The creeper on the back of John’s New Court has turned red, the average age of the city has gone from 65 to 18 overnight, and we’ve seen a 400% increase in customers requesting umbrellas.
It can only mean one thing: It’s Autumn in Cambridge (We presume it is also Autumn in Oxford although they probably have a silly name for it), the peak season is over, and michaelmas term has begun.
Despite the cold weather, it’s still not a bad time to get out on the boats. The leaves drop, opening up many views that are unavailable in summer, and the tourism drops, which means you’ll likely get a quiet and idyllic river, free from the summer antics.
But after 45 minutes on a punt, most customers are ready for some indoor recommendations. So to help plan your trip (and because my employer makes me write one of these every two weeks to improve our google rankings): Here are some top tips for indoor autumn events in Cambridge to compliment your punting trip.
- Learn Something
You came all the way to the birthplace of science after-all. The Cambridge University Festival of Ideas is taking place from the 14th to the 27th of October. Many of the events in the festival are free to attend and do not require booking. So if you want to see something that Yoko Ono did to a grapefruit, or some interesting rocks that a child found.Then be sure to check out the festival! As well as all kinds of activities it can also offer a chance to get inside some of the old and famous buildings of Cambridge.
2. Learn Something Else
Cambridge is home to more museums than you could shake a stick at and many of them are running special events for the autumn. The University Museums alone are enough to keep you occupied for a day – but Kettles Yard, the Museum of Cambridge, and the Industrial Museum are all options too!
3. Go to the Pub
The ancient formula of learn something, learn something else, go to the pub, has been practiced by Cambridge Academics for centuries. Indeed the Eagle Pub on Benet Street is now canonically linked with the story of DNA’s discovery.
A stone’s throw from your drop off point is also the oldest pub in Cambridge,
Alternately, if you prefer somewhere that isn’t a) Haunted, b) Owned by Greene King, then The Maypole is a strong contender and a popular choice amongst our own staff members.
And with our indoor recommendations dispensed with we now leave you to plan your trip. And with photo from our instagram to prove that it really isn’t all grey clouds out on the river!