Walks you can reach from Audley End by train

Beginner-friendly: A straightforward walk along the River Cam with many lunch options in Granchester. Within Cambridge itself, feel free to wander about randomly rather than following the route — there’s plenty to appreciate.

King's College Chapel (2h45 in)

Fitzwilliam Museum (2h45 in)

Hobson's Conduit Monument, Cambridge (3h in)

Cambridge (2h45 in)

Time: 5h (3h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)

4 lunch spots: Grantchester (1h30 in) — the Orchard Tea Garden, Grantchester, the Red Lion, the Rupert Brooke, or the Blue Ball Inn

1 end-of-walk reward: the Panton Arms

Warnings: A quarter urban.

Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).

Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.

Highly recommended

Waterway: two thirds beside rivers and canals.

Ely Cathedral: the 'ship of the fens', a great Norman cathedral visible for miles across the flat fenland (5h15 in).

Oliver Cromwell's House (5h30 in)

Ely (5h15 in)

Time: 7h30 (5h30 walking, 1h30 lunch, 30m break)

2 lunch spots: the Five Miles Inn (2h in), or Wren Cafe (3h in)

5 end-of-walk rewards: the Cutter Inn, the Drayman's Son, the Kings Arms, the Minster Tavern, or the Prince Albert

Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).

Similar walk: Slow Ways (inc. GPX).

Recommended

Waterway: four fifths along the River Stort Navigation.

Thorley Wash Nature Reserve (1h30 in)

Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)

2 lunch spots: the Three Tuns, or Full of Beans Cafe (2h in)

1 end-of-walk reward: the Moorhen

Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).

Reverse direction: the Saturday Walkers Club and Slow Ways (inc. GPX).

Open fenland, flat drained farmland, long straight tree-lined farm tracks, hedge-lined meadows, river banks, dykes and catchwater drains, quayside and historic city.

Ely Cathedral: the 'ship of the fens', a great Norman cathedral visible for miles across the flat fenland.

Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)

Warnings: Exposed river banks.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Flat walk through traditional villages and along the River Cam, finishing through Grantchester Meadows into Cambridge city centre.

Great Shelford: Traditional village with thatched cottages and a striking parish church.

Little Shelford: Village with period architecture.

Hauxton Mill: Historic watermill on the River Cam.

Trumpington Meadows: Open meadow nature reserve on the edge of Cambridge.

Byron's Pool: Wild-swimming spot on the Cam named after the poet Lord Byron.

The Old Vicarage (Rupert Brooke's House): Former home of poet Rupert Brooke, with sculptures in the grounds.

Grantchester Meadows: Open riverside meadows along the Cam between Cambridge and Grantchester.

King's College: World-famous University of Cambridge college with its renowned chapel.

The Orchard Tea Garden

Time: 5h (3h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)

2 lunch spots: the Red Lion, or the Orchard Tea Garden

Warnings: Busy A10 road crossing; shared cyclist path before the M11 bridge.

Walk details: Walking Post (tips, photos and local insights).

Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.

A short city and riverside walk linking Cambridge's two stations, taking in some of the best-known views of the ancient colleges, punting on the upper river, and riverside paths across the commons where college and town crews race their traditional 'bumps'.

Cambridge

Time: 4h30 (3h walking, 1h30 lunch)

Warnings: Shared with cyclists along most of the route, so watch out for bikes.

Walk details: Mid Anglia Rail Passengers Association (PDF).

Flat, easy farmland, open fields, riverside and quiet villages.

Time: 5h (3h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Flat river floodplain, towpaths, water meadows, lakeside paths, woodland strips, farmland fields and open parkland.

Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Flat river floodplain, gravel-pit lakes, water meadows, country park sculptures, farmland and a market town.

Time: 5h (3h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Villages, mills and river crossings along the River Cam, past Hinxton Water Mill and a ford into Duxford.

Hinxton Mill: A 17th-century working watermill on the River Cam.

Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)

Walk details: Walking Post (tips, photos and local insights).

Rolling Essex farmland, grassy field edges, small woods, river valleys, historic market town, parkland and pylons over crop fields.

Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Reverse direction: Walking Post (inc. GPX).

Historic churches and fields of Essex, along the River Stort past Waytemore Castle and Hassobury Mansion.

Waytemore Castle: The earthwork remains of an 11th-century motte-and-bailey castle beside the River Stort.

Hassobury Mansion: An imposing Victorian country mansion glimpsed from the route near Manuden.

Time: 6h (4h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)

Walk details: Walking Post (tips, photos and local insights).