The Backs

The Backs is Cambridge's best-kept secret - a strip of open grassland and towpath that runs along the River Cam behind the colleges. You get proper views of King's College Chapel and the Mathematical Bridge from angles you won't find in the guidebooks, and on a decent day the light hits the stone just right.

It's essentially a long walk rather than a destination with attractions. You stroll between the Backs proper (the meadows behind the colleges) and the tow path that stretches out towards the Grantchester Meadows. The river itself is calm and shallow here, popular with punts in summer, which adds to the atmosphere without being chaotic. Walkers, cyclists and the occasional student with a book make up the crowd - it doesn't feel touristy, which is refreshing given how heaving Cambridge town centre gets.

The whole stretch from Mill Pool to Grantchester is about three miles one way. You can do it in an hour briskly, or spend half a day pottering and stopping for photos. It's free to walk and open all year, though late spring to early autumn is when you'll want to be here - the riverside setting shines in good weather.

Walkers and cyclists will get the most from it. Families with small kids might find it a bit aimless unless you're heading to Grantchester Meadows specifically for a picnic. History buffs will appreciate the college architecture, though you're viewing from a distance. If you're staying at Cherry Hinton or one of the other caravan sites just east of Cambridge, this is a proper outing that beats another lap round the shops.