A dog-friendly day out in Cambridge

As travelling pet sitters, one of the best parts of our job is visiting places all over the U.K. and beyond, and we love when a dog is up for adventuring with us! At a recent house sit we took care of super friendly Cockapoo Archie who, even at five and a half years old, still had lots of puppy-like energy and loved nothing more than getting out for a good walk. With Cambridge only a twenty minute train journey from his hometown, on one of the better weather days together we made the trip into the city. As you’ll find with most English cities, Cambridge was incredibly dog-friendly and we didn’t get around very fast purely because everybody wanted to stop and say hello to Archie! He enjoyed lots of head pats and chin scratches from passers-by, whether they had dogs of their own or not. Here’s how we spent a dog-friendly day out in Cambridge:

Getting around

We took Archie on the train into Cambridge from Ely, and walked for around twenty minutes from Cambridge (CBG) station into the centre of the city. Being avid walkers, we’re very used to getting around on foot instead of using public transport, though it’s worth mentioning that all Park and Ride buses allow dogs to travel for free and these buses will take you right into the centre of Cambridge. Stagecoach buses within Cambridge are also dog-friendly, though at the discretion of the driver – so it’s not guaranteed.

If you do choose to walk along the main roads, the pavements are well-maintained and wide enough to comfortably stroll along with your pooch. The closer you get to the centre of the city the more you’ll notice narrow pavements and side streets. These cobbled streets are part of the charm of Cambridge, along with the hundreds of cyclists you’ll see on the network of cycle paths around the city. It’s best to look both ways a few times when you’re crossing the roads with your four-legged friends!

Sight-seeing

There are so many wonderful, historic points of interest in Cambridge and a lot of them are outdoors, making for a great day of sight-seeing without having to leave your doggo out! If you want to experience an iconic part of Cambridge’s history, taking a punt down the river is top of our list. We recommend Scudamore’s punts, as dogs are allowed to join you, with a guide to punt your vessel and provide you with interesting information about the buildings you pass. If you can visit Cambridge on a week day, you’ll find the river much quieter and therefore enjoy a more relaxing trip along the river. You’ll pass the King’s College Chapel, the Wren Library, and punt under the Mathematical Bridge, as well as the famous Bridge of Sighs which is only accessible on land by paying to visit St. John’s College.

We visited the Mathematical Bridge on foot to take a few snaps – though Archie was more interested in watching punters float along the river! From there it’s just a five minute walk to the Corpus Clock – a beautiful albeit eery monument, and a must-see when visiting Cambridge. It’s awkwardly positioned on the corner of a busy road between St Catharine’s College and King’s College, so you might have to wait a few minutes to be able to get a good photo between dodging cars and pedestrians. Archie didn’t mind waiting as we watched the hypnotic movements of the clock!

Over the other side of the bustling Grand Arcade shopping centre, a picturesque walk awaits at Christ’s Pieces – an oasis of calm in the middle of the city. Here the tree-lined paths form fragment-shaped grass patches, and you can enjoy a gentle stroll, meeting other dog-walkers or those just looking for a slice of calm in the middle of the city. Just down the road, Parker’s Piece is an equally green space, though much more open and in our opinion, less characterful.

Stopping for lunch

After a morning of sight-seeing and stomping the pavements around Cambridge, we ducked into one of our favourite restaurants – Pho. While it is a chain restaurant not unique to Cambridge, Pho brings back happy memories of our time spent living in Brighton, and their delicious noodle soups are the perfect Winter warmer! The staff were so happy to greet Archie, and gave us a nice big table tucked away in the restaurant so that we and Archie had enough space without disturbing other patrons.

There are SO many dog-friendly cafes to pop into for a lighter bite too, including any Caffe Nero, or if you’re after a more unique experience try The Old Bicycle Shop, Stem & Glory, or Hot Numbers. We chose the latter on Trumpington Street for a quick stop in the afternoon to warm our bones with a vanilla chai tea – we love the modern, hygge decor here and the staff are lovely!

Shopping

As the December air turned colder and the sun dropped below the stunning architecture of the colleges, we popped into a few shops to peruse what Cambridge has to offer in the way of Christmas gifts! We were delighted to discover that most chain shops in the city are dog-friendly, so we could all step inside out of the cold instead of one of us shivering on the street with Archie! Mountain Warehouse, Paperchase and Oliver Bonas not only allow dogs, but all the staff welcomed us and gave Archie a treat (in return for his party trick of a sit and high five!) We discovered an Aladdin’s cave of treasures in Podarok, where you’ll find items from a variety of small businesses, and Archie gave a few gifts his sniff of approval.

Back on the cobbled streets, we took a wander through the market square to explore the rows of independent businesses all offering their own unique wares. It’s definitely worth coming here if you’re in need of a gift or two, as although there are a few shopping centres in Cambridge, none are dog-friendly. We passed by The Grand Arcade on our way back to the train station, beautifully decorated for Christmas. We were surprised to discover that the John Lewis on the corner of the centre is dog-friendly (though not in the cafe). Ready to call it a day, we skipped a trip inside this time and instead headed for home, where Archie had a good long snooze in front of the roaring fire after a long day of walkies around the city!