Discover Huntingdon: History, Riverside and Nature

Huntingdon combines an engaging history with extensive green spaces and special opportunities for observing nature. If you are looking for a mix of culture, walks and active experiences for your trip, the town offers several different focal points. When choosing your holiday apartment or holiday house, it is therefore worth considering first whether historic discoveries, riverside landscapes or nature observation should be the main focus.

History around the Market Square and River

A good cultural starting point is the Cromwell Museum in the heart of Huntingdon town centre. It is located just off the historic market square, opposite the Town Hall and All Saints’ Church. At the museum, you can see original weapons and armour from the time of the Civil Wars, including several of Cromwell’s swords. The exhibition makes Huntingdon’s historic character particularly tangible without requiring you to limit yourself to a single attraction.

The guided Historic Town Trail runs from the Town Hall past the “Thinking Soldier” war memorial, the 16th-century Falcon Inn and All Saints’ Church. The trail also includes former prisons. Anyone interested in the town’s development and its surviving buildings can experience these sites as a connected historical experience. Beside the river are also the remains of a Norman castle complex with a motte and bailey. A well-preserved 14th-century bridge is still in use today and completes the picture of this historic town.

Parks, Lakes and Paths for Different Day Plans

For a quieter or nature-focused day of travel, Hinchingbrooke Country Park offers plenty of variety. The site covers 150 acres and includes open grassland, ancient woodland and lakes. A network of surfaced paths is suitable for wheelchairs, pushchairs and walking throughout the year. This means the park can also be included in your plans when members of the group have different requirements for a walk.

At Main Lake, access is possible all the way around the lake. Several benches provide places from which you can observe waterfowl and reed buntings. With a little luck, you may also spot all three British woodpecker species, nuthatches and willow tits in the park; an otter or a kingfisher may also appear. For more active hours, there is a specially designed mountain bike course with jumps and earth mounds of different sizes.

Other independent nature destinations include Spring Common and Riverside Park Huntingdon. Spring Common is a 13-acre public site with a natural spring, a tranquil pond and open grassland; it is publicly accessible at all times. Riverside Park Huntingdon covers 34 acres and stretches for 2 kilometres along the riverbank. These different landscapes allow you to choose between observing, relaxed walking and active exercise.

Which Accommodation Suits Your Stay

Culture enthusiasts can focus on the museum, Historic Town Trail, castle remains and bridge. Those who prefer spending time outdoors can orient their trip more towards the country park, Main Lake, Spring Common or the riverside. For families with pushchairs or travellers who pay attention to surfaced paths, the path facilities at Hinchingbrooke Country Park are a specific planning factor. Cyclists will find their own point of interest there with the mountain bike course.

A special event can also influence the timing of your trip: the Peterborough Chase is the highlight of the racing events at Huntingdon Racecourse and takes place fourteen days before Christmas. The Discover Huntingdon Visitor Centre is located in the Commemoration Hall and can serve as a starting point for further orientation.

More Places to Include in Your Search

If you would like to compare Huntingdon with other places, you can also include Longstanton, Whittlesey, Cambridge, Old Hurst, Papworth Everard, Littleport, Boxworth and Milton in your travel plans.

For the higher-level travel overview: Cambridgeshire.