Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county famous, primarily, for its associations with its ancient university and with being the birthplace of Oliver Cromwell. However, this is only a partial picture of what the county has to offer as a whole - the wealth of peaceful and attractive countryside wherein are many towns and villages steeped in the history of old England.
South Cambridgeshire covers some 350 square miles around the city of Cambridge and is rich in history, with a host of archaeological sites and monuments to visit, as well as many important museums. The flatness of the topography offers a surprising variety of landscapes ideal for walking and cycling tours. At the heart of it all is Cambridge itself, one of the leading academic centres in the world and a city deserving of ample time for exploration.
Far removed from the hustle and bustle of modern-day life, the Fens are like a breath of fresh air. Extending over much of northern Cambridgeshire, these flat fenland fields contain some of the richest soil in England; the villages dotted around Fenland rise out of the landscape on low lying hills. Today's terrain is a direct result of man's ingenuity, his constant desire to tame the wilderness and create farmland. The fascinating story of Fenland spans the centuries, from the earliest Roman and Anglo-Saxon times, when the first embankments and drains were constructed to lessen the frequency of flooding, through to modern man's solution to taming nature. The Neme-Ouse Navigation Link, part of Fenland Waterway, provides the opportunity for a relaxed visit to a delightful corner of the region.
The old county of Huntingdonshire, now defunct, provides the heartland of the rural heritage of Cambridgeshire; this, the home of Oliver Cromwell, beckons with a wealth of intriguing history and pleasing landscapes. Many visitors choose to follow the 'Cromwell Trail', which guides tourists around the legacy of buildings and places associated with the great man. The natural start of the Trail is Huntingdon itself where Cromwell was born.