, Wistow, and approaches Woodwalton Fen via Common Bridge and Jacksons Bridge.

Points of interest and short walks along the Rothschild Way
Beware! The walks suggestions here are mostly outlne only, leaving detailed route planning to the reader. Some of the ideas derive from guidebooks now out of print, and the author has done some but not all these walks herself!

Walk 1:The start at Wicken Fen, Explorer 226
The National Trust’s Wicken Fen is one of the UK’s oldest reserves, having celebrated its centenary in 1999. The fen has been managed for centuries by traditional sedge cutting and peat digging. The resulting habitat is abundant in wildlife, especially invertebrates. Over 200 species of birds have been recorded, and in Spring and Summer an impressive array of wetland wild flowers. The reserve has good parking (free to NT members), information centre and a café. The classic walk of 2 miles around the fen is almost obligatory to obtain a real sense of the preserved landscape, and its wildlife interest. Then, start on the Rothschild Way along the well-used Wicken Lode path to Upware (Five Miles from Anywhere, no Hurry pub!). From Upware, take the path N past Commissioners Pit, and E to the Upware Road. A path leads E, and round the outside of the perimeter to Wicken Fen, and back to the café.

Walk 2 Stretham circuit, Holt Fen Bridge & Stretham Old Engine, Explorer 226
The Fen Rivers Way guide describes a walk from Stretham to Holt Fen Drove and along Old West River past Stretham Old Engine and the Little Chef on the A10, returning on a path going N into Stretham (described in Fen Rivers Way Guide, 2nd ed. pp31-33, 7 miles). Park considerately in Stretham, which has 2 pubs, and an interesting church.

Walk 3. Bluntisham, Explorer 225
Park considerately in the village, and cross the A1123 to take the path S on the Pathfinder Trail and the Rothschild Way to Brownshill Staunch, deviating if desired to visit the RSPB reserve. After lunch a circuit may be made via Wood End. (ca 6 miles).

An old Hunts RA Group publication by Judy Morris, revised and published by Hunts DC in 1990, gives a walk from Bluntisham going E through orchards to Earith, crossing the Great Ouse at Earith Lock, and following the S bank (properly here “the Bedford Level Corporation Barrier Bank”) to Brownshill Staunch, and returning to Bluntisham as described above. This walk along the bank, part of the Rothschilds Way, is sufficient to give a good taste of the miles of flat fenland walking experienced by the challenge walkers! (12 miles)

Walk 4 Broughton & Kings Ripton, Explorer 225
Hunts RA published a green booklet in 1998 called “Twenty Rambles in Huntingdonshire”. Walk 10 of this book takes us a very little further along the Rothschilds Way, as part of a circuit from Broughton Church, visiting Kings Ripton, Raveley Wood, and back to Broughton. (6.5 miles) The walk is almost entirely on field edges and good tracks.

Walk 5 Warboys, Explorer 226, 227
Our route, still along the Pathfinder Way, and co-incident with the Rothschild Way, takes us to Warboys. Here I sought recourse to Google, and an informative website: www.britishwalks.org/walks/2012/944.php

It includes routes varying in length from 2 to 25 miles. For those wishing, perhaps, to limber up for the whole Rothschild Way, the 25 miles route is as follows: St Ives – Houghton – RAF Wyton – Kings Ripton – Broughton – Warboys – Buss Drove – Somersham – Colne – Bluntisham – Brownshill Staunch – Middle Fen Drove (Swavesey) – The Guided Busway path – St Ives.

Walk 6 Abbots Ripton, Little Raveley, and Wood Walton, Explorer 225
This walk, based on a reprint of the old Judy Morris book, “Country Walks in Huntingdonshire”, gives a circuit to Wood Walton. The route uses Hall Lane, around Wennington Wood, The Butts, past Little Wills Farm and on to Wood Walton. The return route touches the corner of Hill Wood, and runs SSE to Clay Lane, and returns to Abbots Ripton past Brooklands farm. (10 miles)

Walk 7 Great Fen (Woodwalton Fen and its extensions), Explorer 227
The reserve, an NNR and SSSI, lies at the lowest part of the Hunts fens, and surrounding drainage caused the reserve to dry out in the early C20th. Ground level shrank, and by 1930, the Victorian landscape of sedge & reed had become dense scrub. Since the 1950s much of the open fen has been restored and water levels raised to encourage wetland species, including 170 birds, and vast numbers of invertebrates.

Limited car parking is available on the bank beside Jackson’s Bridge. A leaflet available on site suggests 3 short walks the Bungalow trail (Rothchild’s original building, built on piles); The Reedbed trail; and the Mere trail. Taken together, these might be 3.5 miles, with a suggested walking time 3 hours! There is now also access into the new Darlow’s Farm Extension.

Also visit Holme Fen, which is the largest silver birch plantation in lowland England. The reserve also supports areas of cross-leaved heath and open water and is home to nightingales and the small copper butterfly. Find the famous Holme posts (originally sunk to their tops in the fen) at TL 200 891, and parking is possible hereabouts, along Holme Lode roadway. A short walk is possible on Holme fen, see local notices. It is not currently feasible to walk directly between Holme Fen and Jackson’s Bridge.

Ramsey
Do not consider making the long drive from the Cambridge area to Great Fen, without also visiting the interesting town of Ramsey. Parking is available off Great Whyte.

The Benedictine Monastery founded 969 was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1539, and largely demolished. The Lady Chapel remained, converted by the Cromwells into a manor house, which in turn became part of a school, and the Lady Chapel is now part of its basement. Other remains of the abbey are fragments of precinct wall and ruins of the once magnificent gatehouse, now National Trust. Nearby is the parish church of St Thomas a Becket, formerly the abbey guest house.

Great Ouse Tidal River Basin – Climate change and flood protection
The Environmental Agency (EA) is asking for billions to protect the fen landscape from future flooding, Flooding issues were quantified by the EA in a 2017 report.

The Great Ouse is tidal as far inland as Brownshill Staunch. Potential sea level rises due to climate change by the year 2100 were estimated as 1 to 3 metres. The EA have used these figures to determine the degree of flood risk and costs of protection. East Cambs District Council is lending support to the EA. See http://www.eastcambs.gov.uk/press/east-cambs-stands-alongside-environment-agency-highlight-risk-flooding-fens

World Rivers Day
The last Sunday in September is kept as World Rivers Day, first celebrated in 2005. In 2017, the occasion was marked in 79 countries, with the aim of focussing attention on rivers, their problems and benefits.

Locally, the Cam Valley Forum exists as a voluntary networking group to bring together concerned bodies, such as The Cam Conservators, The Environment Agency (EA), The Wildlife Trust, Cambridge City Council and the District Councils. Walkers using the river Cam towpath are sometimes only too aware that the river is a shared resource – fishermen with extending rods line the banks, and eights coaches whiz past on their bikes. But mostly a walk by the River Cam is a pleasant experience at all seasons, thanks to the work of the above agencies, and volunteers.

A leaflet produced by the Cam Valley Forum lists recent improvement works. These include: litter removal campaigns; reduction in deep dredging of streams; creation of more upstream wetlands to reduce flooding; better sewage treatment; improved agrochemical application on adjacent land; removal of alien plants,eg Floating Pennywort, and Himalayan Balsam; trapping of alien mink, and improved facilities for otters; and fish passes* at Byrons Pool and Sheeps Green.
* note also a new fish pass currently being built at Burnt Mills Gauging Station on the Cam near Haslingfield.

Waste at Waterbeach.
CPRE’s county magazine’s spring number, reports on their recent objection to a development by Amey Cespa. The company has a huge plant off the A10 at Waterbeach, sorting and treating domestic waste. For items which they are unable to recycle, it is proposed to build an incinerator on the site, with an 80 metre high chimney. There are pollution considerations here: the higher the chimney, the greater distance emissions are dispersed, and hence diluted. Alternative disposal is via landfill sites, which are in short supply.

CPRE’s objections are based on the appearance of the incinerator, and the effects on the landscape. The chimney would be visible from high points in the area, such as Ely Cathedral, and would have “significant and adverse visual impact on the local character and surrounding countryside”. CPRE agreed with Historic England’s submission that the incinerator would “overbear, overwhelm and completely destroy the fragile setting of the historic medieval Denny Abbey.”

The chimney would certainly be visible from the riverside, and from the Fen Rivers Way long distance path. The application was undecided at the time of writing. Meanwhile, wash out that pickle bottle for recycling!

Proposed busway route
Lib Dems’ success at recent local elections is claimed to have been influenced by their stand on the proposed Cambourne to Cambridge busway route. Cllr Van de Weyer was quoted “ I cannot support the off-road option at all. The finances and cost benefits are still not clear. There are fundamental problems . It would do huge damage to the villages along the route”.

It would also do huge damage to the path network in this part of South Cambs. Let us keep our fingers crossed.

Hauxton Mill development
Plans are afoot to turn the derelict Hauxton Mill and adjacent buildings into the focus of a “SciTech” Park. As well as creating quality office and laboratory space, the developer plans to open a café for the public “to enjoy one of the most popular heritage walking routes in Cambridge”. Local walkers will be only too pleased to enjoy the riverside path again, when all building work finishes around Hauxton Mill, and on the adjacent former chemical works, now a large half-finished housing estate.

Cantab Rambler by E-Mail & Post
Cantab now appears some four times a year. A large number of you now receive Cantab by e-mail. If you would like to receive an issue by post, please send a large SAE. Brief articles will be gratefully received.

This is a privately produced magazine, and the views expressed are solely those of the editor, or of the author of an individual item.

Janet Moreton 01223 356889
e-mail roger.janet@outlook.com
Cantab91 © Janet Moreton, 2018.

CANTAB 90 – January 2018

CANTAB 90 – January 2018 published on

** Please note that this is an archive of the CANTAB publication and contains out-of-date information **

CANTAB RAMBLER

Editorial
A belated “Happy New Year” to you all, and apologies for so long a silence.

I have been occupied in trying to sort out a roomful of Cambridge Ramblers’ Association records. Our own involvement stretches back to ca 1975, and we inherited a few papers from as far back as 1970.

Much of this related to path complaints, and records of path usage, which might potentially be of use at public inquiries, and have indeed been used in the past at rights of way inquiries such as at Bartlow and Stetchworth. At the latter Inquiry, we carried with us not only photocopies of diary entries indicating use of a claimed path, and a typed synopsis, but also a plastic carrier bag full of the diaries from which the evidence derived. I rather hoped no-one would like to search through these in confirmation, as diary entries included not only path usage, but also our personal social records.

At one time, a source of the massive paper burden came from RA Central Office, with circulars, updates of circulars and questionnaires etc. Now, blessedly, these appear on the Internet, and hopefully rarely need printing out. The downside of this capacity, is that a ready audience is presented to our London colleagues, to whom they can forward, at no expense, copious documents for our attention, surely more in number and complexity than when they needed to be posted!

Our contacts with the parish councils in the 101 South Cambridgeshire parishes that we deal with have, over the years, given us a very good picture of the state of rights of way, and “how things are done” in individual parishes. We feel that on the whole the “dead letters” files from the parishes are well worth retaining as a useful archive.

In the early 1980s, we started a series of path complaints ledgers, each entry relating to an individual path, and its problems. If one includes permissive and customary paths, we are talking about some 1300 numbered entries. These entries cross reference with reports made every 2 months to the Cambridge RA Group committee, and retained on the computer. In the intervening years, the County Council has used various means of contacting or replying to us over path issues. We have continued to summarise their replies in our ledgers, as a computer cross-reference, but have been obliged to scrap repetitive original paper data, as keeping the whole of the earlier archive becomes altogether too massive. It is known that Cambs CC only keeps its own records for 3 years. In the course of the “paper excavations” however, I have found some interesting data, which I will share with you in this issue.

Long Term South Cambs Path Problems
Readers who have been walking in the area since 2000, will perhaps recall the publicity given by RA Cambridge Group to their South Cambridgeshire Millennium Paths Survey. Every path was surveyed and recorded in great detail, and problems noted. These problems were not simply recorded in the volumes of the survey, but were subsequently individually drawn to the attention of the County Council’s Rights of Way maintenance team.

In August 2000, we followed this up by writing to Kate Day, the then Team Leader, summarising the list of persistent long-standing problems in the path network, although we acknowledged that 75% or more of the network was in good or fair order. However, we included with the letter a dossier of 41 path problems.

Within a few years, several of these problems had been rectified. A number of long-term problems in Bourn were sorted out, Dry Drayton paths had a make-over, and the Mordens (with their huge numbers of paths) thoroughly signposted.

Problems with Graveley fp10 (from High St to Toseland Rd, TL245638), Hatley fp13 (now behind a row of gardens at East Hatley), Guilden Morden fp53 (off High St at TL278436); Linton 5 (diversion taking path out of barn at TL554473); and most recently Steeple Morden fps14 & 7 (off Brookside, at TL290431) have been solved by diversion orders. On Oakington fp 6, a tiny path dead-ended by the wartime airfield, an eventual solution will be achieved as the new housing estate is built!

Inevitably, some difficulties remain unresolved. For example, two paths, a bridleway (bp7) and a footpath (fp5, TL409567) should cross the line of the Barton rifle range. The bridleway has sentry boxes at each end, and is available (occasionally) when there is no red flag flying. Fp5, however, is blocked by fence, hedge, trees, and warning notices, completely obliterated on the ground. Cambridge Group has concluded that it is not worthwhile attempting to retrieve this path, especially since the range is used almost daily. A mitigating factor is the permissive paths which run in the fields alongside the range, on Burwash Manor lands, and giving a pleasant circuit .

On the other hand, at Bassingbourn, fp19 is blocked at one end, TL343450 by an army camp, which is no longer in use. Negotiations over the years have got nowhere. Fp 19 should meet Old North Road opposite Whaddon Footpath 11, leading to Whaddon village. Near the point of emergence is new and revived housing (ex army quarters) whose inhabitants would surely like to walk directly to Bassingbourn village, rather than twice the distance starting down Old North Road.

Some problems comprise a series of difficulties, rather than a single impediment. This is the case on Cottenham paths 1, 9 &10 following the watercourses for several miles. (Fps 9, 10 run NE both sides of the lode from Smithy Fen Bridge; Fp1 runs E along Old West River Bank from the Aldreth Causeway). The 2000 survey records dangerous inadequate stiles, blocking fences without stiles, and similar problems on side-branch paths giving access to the dykes along which these paths run. The County Council has tried over the years to get the worst of these improved, but a concerted effort is needed to make this locality available for a good long stride, uninterrupted by the necessity of crawling under a fence.

Other paths seemingly incapable of a long-term “cure” are those cross-field paths persistently not reinstated every year, unless pressed by the County Council following complaints.

As well as these problems recorded in 2000 which are still in place, there are, unfortunately, a new generation of persistent problems, sometimes deriving from the action of a new landowner. In this category are paths which once kept grassy, are now ploughed, with only a tractor wheeling. Examples of this are Bassingbourn fp 21, TL346444 and Caldecote fp 6, TL339563.

And of course there are the normal maintenance issues. Trees are blown down (lots recently) and block paths. Stiles collapse, gates jam shut, signposts fall down or are knocked down, or mysteriously disappear. Hedges overhang paths, fields are ploughed up and the path disappears for months…

As Footpath Secretaries for South Cambs, we shall continue to press the County Council for improvements. It is now useless to report missing waymarks as this is “no longer priority”. Also it is no longer possible to have a written discussion with the County’s Footpaths Officers. They will only respond to individual path problems, even requiring a separate form for each type of problem seen on a single path, on the same occasion!

The Bun Walk
On the 6 January, about 30 people enjoyed a walk at Toft. Before tea-break, we investigated some of the inner village paths, and the Woodland Trust wood at the edge of the village. At 11.15 am we assembled by the village sign, on the tiny triangle of grass which is all that remains of the village green, and shared Christmas cake. Later, on a wider circuit taking in the edge of Kingston parish, we had some excitement along Armshold Lane, where recent winds had brought down a large tree, which had to be surmounted (and has now been removed). In spite of the muddy conditions on parts of the walk, I believe everyone had a good day.

The January Bun Walk has become quite a tradition with Cambridge Group. I have spent an evening looking through old diaries, and can give you a history.

The first “Bun Walk” was called a “Mince Pie Walk” and was staged on 29 December 1990, starting from Cockayne Hatley, and visiting the other Hatleys. It was a cold day, dark, with odd flakes of snow on the wind. It was a rather low-key affair, 10 people walking 8 miles.

On Saturday 25 January 1992, on a cloudy day, 10 people walked 10 miles around Kingston. The next two years, the walks were from Toft, always a popular venue. Then on 27 December 1994, was a disastrous walk of 6 miles in heavy rain, attended, so my diary tells me, by “six fools” (including ourselves)! What the diary does not say, was that this was the end of the mince pie walks. In 2 or 3 years, we had discovered that our home-made mince pies did not travel well, the lid frequently becoming detached from the base. After the Barrington walk, Roger and I were eating fragments of mince pies for several days.

Over the next three years, we changed to bun manufacture, with pink & green icing, and small bought decoration, very fiddly, but travelled better. The 1996 venue in Over was nearly cancelled, with snow on the ground, and very cold conditions, but 10 people turned to walk 8 miles. Swavesey in 1997 was again very cold, but 25 people walked 9 miles on a fine frosty day.

I located the record of the walks for all except 2010. The timing has usually been a Saturday in January, the latest date being the 18 January. The distance used to be that for a full day walk, around 10 miles, but since 2014, the occasion has been a half-day walk of 7 miles or less, to accommodate those of our members less able or unwilling to cover a greater distance. Usually the walk has been in South or East Cambridgeshire: Landbeach (1999); Coton (2000); Eversden (2002); Linton (2004); Barrington again (2005); Burwell (2007); Stow cum Quy (2008); Steeple Morden (2009); Over again (2011); Guilden Morden (2012); Hinxton (2013); Fowlmere (2014); Bassingbourn (2015); Trumpington Country Park (2016); and Caxton (2017).

On 7 January 2006, 18 people went as far as Newport, Essex, for their 10 mile walk in cold conditions, with snow showers. Attendance had been rising with the years to generally between 20 and 30 people. On 6 January 2001, the Bun Walk was combined with the start of the Fen Rivers Way Long Distance Path, on the section Cambridge to Waterbeach, and attracted 59 people. (An ancillary supply of chocolate biscuits was carried). Another joint occasion, part of the West Anglian Way walks, attracted 58 people on 18 January 2003, between Bishops Stortford and Harlow on a wonderful fine day.

I note a diary entry of 2002 that records “Roger’s Cake Walk”, and indeed it has been Roger that baked the cakes since that time, and he still turns out to walk as far as he is able.
JM

Cambridge and the Great War
This is the title of a leaflet produced by the County Council, in 2014, recording how Cambridge itself played a part in WWI not only in providing troops but also sites for hospitals. With 2018 the centenary of the end of the war, a tourist route will continue to be of interest. One is invited to call 01223 715613 to find out more about the centenary route, or to visit the County Council’s website https://great-war.ccan.co.uk

The walking route in Cambridge (some 2 or 3 miles) starts from the station, and visits the War Memorial by the Botanic Gardens.

Our Lady and the English Martyrs Church played a major role in tending the spiritual needs of the numerous WWI Belgian refugees. Troops in tents used Parkers Piece, and military nurses in Cambridge were billeted in Downing and King’s Colleges. St Botolph’s church houses a memorial to the first Eastern General hospital. Addenbrookes Hospital on its original site opposite the Fitzwilliam Museum, now the Judge Business School, was involved in WWI medicine. Trinity College housed some patients in the cloisters, and St Botolph’s church lodges the memorial to the First Eastern General Hospital.

Whilst Holy Trinity Church war memorial shelter can actually be seen (and sat in), and Michaelhouse chapel and Great St Mary’s Church may be visited, most of the relevant college archives can only be seen by appointment, as is also true for appointments to see archives in The Cambridgeshire Collection, Lion Yard Library, and the county archives, housed in Shire Hall.

The leaflet also contains a Great War Cycle Route, on roads unsuitable for pedestrians. It does, however, feature War Memorials at Trumpington, Great Shelford, Sawston, Whittlesford, Duxford and Hinxton. These have all been visited in recent years as part of walks by Cambridge Group in early November. These walks were started by Shelford local historian David Elsom, and are continued as a valued tradition.

Cambridge City – Local Nature Reserves
With Spring coming, what about a fresh look at the City’s local nature reserves.
Do you know them all? The Parks Team parks@cambridge.gov.uk offer further information on a little map (which I obtained from Central Library, Lion Yard, Cambridge).
Reserves are (roughly N to S):
Bramblefield: Stourbridge Common: Logan’s Meadow; Barnwell West; Sheeps Green; Barnwell East; Paradise; Cherry Hinton Chalk Pits; West Pit; Byrons Pool: Nine Wells.

Look on Cambridge Group Programme to find walks that include some of these reserves. www.cambridgeramblers.org.uk/

STOP PRESS – Threat to Roman Road
In Haverhill a “Strategy Board” including the local MP and Chamber of Commerce is putting forward proposals for a bypass to part of the A1307, between Haverhill and Four Went Ways. One route would threaten the Roman Road with a dual carriageway, and the other ruin the quiet countryside to the south. An action group to oppose the plan has been set up by West Wickham parish council. RA Cambridge Group is getting involved, but individual objectors are welcomed.
See www.westwickham.org/a1307/

Cantab Rambler by E-Mail & Post
Cantab now appears some four times a year. A large number of you now receive Cantab by e-mail. If you would like to receive an issue by post, please send a large SAE, Offers of brief articles will be gratefully received.

This is a privately produced magazine, and the views expressed are solely those of the editor, or of the author of an individual item.

Janet Moreton 01223 356889
e-mail roger.janet@outlook.com
Cantab90 © Janet Moreton, 2018.

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