Somersham fields and allotment gardens

This walk starts in a charming village, taking you down leafy lanes. Amble between peaceful fields with a typically open Cambridgeshire vista as shown below. Finish by dreaming of your own hideaway as you wander between allotment plots both tiny and huge, wildlife friendly and neatly tended.

Heaps of butterflies, moths, dragonflies and damselflies. Bursting with wild flowers of all varieties. And peaceful. This walk is one of the quietest and most meditative. Pack a picnic or try the local tea room or pub.


This 3 miles (6,600 steps) walk involves easy walking through fields, woodland, allotment gardens and a pleasant village. In spring there is orchard blossom, in autumn trees are bursting with plums and apples. Wildlife and historical interest. The field crossing leading up to the allotments can be very muddy in winter. The route is shown below on the Ordnance Survey map. You can also zoom in on a satellite view of the walk at Google Maps.

Starting point
There is a free car park in Church Street, roughly opposite the church.

Somersham is an Anglo-Saxon settlement. The Bishop's Palace, located at the far end of Church Street, was a grand location visited by both King Richard (Richard the Lionheart) and King John around 1200. There are few historical buildings left in the village after a series of fires in the 19th century.

Walk out of the car park and cross over to the other side of Church Street, where there are two interesting features. The first is a stone marking the Greenwich Prime Meridian. Somersham is positioned right on the Meridian. There's also a useful map of the village displayed nearby.

To see the second feature, head towards the village centre, past the front of the church grounds. About 50 yards brings you to a building whose red bricks bear many initials, evidence of idle school children up to no good outside what used to be the village school.

Retrace your steps to walk through the church grounds. As you bear to the right, look over to your left to view one of only three dovecotes remaining in Cambridgeshire. This one dates from the late 1700s.

Head down a narrow alley that comes out on the High Street. Cross the road, turn left, then turn right down King Street. Almost immediately turn left into Rectory Lane.


Point 1
After about 200 yards, at the end of the last row of cottages, turn right into Chapel Field Lane, beautifully green and full of wildlife as shown above. Turn left when you reach a T junction (there's a sign saying 'road closed, but this doesn't apply to walkers). The allotments to the right are a testament to what enthusiasm and hard work can achieve. No so long ago they were much larger plots, abandoned and covered in briar and weeds. The allotment association that runs the site have broken up the area into much smaller plots and they show evidence of enthusiastic digging. See the comment at the foot of this page for more information about the allotments.

After just over 200 yards the lane turns to the right, but you should carry straight on to the footpath, keeping the field edge to your left. On the right are the first orchard trees, full of plums and apples.

About another 200 yards will bring you to a T junction. Turn left and follow the path as it skirts around the field.

Point 2
Turn right when you reach the track from College Farm, to head towards wind turbines in the distance.

In late spring and summer the fields are full of yellow rapeseed or soft barley. Skylarks hover, filling the air with song. The drainage ditch to the left is a haven for wild flowers, the air full of butterflies and dragonflies.


Point 3
After just over half a mile you'll reach a small copse. Inside there's a path running at right angles, the route of the Pathfinder March. In amongst the trees you'll find a few remaining signs of the Somersham to March railway line, as shown above.

Turn right to head back towards Somersham. After 300 yards the route turns slightly to the right, to head across a field towards a tree line and the allotments.

If the weather is damp the public footpath across the field can be muddy. The farmer periodically has to plough up the field, including the footpath, but should reinstate the path to a minimum of one metre width within fourteen days of ploughing. The Rights of Way Officer at Cambridgeshire County Council has taken action in the past to have the route reinstated. If you encounter problems at this point of the walk, please add a comment at the foot of this page.

Having crossed the field, you'll find yourself heading into a small copse and then along a narrow track as shown below, full of blackberry flowers and fruit, with many dragonflies and butterflies. There are more orchard trees, bursting with plums in late summer.


Point 4
Turn left at the top of the track. The allotment plots in this part of the site are huge, many look untended. Those that are occupied provide a perfect venue to get away from busy modern life.

As you wander along you'll catch sight of chickens and geese. There are interestingly constructed sheds of all sizes. The plot sizes reduce to more manageable proportions further on, and there's a distinct increase in tidiness.

Point 5
After just over 100 yards follow the path around to the right. Another 400 yards plus and you're back at Chapel Field Lane. Turn left to retrace your steps into Rectory Lane, King Street, the High Street and through the church grounds to return to the car park.

Any day other than Sunday you can pop into Olive's Coffee Shop, or normal pub opening hours at the Rose & Crown, both opposite The Cross.

Click the Print Friendly button below to print out this walk to take with you. Or for more walks click the 'Return Home' button at the foot of this page. Did you enjoy the walk? Notice anything unusual? Why not add comment below to tell fellow ramblers what you liked about it?