U3AC walks

"U3AC" is Cambridge University of the Third Age. Here are some Cambridge walks that I have designed for a U3AC course. The intention is a walk, not a guided tour - to walk round Cambridge looking at things. There won't be time to give much information, so I'm giving it here instead. Click on link below to see a walk. Click here for a map showing all the walks.

The walk course number in Autumn 2026 is FIT 32, led by me, Jo Edkins, mostly starting at Quayside, and the last walk starting outside Kings College Chapel.

Oct 6 - City Centre

Oct 13 - Jesus Green

Oct 20 - Northampton Street

Oct 27 - Christs Pieces

Nov 3 - Backs

Nov 10 - Castle

Nov 17 - Kings Ditch

Nov 24 - Maids Causeway

Dec 1 - Grange Road

Dec 8 - Hobsons Conduit - starting outside Kings College Chapel

Each walk lasts an hour. They start from Quayside, except the last one (Hobsons Conduit), which starts on Kings Parade. The length of the walks is less than 2 miles. Most don't end at the start point. I will always walk back to the start point with anyone who doesn't know where they are, but that may make the total walk longer than 2 miles.

Quayside is close to the U3AC office. It is on Bridge Street, by Magdalene Bridge, and it is an open area with some seats. I usually sit by the telephone box. The last walk will start outside Kings College Chapel. It is possible to sit on the low wall in front of Kings.

Here are my rules for the walks. I hope you find them reasonable!

Each walk will start on time, and we won't wait for anyone.
The walks will be at the pace that the slowest person finds comfortable. There will be frequent pauses for people to catch up. No-one should feel that they have to hurry.
Please keep on the pavement and don't step casually into the road.
There will be tourists, students and shoppers. Don't fill the entire pavement. Let other people through. This will mean that occasionally we need to be in single file (I'll tell you when).
When we have to cross roads, you should do it at your own risk, in your own time. I'll wait until everyone is across, naturally. We will use pedestrian crossings for busy roads.
Keep an eye out for cyclists and various electrical vehicles, which often use pedestrian routes.
Pavements can be uneven due to broken paving stones. They can also be slippy because of fallen leaves, especially when damp. We're all getting older, and don't want to fall over, so be careful.
If the weather is bad, such as torrential rain, or snow on the ground in winter, then I may cancel the walk. You will be notified if this happens. Otherwise I will turn up at the start point, and see if anyone else arrives!
For very hot weather in summer, the walk will still happen, but feel free to miss that day if worried. If you come, bring water, and use sun cream and perhaps a hat. We will have water breaks, and keep to the shade wherever possible.
I don't mind if anyone wants to leave a walk before the end, perhaps because we've overrun, or for any other reason. That is fine, but please tell me you're leaving, so I don't think I've lost you.

Please note the following:

All members are responsible for their own health and safety and join the walk at their own risk.
U3AC's insurance policy includes cover for public liability that extends to the walks detailed in U3AC's Programme.
Members are covered for any accidental injury or damage that they may cause to a third party whilst on the walk (but not travelling to or from it).
If a member injures themselves, or suffers loss or damage to their personal property as a result of their own actions, this is not covered by U3AC's insurance.

I will be mentioning dates on the walk. Here is a short timeline of English history to put this in conext. The timings are very rough. Things didn't neatly start at the beginning of a century!

Century	time span	name
	1-500	Romans
	500-1066	Saxons (including Danes at one point. It gets complicated...)
	1066-1150	Normans
	1150-1500	Late medieval
16th century	1500-1600	Tudors
17th century	1600-1700	Stuarts
18th century	1700-1800	Georgians
19th century	1800-1900	Victorian (actually Victoria didn't start until 1837)
20th century	1900-2000	Modern
	2000-	which I shall have to get used to saying is the current century!

Most of the buildings on the walks are listed. A listed building in the United Kingdom is a building which has been placed on the Statutory List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. There are just under 500,000 buildings in the UK to which this applies. A listed building may not be demolished, extended or altered without special permission from the local planning authority.

Grade I buildings are of exceptional interest, sometimes considered to be internationally important. Just 2.5% of listed buildings are Grade I.
Grade II* buildings are particularly important buildings of more than special interest. 5.5% of listed buildings are Grade II*.
Grade II buildings are nationally important and of special interest. 92% of all listed buildings are in this class and it is the most likely grade of listing for a private residential building.

I do one-off walks in Cambridge during the summer. These are walks I have already done:

Water in Cambridge - start at Quayside
Coe Fen and Sheep's Green - start and finish at the weir, near the Mill pub and Silver Street bridge
Saxon Cambridge - start at Quayside - finish at Sussex Street
Public Art round the Railway Station - start at the station
Barnwell Priory and Chesterton - start at Elizabeth Way roundabout
Art in Mill Road - start at Parkers Piece, corner near swimming pool - finish in Mill Road cemetery
Art in the city centre - start and finish at the bus station

I have a website about Cambridge, which I have used to design these walks, in particular, listed buildings, but also covering public art, passage ways, and lots more, including Dinky Doors!

I have written a book called "Cambridge Quirks: Things to see while walking round Cambridge - by Jo Edkins". You can buy it on Amazon.

Here are some other websites (by other people) which may interest you:
Capturing Cambridge
Cambridge council conservation area appraisala - click on "Cambridge City Conservation Area Appraisals", then click on "Central Conservation Area Appraisal"
Cambridge churches - a description of nearly all the Cambridge churches.
Cambridge University colleges - these are the college websites. They often have a section on their history.
Cambridge Blue Plaques
A brief history of Cambridge