24th October 2025

My birthday was approaching, and we’d decided months earlier to celebrate by visiting Cambridge. We planned to stay at the Camping and Caravanning Club Site in Trumpington. To enhance the trip, I’d booked tickets for a couple of shows at the Cambridge Corn Exchange.

We set off on Tuesday, making our usual stop at the Saint Neots Tesco for last-minute camping supplies.

Near Saint Neots, the ongoing bypass construction was causing some road disruption. The final section of the Norwich to Milton Keynes road was being dualled, causing delays at the Black Cat roundabout. Fortunately, the eastbound road was clear. The A1 South looked very busy, but that wasn’t our route today – though we might face it on the return journey.

Upon arrival, we selected a pitch. The site manager promptly advised us to move, as the campsite breakdown crew would be pitching nearby and were likely to have lots of people around in the evening. We immediately relocated to a pitch as far away as possible.

Wednesday and Rick Wakeman – The Return of the Caped Crusader

Morning in the City

We took the bus into Cambridge, starting the day with coffee at the Michaelhouse Café while joining a 40-minute Zoom call with the SadGits. Once our virtual catch-up was over, we had a leisurely wander through the Grand Arcade and John Lewis, soaking up the familiar buzz of the city centre before deciding it was time for lunch.

A Taste of Domaine Delhome

R had her heart set on a wine flight at the Cambridge Wine Merchants on Bridge Street, so we headed there and settled in. The flight included two whites and two reds, all from the same vineyard – Domaine Delhome. The wines were:

• Viognier IGP Rhodannies 2023
• Crozes-Hermitage Blanc LoEss 2023
• Crozes-Hermitage Moziac 2023
• Crozes-Hermitage Boreal 2022

We ordered some bread, sardines, and nibbles to go alongside and made that our lunch. Sitting outside in the gentle warmth of the last October sun, it felt wonderfully relaxed – a perfect pause in the day.

Literary Temptations

Passing by Heffers, we stopped to admire the window display for Philip Pullman’s new release – The Rose Field, the third and final instalment in The Book of Dust trilogy. Officially released on 23rd October, it looked very tempting indeed.

An Afternoon of Art

Next, we made our way to the Fitzwilliam Museum, spending much of the afternoon in the galleries of flower paintings. R was eager to revisit a particular piece she had first seen years ago during an alumni wine evening and Vice-Chancellor’s speech. The painting – a bowl of flowers so vividly realistic that insects appeared to crawl over the leaves – was still there, glowing with life and detail.

We also discovered a gallery devoted to the collection of flower paintings donated in 1973 by Henry Rogers Broughton, 2nd Lord Fairhaven. Some were extraordinary, though none quite matched the beauty of R’s favourite.

The Eagle and Its Stories

Later, we stopped at The Eagle for a pint, sitting in the historic Airmen’s Bar. During the war, Allied airmen who drank there, used wax candles, petrol lighters, and lipstick to scrawl their names, squadron numbers, and doodles across the ceiling – a moving and tangible reminder of the pub’s history. The pub is where Watson and Crick announced they had discovered ‘the secret of life’.

Supper and a Show

Dinner was at The Giggling Squid, where I had a Green Thai curry & R a stir fry. The atmosphere was calm and unhurried, mostly older diners enjoying a quiet evening. As we and a few others left, someone joked that we all clearly knew where we were heading next – and they were right.

Across the road at the Corn Exchange, Rick Wakeman was performing The Six Wives of Henry VIII and, The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

We were seated quite far back, so the view wasn’t perfect, but the performance more than made up for it. The Corn Exchange has changed so much since my student days in the 1970s, when I saw bands like Curved Air and Hawkwind there. Then it was all standing – now it’s neatly tiered seating throughout.

The concert was superb. Both albums were performed with great energy and musicianship. R preferred The Six Wives of Henry VIII, while I loved both equally. Adding to the magic was Rick’s son, Adam Wakeman – a talented musician in his own right, known for playing keyboards and guitar with Ozzy Osbourne’s band – who joined his father on stage.

A good evening and we managed to get a bus back.

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Thursday – Curious Cures and Coffee at Caius

Today we headed out from the campsite to visit the Cambridge University Library exhibition entitled Curious Cures. The exhibition featured medical manuscripts and books from the library’s own collection, along with items from several Cambridge colleges which specialised in medicine. Together they illustrated the history of medicine — from early anatomical drawings and surgical procedures to strange and sometimes amusing remedies.

Medicine was taught at several colleges from an early date, including my own, Gonville and Caius. Some of the cures and potions on display seemed laughable by today’s standards, yet many laid the groundwork for modern medical practices. There was aninteractive quiz where you had to guess if the suggested cure was medieval or modern. Fascinating!

Coffee at Caius

After exploring the exhibition, we walked over to Caius College’s Harvey Court for coffee. There used to be a café in the students’ common room called Harvey’s, open to the public. As we made our way there, I checked Google Maps and noticed it was no longer listed, so we prepared ourselves for disappointment.

Luck, however, was on our side. In Harvey’s place we found a new coffee shop, open to the public, called Florey. Named after Howard Florey — the penicillin pioneer and former Master of Gonville & Caius — the café serves coffee and light food six days a week, providing a much-needed caffeine fix for students based near Sidgwick Site. R wanted to knmow how come students could afford to buy coffee.

Florey was opened following the closure of Harvey’s in June, after financial difficulties, despite an Instagram campaign to “Save Harvey’s Coffee House”. The name and branding may have changed, but, by all accounts, the iced matcha remains as popular as ever. Interestingly, one of the co-owners also runs the Orchard Tea Garden in Grantchester.

We enjoyed cappuccinos and very yummy, large sausage rolls before heading back towards Trumpington Street.

Books and Bodies

Our next stop was the delightfully named Bodies in the Bookshop, a small independent bookshop. R, true to form, began browsing enthusiastically and soon was buying half the shop. She mentioned the new Mr Men & LittleMiss Agatha Chrsitie themed books, published today. She bought a copy of each followed by a friendly chat with Richard, one of the owners, having been particularly impressed by knowledge and their current window display. We left as he was ordering more copies of the AC books Later, she emailed them to say how much she admired the window display — and, the next day, received a reply to say the display had since been changed. Naturally, we returned soon after to see the new version.

Heading Home

After our bookish detour, we caught an early bus back to the campsite — tired but happy after another day exploring Cambridge.

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Friday – A Birthday Feast at MillWorks

Today was my birthday, and we decided to celebrate with a meal at MillWorks, just as we did last year. This time the restaurant was noticeably quieter. Last year it had been packed, but even then, they had managed to find us a table.

We settled in, ordered a bottle of wine and some nibbles — padron peppers and halloumi fries — while we looked through the menu.

Starters

I began with Shetland mussels, and they were some of the best I’ve ever had — large, plump, and juicy, served in a delicious, fragrant sauce. Isit the cold waters of Shetland that make them so good? They easily outshone any mussels I’ve eaten in France, which so often arrive broken, tightly closed, or disappointingly small. R had a salad of beans, beetroot, and leaves — fresh, colourful, and beautifully presented.

Mains

For my main course, I went for the classic steak and chips. The cut was a flat iron steak — one of the cheaper cuts — but it was perfectly cooked, with a lovely crust on the outside and tender inside. R enjoyed a chicken supreme served in a mixed bean cassoulet, which she declared excellent.

Dessert and Reflections

Greedy me couldn’t resist finishing with an affogato — the perfect mix of hot espresso and melting ice cream. Our waitress was delightfully friendly and full of energy, adding to the relaxed, cheerful atmosphere of the meal. She even added a candle to my dessert!

Afterwards, we strolled back to the campsite and spent the rest of the afternoon and evening simply relaxing — content, well-fed, and a year older.

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Saturday – with the SadGits

Today we met up with Richard, Andrea, and Simon — some of the SadGits. Richard had arranged to meet at Kettle’s Yard at 1.30 p.m., where we arrived first and sat with a coffee while waiting for the others.

Richard and Andrea went on the tour of Jim and Helen Ede’s house, which we decided to skip as we’d done it recently. Instead, Simon joined us to explore the art exhibitions currently on display. There were two running side by side.

Lubaina Himid with Magda Stawarska — Another Chance Encounter

The first exhibition featured the collaborative work of Lubaina Himid and Magda Stawarska, titled Another Chance Encounter. The paintings were bright and colourful, depicting two figures in conversation — a tailor selling his fabrics and a buyer considering them. Alongside the images were fragments of dialogue and inner thoughts between the two characters.

The conversations were, to my mind, a little strange and didn’t seem to add much to the artwork itself. The paintings, however, were striking — bold and decorative. I could imagine having one or two on my walls, though I suspect they wouldn’t be to everyone’s taste.

Sophie Gaudier – Brzeska and Nina Hamnett

The second exhibition showcased the work of Sophie Gaudier-Brzeska and Nina Hamnett. Words rather failed me here — I had no real idea what it was meant to convey, and neither did R or anyone else, as far as I could tell. Sorry, but this one left us all rather puzzled.

Lunch at The Punter

Afterwards, we walked to The Punter pub for lunch — an enjoyable affair of good food, beer, and lively conversation. Once we’d eaten and caught up properly, we all headed our separate ways. For us, it was back to the campsite to unwind after another pleasant day in Cambridge.

Sunday – is the New Shopping Day

We weren’t in any great hurry to go into Cambridge today, so we had lunch in the van before setting out. Being Sunday, the bus service was reduced to just one an hour instead of the usual three. Minor panic (see on) when I noticed how early the buses stop running.

When we arrived, Cambridge was heaving with people. Our first stop was Bodies in the Bookshop, not to go inside this time but to admire their new window display. After that, we continued the tradition with tea and cake at The Copper Kettle — only a small piece, as we were planning to eat again later.

Book Browsing and Nostalgia

Next, we walked to Waterstones, where I debated whether to buy The Rose Field. In the end, I decided to wait — I really ought to reread the previous book first. Besides, I’d prefer to buy the paperback so it matches the size of the other volumes in the series.

We then browsed a couple of record (yes, record shops) shops, where I was briefly tempted to buy a vinyl record. I couldn’t find the Curved Air album I once owned — the one that, as far as I recall, was left on a record deck in Beccles after a party in 1975 and never seen again. Oddly enough, I kept the album cover for years afterwards.

More Books and New Discoveries

At Heffers, we revisited The Book of Dust display, and I also checked the shelves for titles from the authors of the The Expanse series and another author Liu Cixin, the Chinese author of The Three-Body Problem trilogy. To my delight, there were new books from both. Apparently, the authors of The Expanse are writing a new trilogy and have even set up a company to produce a television adaptation of The Captive’s War. Intriguing.

Supper at the Giggling Squid

By closing time we were politely ushered out of Heffers so we walked over to the Giggling Squid (again) for supper. We’d enjoyed it last time and R was keen to return. This time it was busier, and I think we were lucky to get a table.

I ordered a sharing platter — Bangkok Bites — while R added some Chilli Chickpeas. A fine start. I followed with a Massaman curry, while R had something equally good, though I can’t quite recall what! {She can, another stir fry.]

The Night Sky Show

After dinner, we crossed the road to the Corn Exchange for a performance called The Night Sky Show — a visual show about the night sky. This was presented by Adrian West – apparently, a “passionate and experienced astronomer, presenter and author”. It was an interesting idea, but rather low-tech and, at times, difficult to follow. Too much was left unexplained, and the show jumped between themes without much structure. It also tried a little too hard to be humorous when a more thoughtful approach might have worked better. All a little dumbed down for the masses.

That said, some of the images and video sequences were excellent — stunning shots of the Moon, Saturn, and meteor showers that were genuinely spectacular. The children near us respondedwell.

The Journey Back

As the buses stop running around six on Sundays in Cambridge, we had to take a taxi back to the campsite. It turned out to be cheaper than expected, and we hardly had to wait. Our driver arrived in a ten-year-old Tesla, still running perfectly and, he proudly told us, never once serviced. He’d driven 130,000 miles and spent only £1,000 on fuel.

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Monday – Heading Home

It started as a lovely bright day as we packed up the van and prepared to head home. We made two stops along the way — first at Aldi, where I picked up some new work trousers, and then at IKEA, to buy plastic storage tubs (and, of course, some pickled herring for me).

To avoid the inevitable hold-ups at the Black Cat Roundabout, we took a cross-country route. Traffic on the A1 looked dreadful, and Google recommended a slower but more scenic detour through the country lanes — a pleasant way to end the trip.

The picture of me was taken with my mobile phone. I used my watch to preview the image and position myself. When I achieved the correct pose, I pressed the button to take the photo. I can see some useful applications for this.

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