Cambridge: Attlee gets an education
So we are off to Cambridge, where Jane’s friend from university Neil lives. (Neil also lives in Baku, where something called the Eurovision is taking place with someone called The Hump in it – the Hump is something I am NOT allowed to do.)
Anyway, Cambridge is famous as a seat of learning and all the students cycle around on old-fashioned bikes and Neil does too – he cycles to meet us at the station, like a proper Cambridge person. Normally I bark at bikes but not today because the streets are too full of them for me to take them on.
There are a lot of things in Cambridge dogs are not allowed to do. For example, we are not allowed in any of the colleges. Also not allowed are radios, bicycles and picnics. This is a bit rich, if you ask me, lumping dogs in with a load of inanimate objects. Dogs are sentient, in case you hadn’t noticed Cambridge colleges!
Dogs are also forbidden in the Botanical Gardens – probably because we would lift our legs against all the exotic plants and flowers. Again – unfair. I lift my leg against Jane’s daffodils in our garden and they are sprouting up a treat. And our owners could keep us on a lead, stopping any leg lifting incidents.
So what can dogs do in Cambridge you may well bark? Well, all the posh young men trying to sell us rides on boat-things called punts say that dogs are allowed on them. But I don’t like water so we don’t take up any of the punting opportunities that are offered to us.
But Cambridge city centre, with all the cloistered towers of learning that are too clever for dogs to be allowed inside, is very easy to stroll around. There are people with clipboards who want you to pay them to stroll with you – they are offering guided walking tours. Guided walking tours – I have never heard such nonsense. You just walk and smell the pavement and see where your nose takes you.
The colleges are clustered around Sidney Street and Silver Street and Trumpington Street. King’s College, the most famous college of them all, is on King’s Parade and all these places are within ten minutes’ stroll of each other. Basically you just walk along one of the streets in the centre of Cambridge and you will see a college – that’s how it is. A bit like how if you walk along one of the streets in south-east London you will see discarded fried chicken.
Another place to stroll in Cambridge is along The Backs – The Backs are the behinds of the Cambridge colleges and not the fronts. The Backs are good because to reach them you have to cross the river and from one of the bridges – there are lots – you can watch all the silly punts and have a laugh at the silly humans guiding them along the river with huge sticks. Sticks are for chasing, mate, not for faffing around on rivers!
The two most famous bridges at The Backs are the Bridge of Sighs and the Mathematical Bridge. I don’t really know why they’re famous – I’m a dog, for Dog’s sake, not a historian.
The Backs are also good for peering into the college grounds. They are so enticing-looking, with their manicured lawns and old stone walls. Why am I NOT allowed in? This is me, at the back of King’s College.
To be honest, finding a pub that allowed dogs in Cambridge city centre was about as hard as getting a degree in metaphysics. That means, very hard. There was no room at the inn for me in several places we tried and in the end we settled on The Eagle, because, even though I wasn’t allowed inside, it did have a pleasant outdoor area with heaters and big umbrellas to keep the rain off the humans. The Eagle is very ‘istoric – and in the RAF bar part (where I wasn’t allowed) there is graffiti by WW2 airmen on the walls and ceiling. And DNA was discovered here. What is DNA? Dogs’ Noses Amaze? I don’t know.
Jane had a proper Sunday roast and it was a bargain, compared to London, at £7.99. But, when she asked if she could have a SAUSAGE on a plate for me, the girl behind the bar said no. Ridiculous – how much trouble is a SAUSAGE on a plate? But one of the waitress people obviously appreciated dogs because she brought out a biscuit for me – a human biscuit too – and got me a bowl of water.
Phileas Fact Box: Cambridge
- The Eagle, 8 Benet Street, Cambridge, CB2 3QN. Tel: 01223 505020
- For more information about Cambridge, log on to www.visitcambridge.org
I feel your pain Attlee, I always have a hard time finding a pub that allows our dog, Bailey. It’s not right because pubs always used to allow dogs, they were for the ‘man and his dog’ – but now they’ve gone too far the other way and allow children, food, games etc – but not dogs.
Bring back the pubs for dogs I say!
Woofing right Sean!
I despair at cambridge there are so few places i can take my dog and as he is very difficult to leave at home I am very tied. As an older person i find life tedious and would love to go places and take my dog too. Shops, Pubs, Gardens other venues all hopeless. helen
Anywhere good that you have discovered Helen? What can we do to make Cambridge more dog-friendly? Woof!
Try The Castle Inn…38 Castle Street CB3 0AJ…01223 353194,very dog friendly,we take our Jessie in there too so come say hello…excellent beer and food for the humans as well
The Fort St George on Midsummer Common in Cambridge allowed my dog inside and out which is great after a walk around the common with the dog. Apparently The Free Press does too, but I have never tried.
I have phoned the following pubs in advance of a trip to Cambridge this weekend and they all say they let dogs into at least part of the indoor area and all serve some food.
Hope that helps someone…and I hope they are actually nice & friendly when I get there at the weekend!
Fort St George
Midsummer Common, Cambridge CB4 1HA
01223 354327
The Free Press
7 Prospect Row, Cambridge, Cambridge, CB1 1DU
01223368337
http://www.freepresspub.com
The Geldart
1 Ainsworth Street, Cambridge, Cambridge, CB1 2PF
01223 314264
the-geldart.co.uk/default.aspx
The Alexandra Arms
22-24 Gwydir Street, CB1 2LL
No website – but friendly man on phone and same landlord as The Free Press
01223 500170
The Panton Arms
43 Panton Street, Cambridge, CB2 1HL
No website
01223 464351
Thank you so much for all this lovely information. Fritz (aka The Sossidge) was getting worried about not having any lunch. So much choice.
Would love to see a picture of Fritz aka The Sossidge!
Thank you!! this blogg make me laugth.. my gipsy dog will be so happy with all this information from a “mate”….thanks again! Nat
Attlee, my human is writing this for me. I’m bringing him and his assistant servant, Jane, to Cambridge in April. He did some research for me – paws aren’t designed for typing – and found your website. He’s quite clever for a human, really. I think it’s great and so does he.
I think I will be getting him to come on to the website more often. I know we are going on one of the red open topped tour buses early in our visit to see what is on offer for me.
Maybe we’ll meet up – I have a yellow ribbon on my lead to let people know I am a rescue dog.
Bye for now,
Pippa (Border Terrier x Jack Russell)
I am just moving to Trumpington outside Cambridge and would love to know of any dog friendly coffee shops in Cambridge ? London has plenty but I have a feeling Cambridge is a little no go area on the coffee front for Dennis my border terrier. I hope someone can prove me wrong ?
Mummy and Daddy said thay we’d have a difficult time taking me places in Cambridge when visiting for the weekend however, they were pleasantly surprised.
I was very lucky and allowed to stay in Hotel Du Vin and hang out in their bar. Just along the street from there there is a great little cafe called ‘Hot Numbers’ where I was most welcome. Mummy And Daddy’s favourite place to take me though was ‘Pint Shop’ when there was simply “Meat, Bread and Beer’. I liked it very much as I was given some pork crackling.
We also ate out at The Free Press, as mentioned above where they had treats for me.
We’ve had a great time.
Bye for now!
Jolly (BeagleXBasset)
November 2015
Very relieved to hear that there are at least some dog friendly options in Cambridge. We are moving to the area soon and our poodle is a social butterfly! We currently live in Bradford on Avon, near Bath, which is probably the most dog friendly place in the world. Not being able to take him with us would terrible 🙁 Please keep the tips coming!
Thank you for the recommendations.
Phew! Now my humans will not have to leave me in the caravan, when they go out to eat!
The Free Press was excellent. Delicious food for the humans and a bowl of water and extra plate for me to share!
Chuck (Welsh Terrier) spent a day in Cambridge yesterday and can confirm the following places are dog-friendly:
The Mill (inside – but book a table as its small and gets busy!)
The Anchor (downstairs riverside inside)
The Eagle (outside courtyard, but super busy)
The Snug (inside, outside, at the bar, on the chair, everywhere) this is the one on Lensfield Rd
Browns (outside heated covered area)
The Granta (everywhere, but lovely outside terrace is best)
We only really explored the south west of the town, but will be back to explore more as his grandpaws live there!
My owners are often dragging me into the following dog-friendly hostelries in Cambridge:
The Punter Pub
3 Pound Hill, Cambridge, CB3 0AE
The Haymakers
54 High Street, Chesterton, CB4 1NG
The Cambridge Blue
85-87 Gwydir St, Cambridge, CB1 2LG
The Pint Shop
10 Peas Hill, Cambridge CB2 3PN
The Plough
(tables outside or by bar, not in main restaurant)
Green End, Fen Ditton, CB5 8SX
Hudson ale house in trumpington is dog friendly and human friendly too