Newnham and Lammas Land
From Silver Street Bridge past the Darwin family's riverside house to the flood meadows of Sheep's Green and Coe Fen and the park at Lammas Land.
This route follows the southern end of the Backs into Newnham, passing a historic house and two riverside pubs before reaching two open spaces. It ends at a park with a pool and a large play area.
The route
Start: Silver Street Bridge
The concrete bridge of 1959 was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and replaced a cast-iron bridge of 1841. It is Grade II listed and officially called Small Bridge.
A house of 1793 beside the river, built for the Beales family, who were corn and coal merchants. George and Maud Darwin took it over in 1885. Their daughter Gwen Raverat wrote about the house in Period Piece. It has been part of Darwin College since 1962. The grounds belong to the college, so look at the house from the bridge or the riverside.
3. The Mill
A Grade II listed pub at 14 Mill Lane on the bank of the Cam, overlooking Laundress Green.
4. The Granta
A Greene King pub on Newnham Terrace with a beer garden overlooking Mill Pond. The garden cannot be booked in advance.
Together the two form a local nature reserve of 16.9 hectares, owned and managed by Cambridge City Council. Egrets, kingfishers and herons are among the birds attracted by the wetland. The ground is a flood plain, so expect soft or standing water after heavy rain.
6. Lammas Land
A park about half a mile from the city centre, with a pool and a large play area for children of all ages. A bridge leads across to Sheep's Green. Many of the willows are ancient and are managed by pollarding.
Practical notes
- Check each stop's page for opening times and any tickets or booking before you set out.
- The distance and time in the sidebar are estimates, worked out from the straight lines between stops with an allowance for street detours.
Nearby
Within a few minutes' walk
