Cambridgeshire Accommodation Guide
Cambridgeshire (sometimes abbreviated to just Cambs) is a large historic county in the east of England. Aside from being an extremely beautiful county with large expanses of flat farmland, Cambridgeshire is famous for its historic university and for its mild and dry climate.
Cambridgeshire is the driest county in the whole of the United Kingdom with an average of just 107 days days of rainfall every year. This compares very favourably with the wettest county in the UK, Glasgow, which sees an average of 170 days of rainfall every year!
In this guide, we will exhibit some of Cambridgeshire’s best accommodation choices and explore some of the county’s historic attractions. With so much to see and do, Cambridgeshire is one of the most visited regions in England and attracts tourists from all over the world.
The city of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire’s principal city, attracts over 8 million visitors every year. Consequently, it is one of the most visited towns in the United Kingdom thanks mainly to its historic university which was founded in 1209. Cambridge University and its arch rival, Oxford University, are widely regarded as the best universities in the UK, if not the entire world.
Cambridge University is not only famous for its large number of ancient libraries, colleges, museums and rowing teams; it is credited with finding the hole in the Ozone layer, for creating the world’s first computer and for building the world’s first hovercraft. It is also famous for a string of medical achievements including the invention of IVF (in vitro fertilisation).
Many people visiting Cambridge as tourists choose to stay in the city centre but this can often be very expensive and parking your car can be problematic. People ‘in the know’ will stay just outside the city on the local train network and then travel into the city centre by day.
But to visit Cambridge and not explore the wider Cambridgeshire countryside would be a mistake! Aside from the county’s other notable towns (including Huntingdon and Peterborough), there are numerous natural attractions to explore including the Cambridgeshire Fens which incorporate nearly 200 square miles of beautiful landscapes to the west of The Wash.
Due to the county’s flat terrain and its proximity to mainland Europe, Cambridgeshire was chosen as the location for many Second World War airfields. The Imperial War Museum at Duxford is one of the world’s leading aviation museums with over 200 aircraft on display. Many American aircrews left from here during World War Two.
Many people also choose to visit the incredibly sobering Cambridge American Cemetery And Memorial which contains the remains of 3,811 American war dead from the Second World War, many of them airman from local airfields. The cemetary covers 30 acres and is located between the villages of Coton and Madingley, circa 7 km (4 miles) north of Cambridge.
Cambridgeshire shares a border with Suffolk to the east, with Hertfordshire and Essex to the south, Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire to the west, Lincolnshire to the north and Norfolk to the north east.
Cambridgeshire / Tourist Information
- County Town: Cambridge
- Land Area: 3,046 km2 (1,176 square miles)
- Population: 653,537 (2019)
- Population Density: 215/km2 (560/square mile)
- Average Temperature: (Summer 23 °C)
- Days Of Rain: 107 days of rain / dry for 258 days a year
Best Attractions In Cambridgeshire
Ely Cathedral: Dating back to AD 672, building work on the current cathedral started in 1083. Ely is one of the largest cathedrals in the UK and is famous for its monumental Romanesque architectural style. Circa 250,000 people visit the cathedral every year and services are held every day in both the morning and evening.
Wimpole Hall: Wimpole Hall is a large a country house and estate located 14 Km (8 miles) from Cambridge. The largest house in all of Cambridgshire, the foundations for the house were laid in 1640. Now owned by the National Trust, the house sits in 3,000 acres (12 km2) of parkland. The Wimpole Estate receives over 300,000 visitors every year and is firmly ranked as one of Cambridgeshire’s most popular visitor attractions.
Imperial War Museum Duxford: Located close to Cambridge and the M11 motorway, Duxford is the largest aviation museum in Britain by some margin. Nearly 200 aircraft are stored here including many retired British designed and built airliners including Concorde, the Comet and VC-10. There is also a dedicated exhibition on the British Parachute Regiment. Several World War 2 (WW2) aircraft are still air worthy and there are regular flying displays in the summer months.
Best Accommodation In the Cambridgeshire
Mulberry Tree Cottage (Ashwell): Mulberry Tree Cottage is a beautiful thatched cottage in the pretty village of Ashwell which has a 14th century church and many other historic buildings. Sleeping 4 people across 2 bedrooms, this incredibly pretty cottage also has a large open fireplace for a perfect winters’ evening. Ashwell village has its own railway station which grants easy access to central Cambridge (16 miles away) without the headache of worrying about parking.
The Chestnuts (Peterborough): Built in the tudor style with oak beams and high ceilings, this wonderful holiday home sleeps 15 people across 6 bedrooms. The house is perfectly located in the centre of Peterborough and provides an excellent base from which to explore Cambridgeshire. In the basement there is a large cinema and games room plus a hot tub outside.
More coming soon…
Stay In Britain is the ultimate guide to places to stay and things to do in Great Britain. Whether you are looking for a luxury self-catering cottage, a cheap B&B for a weekend stay, a short break in a caravan park or a business-friendly hotel in the Cambridgeshire area, we have everything you need. Enjoy your stay in Britain!
