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CAMBRIDGE Itinerary Plan and Wren Library question

Posted by (Arlington, VA, USA) on

Hi All. Husband and I are heading to England (our 2nd time in the UK) in September and this time we'll be visiting Cambridge (3 nights) for the first time. After 5 days in London (Sept 14-19), we train to Cambridge arrive Saturday Sep 19 around 10am. After dropping bags at the Lensfield Hotel, we plan to do:

  • The Saturday 11am or Noon 2 Hour Tour of King's College (which may also include Queen's college);
  • Grab some lunch at the Fitzwilliam cafe and tour the Fitzwilliam on our own;
  • Hoping for Dinner at the Eagle Pub (husband's birthday that day!) but tried to reserve & was told they were booked and we should just get in line. Anyone done this?
  • Sunday, we plan to attend 8 or 9:30am Mass at Our Lady & the English Martyrs,
  • then possibly train to ELY for lunch and to see the Cathedral, returning to Cambridge that evening.... Alternatively we may do our day trip to ELY on Monday (which would mean skipping the Wren). Any comments about this option?
  • Monday we'd like to see Trinity College and visit the Wren Library which is only open Mon-Fri Noon to 2pm. We're wondering if it's worth planning our whole day around the Wren's narrow window of time or perhaps doing ELY on Monday instead?
  • Other things we'd like to do (Kings College Chapel, Great St Mary's Church, Holy Sepulchre/Round Church, do some shopping and just walking around Cambridge) and, weather & time permitting we may also do a Punting on the Cam.

Tuesday morning we head to Durham for 2 nights, then on to Edinburgh (4 nights), Rabbies Isle of Skye tour (2 nights), end in Glasglow (3 nights) before flying home October 4.

Any suggestions or recommendations would be really appreciated.
Many thanks,

JanB

Posted by
850 posts

I can't help you with Cambridge but we were in Ely earlier this summer. It's a very pleasant town with a wonderful cathedral. Be sure to take a guided tour. We has an excellent tour. If you can, tour one of the tours.

I would also visit Oliver Cromwell's house. From the cathedral, walk out the west door and go straight until you get to the road. It will be on the left. We thought the audio tape was well done.

When we were in Ely the town was full of Morris dancers. It was quite nutty and definitely fun. I think that was a summer Saturday thing and not the normal state of affairs. :)

I think you will love Durham. It's one of my favorite places in England. Super cathedral. Again, be sure to take a tour. Our docent was superb!

Posted by
33148 posts

September, eh? Depending on which half of the month you can get into the incredible Pepys Library at Magdalene College Cambridge http://www.magd.cam.ac.uk/opening-hours/ .

Incredible archietecture, incredible books, incredible history of an amazing man. and the library is just as he left it. Samuel Pepys was a contemporary of Wren - both survived the Great Fire of London, with Pepys burying his Parmesan cheese in the garden before leaving his house.

Like the Wren Library it is open 2 hours a day, most days, and only half of September.

Posted by
123 posts

Well. Thanks all. Still can't make firm plans about the Cambridge/Wren Library vs. Ely Cathedral day visit. We'll only be in Cambridge Saturday, Sunday and Monday, departing morning train Tuesday morning. Had thought we could do an Ely day trip on Sunday from Cambridge (from 11am to about 5 or 6 pm) to allow a visit to the Wren on Monday (between 12 and 2). But alas & alak, just discovered that there are no tours offered at Ely Cathedral on Sunday (only the Tower Tour) and there is an "event" at the Cathedral at 2pm on Sunday (the Pets & Animals service!) As much as we love animals, not sure it would give us much time inside.

So looks as if we'll make Monday morning our day trip to Ely to get the tour and have ample time in the Cathedral and surrounds. Not sure if we'll make it back to Cambridge in time for the 12-2 Wren. Husband --- a wood worker/cabinet maker -- will be devasted to miss the Grindling Gibbons word works in Wren if we don't make it back in time. We may have to wing it and just flip a coin once we arrive. Ahh, the joys of making travel decisions!

And Thank you Nigel for the Pepys Library recommendation, but alas, it ends September 12!

Posted by
919 posts

I would prioritize taking a punting tour. That was my favorite thing in Cambridge. I went with Scudamore's and was pleased. It truly is a different view from the Backs. Also, Saturday is market day, and it gets very busy. A lot of traffic around the shopping center, and I felt like I walked and walked to find a small sandwich shop on a side street that didn't have a line of people out the door. I was there during the second or third weekend in an October. Not sure if September is any different....
Enjoy your trip!

Posted by
1446 posts

I can't give any input about tours of the colleges in Cambridge, but we did enjoy the town and loved the Fitzwilliam. We also were in Ely last summer and really loved the town and the cathedral. I think your entire trip sounds perfect.

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