Frequently Asked Questions

Membership and the email list:

• How do I subscribe to your mailing list?
• Can I still join the club if I'm not a Cambridge University student?
• How much is the membership fee, how do I pay it, and what do you spend it on?

What we do:

• What's the difference between rambling and hillwalking?
• How often do you have rambles, and do you have rambles during the vacations?
• How long are your walks, and how fast do you walk?
• Where do you normally go for your walks?
• Do you do any longer trips away?
• Do you visit places of historical or local interest on your rambles?

Practicalities:

• Do I need to sign up in advance to come on any of your rambles?
• Where do rambles start from, and how do you recognise each other?
• How does transport to and from the ramble work, and how much does it cost?
• I haven't done much walking before. Can I still come along?
• What should I bring / wear?

Miscellaneous:

• How can I get more involved in the club?

Membership and the email list

How do I subscribe to your mailing list?
To be added to our email list, send a quick email to rambling@cambridgesu.co.uk. Alternatively, you can subscribe yourself by visiting https://lists.cam.ac.uk/sympa/info/soc-curac.

Can I still join the club if I'm not a Cambridge University student?
Yes! University staff, former students, Anglia Ruskin students and people completely unconnected to the university are all very welcome! While the majority of our members are current Cambridge University students, we do have several regular members who are not.

How much is the membership fee, how do I pay it, and what do you spend it on?
Our annual membership fee is £1, and should be paid directly into the club bank account, the details for which are given in the membership form. If you are not able to easily make a bank transfer you may also give it to a walk leader on a walk who will get it paid in for you. When you come on your first ramble, we'll probably ask you if you'd like to join the club and pay the membership fee. We use the membership fees to buy items such as maps and first aid equipment, as well as for stalls at the Freshers & Refreshers Fairs.

What we do

What's the difference between rambling and hillwalking?
You may have noticed that there are several walking clubs in Cambridge! Generally we do day walks in the local countryside while the Cambridge University Hillwalking Club do weekend trips away to more mountainous areas. You can of course join both clubs and so get the best of both worlds!

How often do you have rambles, and do you have rambles during the vacations?
During term time, we usually have one ramble each weekend. Of course you don't have to come on every walk - you can just turn up whenever you like! During the vacations, we organise rambles on a more informal and ad hoc basis, if there are any organised at all (they are more common in the Easter Break than at Christmas and Easter).

How long are your walks and how fast do you walk?
We usually try to have a mix of short and long walks each term, ranging from around 10 km (6 miles) right up to the 130 km (81 mile) Varsity March! Most rambles are between 15-25 km (9-15 miles). Since our main aim is to relax and enjoy the countryside, we do not usually walk very fast (perhaps around 2.5 miles per hour). It depends a bit on the walking conditions, the type of ramble, and the pace of the leader.

Where do you normally go for your walks?
Most of our rambles are in the local countryside and also in neighbouring Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. Sometimes we go further afield to the south coast and the Chiltern Hills. You can get a good idea of the types of places we go to by looking at the current and past termcards.

Do you do any longer trips away?
Yes, we have the annual Easter Ramble which is typically a 5-7 day trip to somewhere more interesting in the country, staying in one or more youth hostels. There was a large gap in Easter Rambles with none in 2018-2023 but they are back now from 2024 (Peak District). However, if you are particularly interested in longer trips then you'll likely be interested in the Hillwalking Club who lead more regular weekend trips to other parts of the country.

Do you visit places of historical or local interest on your rambles?
Cambridgeshire is rich in local history, and we frequently encounter historic churches and houses, defensive earthworks, ancient burial mounds and so on. Sometimes we plan rambles specifically to visit interesting places (these are then mentioned in the ramble descriptions on the termcard), but so often the most interesting gems are those that we simply come across by chance!

Practicalities

Where do rambles start from and how do you recognise each other?
Usually rambles start from either the main Drummer Street bus station (we meet on the corner of Drummer Street and Emmanuel Street) (map) or at the train station (meet just outside the main entrance). Occasionally a ramble will have a different meeting point, but in all cases the meeting point is specified on the termcard and on the website. We are usually quite obvious - look for a group of people wearing walking shoes and rucksacks! Additionally, look out for our mascot, Dylan the sheep who frequently comes on walks.

How does transport to and from the ramble work, and how much does it cost?
Except for rambles starting and finishing in Cambridge, we usually take a bus or train to the start of the ramble. How much the ticket costs depends on how far away that particular ramble is going, but the cost is always given on the termcard. For train journeys we usually buy the tickets as a Group at the station to utilise the GroupSave discount. For buses you'll have to buy your own as you enter the bus (we'll make clear which ticket you need to buy)

I haven't done much walking before. Can I still come along?
Yes! Our shorter rambles are generally very gentle, relaxed and easily accessible!

What should I bring / wear?
Trainers and similar footwear are fine when conditions are dry. In the winter, however, the English countryside becomes rather muddy - if you wear trainers in these conditions, you may find yourself slipping around with wet feet. Walking boots or dedicated walking shoes are therefore a good idea. Generally you can wear whatever clothes you like, although you should bear in mind that in the winter your trousers and footwear you will get a bit muddy. And of course in the winter you should make sure you have sufficient warm clothing. You should always bring plenty of water and a packed lunch unless the walk description says otherwise. It is also a good idea to bring some waterproof clothing in case of rain.

Miscellaneous

How can I get more involved in the club?
We are always looking for new walk leaders! Being a walk leader basically involves leading one or two walks per term. It's fun, allows you to learn map-reading skills in a friendly and supportive environment, and looks great on your CV! No previous experience of leading walks is necessary! If you'd like to get more involved, we'd love to hear from you - just email us on rambling@cambridgesu.co.uk and we'll tell you how you can become a walk leader.
The Club's Executive Committee is elected at the AGM in March. The positions will be advertised a few weeks before. For a while now the Club has not really hosted many social events; if you'd be interested in helping us organise these again (we used to have weekly pub meets for a long time) then email us at the previously mentioned address.

Not found the answer to your question? Please feel free to email rambling@cambridgesu.co.uk, and we'll get back to you with an answer! Alternatively, if you have a question about a specific walk, it's usually best to email the walk leader for that ramble - you can find their email address on the termcard or the weekly email.