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Around Wimpole Hall

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Our view

"An easy ramble around the landscaped grounds of a country mansion"

Walk directions

From the Wimpole Hall Visitor Centre, follow footpath signs for Wimpole Hall. When reached the tarmac road, with the Stable Block Café ahead, turn right for 175yds (160m) to take the gate in the black railings for a path that runs diagonally across two open fields towards Home Farm. Aim just to the left of the red telephone box on the lane on the far side. Turn left into the lane and walk past the farm and on past Thornberry Hill Cottages at Brick End. About 359yds (320m) beyond a small road bridge, and just after passing Nursery Plantation on your right, turn left on a wide track through two gates into Wimpole Estate.

Walk out into the open park and follow the fence around the top of the slope and up towards the folly, ‘built’ to look deliberately like a ruined castle. Just beyond the folly turn left and, enjoying the fine views across to the hall ahead/left, walk down across the open hillside to the lakes at the bottom of the slope. There is a wide, if faint path, across the open pasture, but if you aim for the middle of the lakes you won’t go wrong.

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Location

Nearest postcode:

Additional information

Terrain - Easy tracks and open park, lane

Landscape - Elegant landscaped parkland

Dog friendliness - Grazing sheep and cattle in park, so on short lead at all times

Parking - Wimpole Hall National Trust pay-and-display car park

Toilets en route - Wimpole Hall entrance

About the walk

Wimpole Hall is among the National Trust’s most impressive properties, an 18th-century mansion surrounded by 350 acres (142ha) of landscaped lakes, follies and woodland. Despite its original splendour, the house passed through several different owners and by the early 20th century was in a poor... condition. In 1938 it was bought by Captain George Bambridge whose wife, Elsie, was the daughter of Rudyard Kipling. After her husband’s death she continued its gradual restoration, and when she died in 1976 the house and entire estate were left to the National Trust. Books and rare breeds Wimpole Hall was designed by James Gibbs, Henry Flitcroft and Sir John Soane, and contains some notable features, not least the stunning Yellow Drawing Room and the Bath House with its 2,000-gallon (9,092-litre) plunge bath. The library was built in 1730 to hold part of the massive collection of books belonging to the former owner, Lord Harley, and such was his literary and artistic standing that visitors to Wimpole included Alexander Pope and Jonathan Swift. More recent rooms include Mrs Bambridge’s study, dressing room and bedroom, all on show with period items and original furnishings. Adjoining the hall is Home Farm, open weekends year-round and daily from the beginning of February to early November. Built in 1794 and carefully restored by the National Trust, it’s now home to a diverse range of rare breeds that were common in previous centuries, including Longhorn cattle, Bagot goats, Soay sheep and Tamworth pigs. Not surprisingly, it’s immensely popular with children. The enormous Great Barn houses a fascinating display of farm machinery and implements dating back over 200 years. In addition to the animal husbandry at Home Farm, there’s a lovely 18th-century walled garden which produces large amounts of vegetables for the restaurant and cafe and cut flowers for the Hall. Wimpole Hall is usually open from early February until the beginning of November (closed Friday), while the park is open daily from dawn until dusk all year round. Sheer folly, sir! On a hilltop on the northern edge of Wimpole estate you pass a curious folly resembling the ruins of a small castle. It was built in the late 1760s – deliberately as a ruin. Commissioned by the 1st Earl of Hardwicke, Lord Chancellor at the time, the sham castle was purely an aesthetic feature, designed to be viewed from the front and right (in other words, from Wimpole Hall itself). It was designed by Sanderson Miller, who spent a lifetime designing Gothic castles, prospect towers and castellated ruins, and perhaps not surprisingly suffered from periodic bouts of madness. Its building was overseen by the ubiquitous Lancelot Brown, a leading exponent of what was referred to as the ‘Natural Landscape’, and who acquired his nickname ‘Capability’ because of his assertion that every park was ‘capable of improvement’.

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About the area

To the west of East Anglia is Cambridgeshire, a county best known as the home to the university that makes up the second half of ‘Oxbridge’ (the other half is Oxford). As well as its globally renowned educational credentials, it also has a rich natural history; much of its area is made up of reclaimed or untouched fens.

Route details

Difficulty:

Easy

Gradient:

Gentle

Distance:

3.4 miles (5.5kms)

Ascent:

213ft (65m)

If you like this walk, you can try more routes in the area.

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Around Wimpole Hall

Recommended by

Our view

"An easy ramble around the landscaped grounds of a country mansion"

Walk details

Difficulty:

Easy

Gradient:

Gentle

Distance:

3.4 miles (5.5kms)

Ascent:

213ft (65m)

Walk directions

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2 of 5

Before long, the Chinese bridge, built in 1767 and restored in 1986, comes into view. Go across the bridge and continue over the more level ground towards the back of the hall, now just visible above the brow of the hill. Cross the small iron bridge and, approaching the gardens by the hall, swing right to reach the gate beyond the curving railings.

3 of 5

Go through the gate, then turn right to walk away from the hall. Go sharply uphill along the grassy, tree-lined West Avenue which originally comprised elm, but following the ravages of Dutch elm disease it was replanted with lime.

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At the very top swing left and walk over to a fence on the open hilltop. With the hall now away down the slope to your left, walk downhill on a clear path through the rough grassland alongside a fence (which is on your right). Ahead are expansive views over Hertfordshire towards the distant Chilterns. At the bottom of the slope turn left on to the surfaced drive and follow this back to the turning for the main approach to the hall, past the former stable block, which now houses refreshments and toilets, then retrace your steps back to the Visitor Centre.

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Location

Starting point

Nearest postcode:

Additional information

Terrain - Easy tracks and open park, lane

Landscape - Elegant landscaped parkland

Dog friendliness - Grazing sheep and cattle in park, so on short lead at all times

Parking - Wimpole Hall National Trust pay-and-display car park

Toilets en route - Wimpole Hall entrance

Walks in Cambridgeshire Dog-friendly walks in Cambridgeshire Family friendly walks in Cambridgeshire

About the walk

Been on this walk?

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Walking in Safety

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Get an AA guide

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Been on this walk?

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Walking in Safety

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Explore our range of ‘50 Walks in’ guides - they’re the ideal companion for a ramble.

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About the area

Cambridgeshire

Around Wimpole Hall

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Around Wimpole Hall

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