Pampisford Wych Walk

Pampisford to Babraham Road, and for Pampisford you turn right. During WWII, airships and aircraft dumping unwanted ordnance and munitions were to be seen over these fields. After a quarter of a mile or so on this quiet road, you may spot an old wooden sign saying PAMPISFORD 1 M in the hedge. If you fancy a bit of adventure, this route will take you past some hidden cottages. However, unless you are dressed to fight head-high nettles, you are best advised to continue on the road a little further. On your right you pass Home Farm (bottom), a collection of buildings being turned into business units. After that, the road emerges onto the A505, from where you can see the impressive drive up to Pampisford Hall between two stone gate posts (top right). Pampisford Hall is a large country house, known for its fine collection of fir trees, once the Wych way to Pampisford?

ANN REDSHAW and GUNNEL CLARK take another family stroll from Sawston…

his time our walk takes us to our neighbour Photos by Ann Redshaw Pampisford. It should take two hours at largest in the country. It is still Tmost. Start off along the farm track leading owned by descendants of James Binney, who bought out of Sawston at the far end of Church Lane and extended the house in the late 18th century. It (above) . At the end of the track turn left and follow is not open to the public. the edge of the field until you come to a hedge at On this corner there is a well hidden entrance to right angles to the path. the footpath, but it is perhaps There is no sign here to just easier to track back the indicate that the public few yards to Home Farm footpath takes a new where you pick up the public direction, and the track is footpath at the rear. Towards rather narrow. As you look the end of WW2 , a bomber right and along this hedge, crashed in the woods you will see at the far end of somewhere behind Home the field a group of buildings Farm near the cottages. Local that you will be aiming for rambler John (right), all the time keeping Capes suggests the hedge to your right. This that there is a stretch can be a bit of a trudge if the grass water-filled crater is long and wet, but eventually you arrive still there. at the farm Pampisford Wych, where you Here you will will more than likely be ‘greeted’ by a find a gate with a couple of small yappy dogs. The word small green sign wych means elm, but it is chestnuts that warning you to dominate this little farm. An impressive keep to the path avenue of fourteen sweet chestnuts of and keep dogs on increasing size lead up to meet the a lead because

22 December 2010 –January 2 01 1 there are often horses. There is actually no opposite. It is the scene of revived country discernible path, so you just have to walk across the traditions such as Morris dancing and Blessing of field between the two large trees and veer left to the the Plough. Confusingly, the Milton Morrismen, kissing gate in the most of whom live in Sawston, have left corner. This their home base in Pampisford! field and the one Turn right into Brewery Road, after are sites of where you’ll find yet another farm, medieval moats, Rectory Farm. Brewery Road is on the and it is easy to route of the Sawston bus, the Citi7, imagine that the but with only half the number of undulations in services. If the children are still not the ground are exhausted there is a second recreation remains of these. ground along this road on the right. You come out at Brewery Road takes its name from a College Farm, and brewery on the Sealmaster site, where on to Beech Lane there was a well which is lined by with particularly some pretty houses and gardens. clean water. John Turn off to the left opposite an old Capes tells me that pump surrounded by flowers. The gap in the brewery the hedge leads into a recreation ground brewed beer until surrounded by large trees. Walk across it about the start of to another little gate into the WW2 but at some churchyard the other end. You probably point it changed to won’t be able to get into the church brewing vinegar. itself, but if you stand in the porch you Nowadays the can see a fascinating Norman carving company produces called the tympanum (right) on the arch fireproof seals. above the door with biblical figures thought to Brewery Road looks largely residential, but it has depict the story of John the Baptist, to whom the quite a few small businesses, and some of the larger church is dedicated. houses are in fact business premises while keeping When you go out through the main church gate the appearance of private, well-kept houses. On and turn left, Pampisford you find Place you WALKS ON THE WEB yourself in can see a Walkers and horse-riders can Church nice make the most of the Cambridgeshire countryside Lane, with example of thanks to a new ‘Route of the the grand old pargeting – Month’ feature launched on the vicarage to traditional County Council’s website at www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/envi your left. decorative ronment/countryside. Further on plastering The site already provides an along this typical of interactive map where people can find paths and natural sites lane is a the East of near to where they live. The new terrace of England. Route of the Month feature has ideas from across the county, ‘old’ Eventually available from the first of every thatched you arrive at month. For October, the theme cottages, rebuilt in the 1980s. This lane, called the the White Horse pub, is woodlands, with walk maps, walk suggestions and even High Street at the Chequers end, is a picture- and from there it’s a downloadable recipe ideas. postcard corner of the village with the right turn into London Upcoming themes include easy flower-bedecked four-hundred-year-old pub, restored Road, and you’re back access walks, literary walks and even the science of walking. village pump and genuinely old, quaint cottages in Sawston. SS

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