Rub Al-Khali Camel Expedition 2011
A TRIP BACK IN TIME

Cambridge has long been a rival of its older brother Oxford, but today the public competition is largely confined to the annual boat race on the River Thames. Ancient it may be, but its heritage has not stifled this fenland town. It is an extraordinary place where scientists and thinkers down the years have thrived in its famous courtyards. Here Newton discovered the laws of motion, Charles Darwin wrote the Origin of Species, Babbage built the first computer, Ernest Rutherford split the atom and Frank Whittle discovered the jet engine. And the double helix that is DNA was untangled by Cambridge scientists.
The city’s history can be traced back to the Neolithic period circa 3000 BCE through tools, weapons and burial grounds. Nearby are Iron Age and Roman forts. In 1066 CE the Normans replaced the fort with a castle. Come the 12th century CE after a rift in Oxford between town and gown, a group of students decamped to Cambridge. The collegiate system unique to Oxbridge where tutors and students lived together as a community was followed. And Peterhouse College was founded in 1284 CE.
Soon a series of colleges was founded by statesmen, royalty, academics, nobles and trade guilds – for men only. Two womens colleges were opened in the 1870s CE. But before that the number of students had greatly increased following the introduction of new subjects history and science. In the 20th century CE the city and university acquired a name as a hi-tech centre, known as Silicon Fen.
With over 60 nobel Prizewinners the university is at the top of the research league. It is home to a leading publishing house and a renowned examination syndicate. Today is a leading centre for astronomy and has an outstanding art collection at the Fitzwilliam Museum and its library is used by scholars around the world. But it is also a busy market town and fun to shop and dine there...and of course to explore all the beautiful colleges and relax in their tranquil riverside gardens.
Starting on Trumpington road the first college is Peterhouse, the smallest, oldest and most traditional college. Here portraits of the school’s benefactors gaze from the high walls of the rich, ornate dining room, while undergraduates dine seated at the original 17th century CE tables. And the 13th century CE hall, one of the few surviving original buildings, has an interior that was designed by William Morris.
Across the street lies Pembroke College, consisting of several courts linked by pretty gardens and lawns. Walk diagonally across Old Court and into Ivy Court.
Around the corner is a sweeping lawn with a statue of William Pitt the Younger. Pitt, who entered the college at 15, was Prime Minister a decade later. Other alumni include poets Ted Hughes, Thomas Gray and Edmund Spenser.
Next up Corpus Christi where the Old Court has been preserved in medieval form. Christopher Marlow was a Corpus student and wrote Tamburlaine before graduating in 1587 CE. Across Trumpington Road Queens college is our first Backs college and was also the first to charge a small admission fee. The Dutch scholar and reformer Erasmus was a student here from 1510 – 1514 CE. After passing through the main entrance in Queens Lane you can see the New and Old Courts. Beyond is the River Cam which you can cross over the wooden Mathematical Bridge. This will bring you into Cripp’s Court.
Central to the University on King’s Parade, King’s College was founded in 1441 CE by Henry VI. Originally it only accepted pupils of Eton College but by 1873 CE there were non-Etonians among the students. Today – how times have changed – it admits one of the highest proportions of state-educated students. Past alumni include writer EM Forster, poet Rupert Brooke, film maker Derek Jarman and economist John Maynard.
Exit the north gate of King’s and walk along the Backs to the next college – Clare. Clare’s gardens are said to be the loveliest, an oasis from the bustling town centre. Within them you will find among the colourful flora, a large sculpture of a double helix. It is attributed to former Clare student James Watson, co-discoverer of DNA structure.
Time now to take a break from the colleges, so exit on King’s Parade, there to potter around the higgledy-piggledy shops which include Heffer’s, the local answer to Oxford’s Blackwell’s, and Troon, a small boutique with designer names. Enjoy coffee and pastries at the Copper Kettle or sample couscous at Rainbow or a sandwich at Nadia’s.
Batteries recharged, it is time to enter Trinity College which has the largest university quadrangle in the world. The annual race against the midnight chimes of the clocktower is well-established, thanks to the film ‘Chariots of Fire.’ Although Trinity is known as the lawyers’ college, past alumni include Vaughan Williams, Pandit Nehru, Isaac Newton and William Thackeray. And, best seen from the riverfront, the library was designed by Sir Christopher Wren.
Nicknamed the Village, “Maudlin” (as it is pronounced ) is the only college where students wear white tie and tails. Don’t miss the Pepys Library and punting on the Cam. You can rent a punt at Magdalen Bridge and head along the Backs. Or, if you are not so confident of your punting skills, hire a chauffeur too.
Still on the cultural trail be sure to visit the grand Neoclassical Fitzwilliam Museum, home to a spectacular collection of art. The lower galleries contain Egyptian, Roman and Greek antiquities while the upper galleries showcase French paintings by Picasso, Monet, Matisse et al. But the piece de resistance is the British Collection with works by Turner, Constable, Blake and Gainsborough. And be sure to visit the Post 1945 Gallery, devoted to Modernistas such as Moore, Hockney and Hepworth.
Beyond the Fitzwilliam the Botanic Gardens provide a shady retreat. Over 8,000 plant species can be found here, most arranged by natural order. But there are also some intriguing chronological beds indicating when different species were introduced. Along with bog and stream gardens for those plants that have their roots in water, there are city gardens for those that don’t. Also to be found are areas for chalk-loving Alpines, flora that thrive in the fens, British wild plants and arable weeds. And children can have great fun exploring the grass maze.
In Castle Street is the Folk Museum dedicated to a lifestyle that has rapidly changed. On display are some 3,000 exhibits devoted to Cambridgeshire including home, craft, trade and recreational artefacts. Around the corner Kettle’s Yard has a fine collection of modern art. Other places of interest include Castle Mound, the Museum of Classical Archaeology, the Scott Polar Research Institute, the Wren Library and the Cavendish Laboratory. Shopping in Cambridge is a delight as there are many individual shops and most retail areas are pedestrianised. Bridge Street is the place to go; it runs into Sidney Street, St Andrew’s Street and finally Regent Street. For classic and special occasion clothes try Bowns on Magdalene Street and for handmade hats visit Beka, a little further down. For leather goods head for Marrs, said to be the best little leather shop in town. Along with colourful bags and luggage there are belts and gloves too.
Cambridge hotels are in short supply so be sure to book in advance. Top end properties are the De Vere University Arms and the Granville, both beside Parker’s Piece, and the Garden Moat House set beside the river.
A mid-range option is Arundel House hotel, and for those on a miniscule budget the youth hostel near the rail station is the best bet. Just two miles upriver lies the pretty village of Grantchester. Here poet Rupert Brooke wrote “And stands the clock at ten to three And is there honey still for tea?”
Today the clock is set permanently at 2.50 pm. If you have time to venture beyond Cambridge visit the Queen’s country palace at Sandringham. Or watch a race at Newmarket, the home of horseracing. And if you fancy a trip to the seaside you can choose between Sheringham, Cromer and Southwold.