This is my favourite ride to work (at the Amazon office in Station Square, Cambridge) from Burwell. It’s not the fastest route, but is the most quiet/offroad without going completely off-track. It even has a bit of bonus gravel behind the new housing estate near the Newmarket Road Park and Ride.
Things to look out for
- Deer, hares, rabbits, and a lovely 3-legged dog along the fields around Commercial End
- The sun rising across the fields as you ride to Stow Cum Quy
- The raven family just after the A14 underpass
- Woodland gravel where you leat expect it
- Cows and sheep on the meadows in Cambridge
Burwell - Reach - Swaffham Prior
The route begins at the top of Reach Road, which you follow all the way to Reach. When you reach the fairground, turn left and left again, heading to Swaffham Prior. Ride through Swaffham Prior and onto the cycle path along the B102.
Swaffham Prior - Commercial End - Lode
The cycle path is a narrow, shared-use path which you join as the road forks at the end of the village. While it runs alongside a 60 mph main road and can be quite noisy, thankfully it’s only a few hundred metres before you take the first right onto Abbey Lane. This turn through Commercial End avoids Swaffham Bullbeck, where the dual-use path stops and things get messy, even in a 30 mph zone.
Continuing straight down the ‘hill’ on Abbey Lane, then straight on, onto Fenn Lane, which takes you round and left onto White Droveway. This short and quiet loop takes you to the shared-use path, again along the noisy B102, leading down to Lode.
Lode - Stow Cum Quy
In Lode, you’ll cross Lode Road, staying on the same side and ride down the path. Just before the entrance to Anglesey Abbey, cross the road to get onto the lovely ‘new’ wide shared-use path that runs along the edge of the fields next to the B102. For much of this section, trees and bushes separate the path from the road, creating a pleasant riding experience—especially with the morning sun rising on your left.
You’re a little less than halfway now as we enter Stow Cum Quy, leaving the cycle path just inside the 30 mph zone. Quy is often backed up all the way through the village in the mornings, with traffic at the far end contending the roundabout across the A14 and the busy road into Cambridge. This means it’s great fun to (smugly) ride past the cars up through the village, through the three traffic-calming sections.
Just before the first set of traffic lights, turn left. This road leads (and is signposted) to the Quy Mill Hotel but also leads to the underpass underneath the A14. The road leading to the underpass is a bit rough and the underpass itself can be muddy, so take a little care. As you emerge from the underpass, you’ll pass a few houses. Take a moment to greet the many ravens that collect around the bird feeder on the right.
Quy - Fen Ditton
Turn right onto the cycle path that runs alongside Newmarket Road (A1303). Climb the small hill, cross High Ditch Road and continue towards Cambridge, following the path round the back of the big roundabout, descending and then climbing again. You’ll have Cambridge Airport on your left, with landing lights visible in the fields to your right.
When you get near the top of the hill, you’ll reach a public bridleway signposted on the right. Currently, there’s a building site just before this, but that might be houses if you’re reading this after February 2025—it’s the first turn to the right after the roundabout. After a short tarmacked section, you’ll get onto the gravel! Though brief (~1.5km), its twists and turns along well-maintained, tree-lined, gravel paths are great fun. Be considerate of dog walkers, be nice and adjust your speed accordingly.
At the end of the gravel path, turn right onto the cycle path into Fen Ditton. Cross the road at the traffic lights visible to your left, then double back and turn left onto Cambridge’s off-road cycle paths. After the first section, wave at the horses, you’ll encounter a grassy triangle — watch for cyclists joining from the right. At the triangle’s base, turn right and follow the path around and across a cattle grid.
Fen Ditton - Coldham’s Common
You’re now on Ditton Meadows, and on the other side of the meadow is the River Cam with its rowers and canal boats. Ride along this path, then take the first cattle grid on your left, cross it and turn right. This takes you along to and under the A1134, past the Cambridge United football stadium, beneath the railway track and along to Coldham’s Common. You’ll often see cows and sheep along the common (if they have not yet been chased off after centuries of grazing).
Coldham’s Common - Cambrige Station
At the end of the Coldham’s Common track, you’re now into the city proper. You’re back on relatively quiet roads to get to the station. Cross over and onto Cromwell Road, climbing the hill to the restricted-entry roundabout. Cyclists can exit onto either Cromwell Road or Catherine Street to reach Mill Road. Bikes are free to ride in either direction on both roads, but Cromwell Road is preferable because cars follow that direction to Mill Road.
There are lots of speed bumps along here, so if you’re reasonably quick, it’s better to get in front of any cars. That said, there’s no rush—you’ll get stuck at Mill Road most likely anyway. Recently, the bridge across the tracks has been limited to cycles, buses, and taxis only, and it’s much quieter as far as traffic goes. So, once you reach Mill Road, turn right and cross the bridge, turn left onto Devonshire Road, and then left again into the station car park—and you’re there!