Cherryhinton Hall and the chalk pits
Cherryhinton Hall and the chalk pits
Can be walked or biked. A 3 mile circular trip.
Start at the mini roundabout at the far end of Mill Road. This is on the eastern ring road. Head east away from Mill Road (technically called Brookfields here) into a small street - Burnside. As it meets the burn it bears right: avoid the path over the stream here (you'll come back this way). This little stream is great for tiddlers, tadpoles and the like. At the point where the road turns right, Burnside leads into a very pleasant narrow, tarmac path running alongside the stream. Take this path. Soon you'll see a large water filled chalk pit to your left. Houses and what I think is a small BMX bike track will appear on your right. Housing gives way to allotment gardens. As you cross a small footbridge turn right onto the roughly surfaced Dawes Lane. After a short while turn left through a gate in the fence that borders Cherryhinton Hall grounds.
Cherryhinton Hall from the front (photo by Tim Roberts) and
the rear.
Make your way to
the right of the Hall buildings towards a
very good children's play area, which includes a paddling
pool. Walk around the front of the Hall: the parkland on this
side is dotted with many fine, mature trees.
Keep going past the Hall
and explore the duck pond that almost encircles a
sizeable 'island'. Good for conkers in season but watch the
squirrels don't drop them on your head. Really! Follow a path
to the far south eastern corner of the grounds and emerge
onto the cycle path alongside Cherryhinton Road. Follow this
left (east) out of town. Turn left at the junction into
Cherryhinton (sort of a village, allegedly home to the Chezzahinton Massive).
Notice the pond below you
to your left and the village sign. Bear left at a mini
roundabout into Mill End Road and make your way into the Red
Lion pub on your right. My wife started labour pains in
this very pub before giving birth to our first child. Avoid
such an outcome - stick to the beer. Back out of the pub and
left onto the High Street again. Follow this some way until
you get to the railway line.
If you want a longer trip you can link up with the Fulbourn walk by crossing the railway and turning immediately right down the path. Otherwise turn left instead into Railway Street which soon kinks right - keep on the tarmac road rather than the rough track. Turn left at the end onto the cycle path. Continue on the cycle path over Orchard Estate: the cycle path now has thick vegetation on your left. You emerge out at the top of a slope that takes you down between a posh gym (that my wife insists on paying annual fees to) and its car park. Head across a mini roundabout onto the continuation of the cycle path, past a hotel on your left. Cross the railway line again over a bridge. Chalk pits appear on either side. Soon you are back in Burnside at your starting point.