On our September 2022 visit to Huntingdon, England, we did a short circular walk to the town of Godmanchester, just over the River Great Ouse. We did the walk in the late afternoon/early evening, midweek. The weather was perfect.
We started by walking across the Old Bridge, which is a medieval stone bridge along the Roman Road known as Ermine Street. A Roman settlement called Durovigutum existed here at Godmanchester from around 43 AD to the 400s AD.
On the banks of the River Great Ouse at Huntingdon, with the Old Bridge and Riverside Mill (now residential units) in the background
We walked down the Godmanchester high street for a bit then veered west on Mill Yard towards the famous Chinese Bridge (a wooden pedestrian bridge). This area was so peaceful! We also found it to be a lot more picturesque and safer for pedestrians than Huntingdon, which has a busy ring road ‘round the town center.
The Post House caught my eye - interesting shape
Thatched roofs and swans - what more can you ask for?
My husband resting at Godmanchester Chinese Bridge
We then headed back to Huntingdon via Portholme meadow, the largest floodplain meadow in England! It is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Conservation Area, and it has a footpath which everyone can use. Public footpaths are a foreign concept in the United States, but one of my favorite parts of traveling in England. Instead of having to go all the way around a field, you can just cut through!
Portholme Meadow was so large and so flat that its expansiveness felt a little frightening at first. We were also nervous to walk among the cows, as this is just not something we do on a regular basis, but we made sure not to get too close to them. We arrived on the other side of the meadow unscathed and treated ourselves to dinner and a pint.
Crossing Portholme Meadow, looking back towards Godmanchester
My Huntingdon ancestors probably did this walk many times. It was neat to follow in their footsteps!
Back in Huntingdon, which is probably (hopefully) the only town with an Oliver Cromwell rubbish bin.