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Possibly having a birdwatching hoiday in Cambrideshire in 2024. What is the local transport like for/buses and trains in Cambridgeshire

THOMO
11/01/2024 20:09

I am considering having a weeks birdwatching holiday in Cambridgeshire in 2024. I am looking at good hotels. But for anyone that lives in Cambridgeshire before I try to book a hotel as well as trains to Cambridgeshire   . What’s the local transport like for getting to good birdwatching area’s in Cambridgeshire. I know the good area’s for Birdwatching. Any help will be appreciated Thanks!  Slight smileSlight smileSlight smile

Regards,

Ian.

  • 11/01/2024 21:58
    Hi

    Cambs is a big place- we need a few more specifics on area to be visited- Buses are not regular in rural areas and some of the better reserves / birding areas are a bit remote

    S

    For advice about Birding, Identification,field guides,  binoculars, scopes, tripods,  etc - put 'Birding Tips'   into the search box

  • 12/01/2024 21:59
    I agree. If you say where you think you're going people will be able to tell you what the transport is like to those places. Theres a guided bus that goes from Cambridge to Fen Drayton Lakes but beyond that I don;t really know. There are probably buses to villages near reserves but that might leave several miles of walking to get there.
  • 12/01/2024 22:04
    Probably staying in the city Cambridge!

    Regards,

    Ian.

  • 13/01/2024 08:21
    Don't know how frequent the trains are but Lakenheath Fen (just over the border in Suffolk) has a rail station close to it. That's a lovely reserve.

    Our herring gulls are red listed birds.  Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.

  • 13/01/2024 15:38
    Hi
    can't go wrong with Lakenheath especially in April May

    Other sites close by too

    S

    For advice about Birding, Identification,field guides,  binoculars, scopes, tripods,  etc - put 'Birding Tips'   into the search box

  • 13/01/2024 15:40
    Hi

    WHERE TO WATCH BIRDS IN EAST ANGLIIA by Callahan is a pretty good guide- I think I reviewed it on here a while back- the American style ( he is! ) naming got up my nose though

    S :)

    For advice about Birding, Identification,field guides,  binoculars, scopes, tripods,  etc - put 'Birding Tips'   into the search box

  • 13/01/2024 17:14
    Lakenheath Fen is great but the station only gets trains on Sundays, Only about 3 from Cambridge and the last train back is 15:49. OK for an early riser but definitely check the trains you need are actually running on the day.

    My previous comment about 'where you think you're going' was meant to refer to the birdwatching locations you might visit. It might be worth choosing accommodation based on ability to get to your chosen destinations. For example RSPB The Lodge has a bus stop right outside and it would be easy to get there from Sandy but maybe not so easy to get there from Cambridge. Although I just checked and apparently there is a direct service there from Cambridge on Wednesdays, don't know times or frequency.
  • 14/01/2024 11:49 in reply to THOMO
    Unknown said:
    Probably staying in the city Cambridge!

    I don't know Cambridge that well, other than it isn't really vehicle friendly, which is a shame, because it is a beautiful university city. Many of the roads are set for buses and cycles, and the traffic warning signage is last minute,with lots of bus lane cameras to catch the unwary.

    From the little I know, public transport outside Cambridge, tapers off, typical of many counties. My son lives near Stansted and finds train and bus services poor and regularly has a moan, when the so called dream is to get folk out of cars and onto public transport.

    My experiences of Cambridge have been two visits, to watch my son compete in a kayaking competition, and then try to navigate to a place to eat before the drive home.

    Mike

    Flickr: Peak Rambler

  • 15/01/2024 12:16
    There’s also SWT Lackford Lakes, good reserve but how to get there from Cambridge no idea. There is a bus service from Cambridge to Bury St Edmunds, possibly a train but how to get out to Lackford sorry no idea. Like all rural areas public transport is not the most far reaching or reliable and distances from Cambridge to reserves by bus would be time consuming. I think on of the guided bus routes goes past Fen Drayton but how close don’t know. I think it’s the one that goes out towards St Ives.


    Tony

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/wherryman/

  • 18/01/2024 19:58
    As a Cambridge resident, I find getting around perfectly easy apart from the congestion and permenant roadworks but I can see that to an outsider it would be a nightmare. I think that from the ring road outwards everything's OK but best to avoid the centre. If you have a hotel with parking then work out a route from the ring road to the hotel and you should be OK and most things in the centre are walkable.
    Personally I feel that finding a way to cope with Cambridge traffic would be easier than using public transport to get out of Cambridge. If I had to rely on public transport I'd hardly get out at all.