To ask about nice places near Cambridge

[BananaMonkey3]

to meet a friend?

I'm in Stafford and he is in norwich. Cambridge is half way ish...

Can anyone recommend anywhere nice we could meet and spend the day that doesn't require driving in to Cambridge town centre?

I have a 2 month old so needs to be appropriate... :)

Doesn't have to be Cambridge but does need to be between the two above places!

There's a National Trust place just south of Cambridge, think it's called Wimpole Hall?
Also a country park - Milton Country Park? If you're happy wandering around in semi cold?
Both have cafe and toilets/baby change?

What do you want? Small town? Stately home?
Somewhere like Anglesey Abbey?

Anglesey Abbey or Wimpole Hall? Both National Trust, Wimpole hall has a farm, but I think 2 months old would be a bit young to appreciathe that . Nice places to eat.

Anglesey Abbey is nicer than Wimpole IMO. And less detour.

Thanks @DontBuyANewMumCashmere

@TooDamnSarky literally anything - we are both happy just wandering around. Very easy...

Church Farm at Stow Bardolph has a cafe
www.churchfarmstowbardolph.co.uk/

Burwash Manor Barns has a cafe
www.burwashmanor.com/

Poets House does afternoon tea/lunch
www.poetshouse.uk.com/

Wimpole Hall is looking good...

ShalomJackie Love your name. Shit on it! 😂

Sorry op... Wimpole Hall is great

Ickworth House, it's National Trust.

I'd say wimpole if you have small kids - for the farm
But Anglesey if you're just adults (and baby) - as the gardens are much nicer.

When are you meeting? I was at Wimpole yesterday and the cafe was heaving at lunchtime. But if the weather is nice you can do a walk and also go to the farm. I also went to Burwash yesterday and not all the shops were open.

The other nice place is The Rupert Brooke pub at Grantchester (just off the M11) and you can then walk along the river towards Cambridge.

It'll be early Jan so all the schools will be back :)

Check which day of the week they are open.
Audley End is a little further out near Saffron Walden but only 5 mins off the M11

Anglesey and Wimpole are both lovely but there is more to see and do at Wimpole.

I’m from Staffordshire and used to work in Cambridge and live nearby. It was an absolute arse to get there, so your times didn’t sound right to me. Just googled and it’s about 2hrs 15 from you to Cambridge but only about 1hr 15 from Norwich. It’s not half way at all, OP.
This site suggests Huntingdon (which is where I worked, oddly - I’m still not sure the times work out...) and will suggest you venues.

@cardibach I'm driving and friend has to get a bus and a train so time wise it's half way ish. Takes about the same time for us both :)

Most of the places mentioned are not easy if one of you is coming by train.
Better option might be central Cambridge with the driver using park and ride.

If he has to get public transport why not just meet in Cambridge centre? There's plenty to do - shops, the university, parks, cinema, lots of pretty streets and independent cafes.

I really, really wouldn't go anywhere near Cambridge atm because of the horrific traffic due to the A14 works. I would suggest somewhere around the A47 near Peterborough. Rutland Water has nice cafes, or for a good pub lunch there's the Royal Oak at Thorney, the Dog in a Doublet on the river near Whittlesey or the Ann of Cleves at Melton Mowbray (turn to towards Kegworth at the M1 end of the A50, follow the A6 to the A6006 and turn left at Zouch.

If they are on a train then ideally you need to meet somewhere that has a train station. Audley end would be a good place to visit, has a lovely house and gardens to wander around. The town close by, saffron Walden, is a historic market town and many people say it's a nice town to wander around, plenty of coffee shops to stop in too. Another option would be to pick up from Cambridge station and take a wander around wandlebury park just outside Cambridge

The Orchard Tea Gardens in Granchester:

www.theorchardteagarden.co.uk

Ignore my last, just seen the public transport thing. In which case, pick him up at at Whittlesey station and take him to the Dog.

Wimpole hall farm but probably a bit young! Ely is really nice and a lot quieter than Cambridge. If she doesn't mind driving a bit further, anywhere on the a47 is good - Oakham maybe for a market town?