10 scenic walks in and around St Ives, Cambridgeshire
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St Ives, Cambridgeshire it’s situated 5 miles (8 km) east of Huntingdon and 12 miles (19 km) north-west of Cambridge. It’s a small but lovely market town with lots of things to do and see. Here are 10 scenic walks in and around St Ives, Cambs – perfect idea to spend quality time with your family.
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Walks in St Ives: Walk around the St Ives Town Centre
This walk in St Ives is great for everyone, also for families with children. It’s about 1-hour long and passes by Holt Island Nature Reserve and Warner’s Park with a play area. You can make plenty of stops along the way and finish the walk earlier if needed. Spend extra time in the town centre, if you can. It’s full of tourist attractions and historical buildings and memorials.
Walks in St Ives: Walk around St Ives – North
This is the second walk around St Ives that doesn’t cross town borders. It starts at One Leisure St Ives Indoor and goes via the pretty streets of St Ives, which makes it a great family walk to enjoy free Sunday afternoons. It’s a great way of spending some active time with your kids. You’ll find big Hill Rise park and three playgrounds scattered around the route so I’m sure everyone will find something they like. Walk focuses on pedestrian paths to make the entire experience more pleasurable.
Walks around St Ives: Circular walk from St Ives to Woodhurst
Woodhurst is a tiny village located 4 miles (6.6 km) north from St Ives. It’s one of the best surviving examples of an Anglo-Saxon ring village in England.
Remember that there aren’t any shops or pubs, so you need to bring your own food and drinks. It’s a good idea to have a picnic on one of the picturesque fields, or by the pond.
Walks around St Ives: Circular walk around St Ives Lakes Fishery
This walk revolves solely around the lakes. You can find many beautiful hidden paths between them, great for photography or to spend a sunny afternoon relaxing among nature and wildlife. I’ve seen many hares on the field between Meadow Lane and the Lagoon. Although views are beautiful down there, it’s not the best walk for someone who’s bothered by bugs. There are a lot of them. Otherwise, the circular walk around St Ives Lakes Fishery is really great and I can definitely recommend it!
Walks around St Ives: Short walk South-East from St Ives along the Busway track
Do you want to spend some time in the fresh air and avoid crowds? Short walk South-East from St Ives along the Busway track will be perfect for you. Start anywhere in the bus station – Waitrose area and follow the Busway track. Go as far as you want to! You can also stop by one of the lakes. Although this route is used mainly by cyclists, and families with their children, walking there is still very relaxing. Evening walks are the best, sunsets by the Lagoon can be really spectacular. I highly recommend it.
Walks around St Ives: Walk South-East from St Ives – extended version
If you liked the previous walk but you want to go further away and have everything planned, what about this one? This walk is mapped out from the beginning to the end, with a clear objective of exploring meadow next to the Drayton Lagoon. I would expect this walk to be even calmer and deserted.
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Walks around St Ives: Walk South from St Ives to Crystal Lakes
Crystal Lakes is a picturesque leisure park between Fenstanton and St Ives. It comprises two fishing lakes, caravan and camp pitches. They also host a car boot sale every Sunday if this is something you’re interested in.
The walk takes you via the Wilhorn Meadows, under the bypass bridge and along the river. You can walk back to St Ives the same way you walked to Crystal Lakes, or choose a slightly different path and follow the Low Road.
Walks around St Ives: Walk West from St Ives around the Thicket and Berman Park
In order to get to Berman Park, you need to follow the Thicket Path out of St Ives. You can start your trip at One Leisure St Ives Indoor, where you can also leave your car.
As you start walking along the Thicket Path, the trees of the Berman Park will instantly surround you. You can find plenty of paths both in the lower and the higher parts of the park. Opposite, you can see the Nobles Field – perfect spot for a picnic by the river. Down the path, Berman Park turns into the Thicket, a woodland that’s a home to many wildlife animals like foxes, squirrels, green woodpeckers and more.
Walks around St Ives: Circular walk West from St Ives via Houghton and The Hemingfords
Starting from the Chapel on the Bridge, walk through the town centre, past the Holt Island Nature Reserve, and along The Thicket Path to arrive in the beautiful village of Houghton.
The village is quite small, but it offers plenty of things to do.
First of all, alpacas. You don’t see them every day, do you? Houghton Hall Alpacas is a premium independent farm, breeding quality pedigree alpacas in Houghton Hall, St Ives Road. They’re situated in the northern part of the village, so it’s not exactly on the route, but it’s something worth checking out.
Houghton Mill is the perfect spot for a picnic. You can sit beside the water and enjoy the views of the mill. If this scenario doesn’t suit you, a tea room is also available on site. If you have time, check out the mill in action. You can also buy freshly milled stone-ground wholemeal flour there!
If you prefer to have your lunch in a pub or restaurant, The Three Jolly Butchers and Three Horseshoes will have you covered. Located in the centre of the village, with the latter one conveniently precisely on the route. Coincidence?
When you’re ready, it’s time to walk through meadows, where you might meet some wildlife animals. Don’t forget to check The Manor House at Hemingford Grey – built in the 1130s, one of the oldest continuously inhabited houses in Britain. That’s a real gem many people don’t know about!
This walk covers many things to do, gives you a chance to spot wildlife animals and visit historical places. It’s great for family walks, as well as for cycling. If you don’t want to do it in one go, finish your walk at the end of the Thicket Path or at the Houghton Mill. If you don’t want to walk back to St Ives, the nearest bus stop with is located at Houghton Hill Road.
Circular walk West from St Ives via Houghton and The Hemingfords is probably my favourite walk in Cambridgeshire and I highly recommend it.
Walks around St Ives: Circular walk from St Ives to Hemingford Abbots via Hemingford Grey
You might have noticed that previous route was very similar to this one. The crucial difference is that now we focus solely on The Hemingfords and meadows while not going anywhere near the Houghton Mill.
This walk will take you along the river, through the open countryside, and charming villages of Hemingford Grey and Hemingford Abbots. It’s suitable for everyone, because of many pit stops you can make. Route covers paths that have little to no traffic, therefore, it’s great for spending a Sunday afternoon with kids.
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