Cambridgeshire

Exploring Cambridgeshire

Cambridgeshire stretches from the low-lying landscapes of the Fens to the chalk hills and rolling countryside in the south and east of the county. Rivers, wetlands, farmland, woodland and historic settlements create a varied landscape, with Cambridge at its centre and extensive countryside beyond the city.

The Fens form one of Cambridgeshire's most distinctive landscapes, characterised by broad horizons, waterways, drainage channels and expanses of agricultural land. Important wetland landscapes survive within this wider countryside, including Wicken Fen, Woodwalton Fen and Holme Fen, which form part of a network of nationally important nature reserves across the county.

South and east of Cambridge, the landscape changes as the ground rises into the chalk country of southern Cambridgeshire. Chalk grassland, farmland, villages and higher ground around places such as Linton create a contrasting landscape to the Fens, with routes providing views across the surrounding countryside.

The Icknield Way Path crosses this part of Cambridgeshire on its long-distance route from Ivinghoe Beacon towards Knettishall Heath. Through the county it passes through the chalk countryside and villages of southern and eastern Cambridgeshire, including the area around Linton, Balsham, Dullingham and Cheveley, before continuing east into Suffolk.

Away from the long-distance trail, Cambridgeshire's rivers, nature reserves, villages and historic places provide opportunities for shorter walks and slower exploration. The wetlands of the Fens contrast with the chalk landscapes south and east of Cambridge, while nature reserves, waterways and rural paths provide ways to explore the different landscapes of the county on foot.