Cycling from Cambridge to Oxford Part 1: Cambridge to Bedford on NCN51

Part 2 Bedford to Milton Keynes/Bletchely is here
Part 3: Milton Keynes/Bletchely to Oxford is here

I caught an early train to Waterloo then cycled across town to Kings Cross to get the (packed) 0903 direct to Cambridge: I managed to squeeze my bike on board but only just. My aim was to follow Cycle Route 51 of the National Cycle Network (NCN51) to Bedford, partly just for the hell of it, but also as the first leg of a potential ride from Cambridge to Oxford. (NCN51 starts at Harwich, and in true NCN style meanders across country using mainly quiet roads and tracks. Between Huntington and Great Barford it doubles up with NCN12 from Spalding to London.)

The map of my GPS track is here: this is also includes Part 2 and Part 3.


The route includes the University city of Cambridge, some attractive and historic market towns (St Ives, Godmanchester, Huntingdon, St Neots), some picturesque villages (the Hemingfords, Houghton Mill), a large reservoir (Grafham Water) and two disused railways (one of which has been converted to a guided busway.) From St Ives to Bedford, one is never far from the River Great Ouse.

From Cambridge station I made my way to join NCN11 at Fen Causeway: this follows a route through the historic centre (including Kings Parade), then along the River Cam towpath to join the NCN51 out at the Green Dragon Bridge. Cambridge is definitely a cyclists town, but you need to keep your wits about you since the main risk is collisions with other cyclists coming from all directions.

I started my ride at Cambridge Station

Path from Fen Causeway across meadows into Cambridge. (The sunshine was short-lived and it turned into a disappointingly dull day)

Kings Parade

Sidney Sussex College

Riverside towpath out of Cambridge

The route of NCN51 from Cambridge to St Ives 12 miles away follows the inevitable disused railway, but this time with a twist. the cycle track is adjacent to the somewhat bizarre 'busway':  its like a railway, but with concrete tracks, and buses instead of trains. The buses have side-facing wheels which engage to hold the bus between low walls on either side. Apparently, the benefits are that busses going in opposite directions can pass at speed closer than would be possible on a conventional road, thus less carriageway width is required; and a hard track need only be provided under the wheels, so that a permeable green surface can be left in between. Plus, it's difficult for other vehicle traffic to use it (they do try apparently), and the temptation to simply open it to other traffic is reduced. Full marks for innovation. For a movie of a bus passing by, see below.

Join NCN51 busway

The busway, with adjacent cycle path

Busway cycle path out in the countryside

It passes Swavesey Priory....

...and RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes

Anyway, I followed this excellent cycleway to St Ives. Here I purchased some salnies in Waitrose and ate them sitting beside the statue of Oliver Cromwell in the market square (OC was MP for nearby Huntingdon, and lived in St Ives for a while in the 1630s. For some 2 centuries after the restoration, Cromwell was persona non grata, and it was only after Carlyle's Letters and Speeches was published in 1845 that he was rehabilitated and became an iconic figure in the development of English parliamentary democracy. This statue was erected in 1901 after Huntingdon turned down the opportunity.

Oliver and Harley, St Ives

Old St Ives bridge

Next, NCN51 took me through the pleasant villages of Hemingfords Gray and Abbots (thatched cottages, riverside church beside the Ouse). I made a  made a short diversion north to admire the old water mill at Houghton (National Trust), and then pressed on to Godmanchester where I paused to admire the Chinese Bridge over the Ouse.

Church at Hemingford Grey

Path out to Houghton Mill

Houghton Mill (NT)

Chinese Bridge, Godmanchester 

Old Huntingdon Bridge

So far the route had been fairly bucolic, but the next bit through Huntingdon and out to Brampton included some busy roads. Brampton was where Samuel Pepys was brought up, and he frequently returned to his family's house there. In his diary, he records commanding his wife and father to bury his gold in the garden, fearing London would be invaded by the Dutch. After Brampton, I was glad to get out into the countryside again, reaching the large reservoir at Grafham Water, a notable sailing centre. The cafe there provided welcome refreshment.

Country lanes between Brampton and Grafham Water

Grafham Water

Cafe, Grafham Water

Track beside Grafham Water

 South of Grafham Water, the route follows some off road tracks, a bit rough, but nothing too bad.

NCN12/51 heads cross country to St Neots

NCN12/51

NCN12/51

Having arrived in St Neots on the NCN12/51, I made a slight excursion off-route to view the town square, before rejoining the rather circuitous route through and out of the town across the river meadows, parks and suburbs.

St Neots town square

Cycle causeway, St Neots

South from St Neots there was a rather tedious section on road, eventually reaching the village of Great Barford, shortly after which the route joined the Sandy to Bedford Country Way: the NCN12 heads East to Sandy, the NCN51 West to Bedford. This way is built along the old Oxford to Cambridge Railway. Plans are afoot to reopen this rail link, but on a different route.

Bridge, Great Barford

Sandy to Bedford Country Way (where NCN12 and NCN51 split)

On the Country Way

Wier at Willington on the Great Ouse

Memorial to the Oxford to Cambridge railway line (along which you cycle)

The excellent path took me into Bedford. After cycling 58 miles, albeit mostly flat, I was pretty tuckered out, and glad to catch  the Thameslink train back to Blackfriars, a short hop from Waterloo and the train home.

Bedford Leisure Centre

Old bridge at Bedford

New cycling bridge at Bedford