As someone who is yet to convince myself that I cannot walk away from my problems, I have done my fair share of wandering around Cambridge. Now, with exams looming, and the urge to escape the endless string of revision growing stronger, walking away from the stress may be exactly what’s needed. Here are three welfare walks for when the library walls start closing in, your laptop screen begins to blur, and you end up in desperate need of finding some grass to touch.

A Guilt Free Leg Stretch

We all know the UL can feel like the centre of our world. We also know, too long spent amongst its sprawling shelves, can result in an inability to recall the mitochondria’s function, or mixing up Khrushchev and Gorbachev (not speaking from experience). This walk blows the cobwebs away, without leaving the library’s orbit.

“Walking away from the stress may be exactly what’s needed”

Exit the library, onto the path towards town, turning left at the end along the Backs. Strolling past King’s and Trinity, let yourself be a tourist, remembering how beautiful the city is. Imagine pre-Cambridge you, yet to be crushed by the weight of the workload, wandering down the same road, gawking at the sights.

Cut through John’s manicured playing fields to Grange Road, then turn into Clarkson Road. Here the quiet feels like a salve for the anxious mind. If you are lucky, you might spot a Muntjac sneaking into the Maths Department grounds, or a family of geese, sunbathing on the sports field.

The library will be in sight as you emerge from Adam’s Road, hopefully with a quieter mind, and restored focus.

Tour of Cambridge

This walk has it all: coffee, cows, confectionaries, and colleges. Set off from Sidge, grabbing one last Harvey’s iced matcha. Cross at the end of Sidgwick Avenue, taking the pavement to your left. Follow the passage behind Millworks, crossing at the lights at the end. Proceed through the gate onto the Fen. This is where the walk really starts.

Ambling through the Fen, admire the cows and dodge any bovine altercations. Upon exiting the Fen, make the short jaunt to the Botanical Gardens; putting your Camcard to good use for free entry. Wonder through the garden’s array of plants and flowers, maybe even catching the last blossoms. Indulge your inner child by hopping across the stepping stones, or take in the raised platform’s panoramic view.

“If you are lucky, you might spot a Muntjac sneaking into the Maths Department grounds”

Exit the gardens and pass the Fitzwilliam Museum into town. By this point you’ll certainly need something to restore your sugar levels. Luckily, Jack’s is a short hop away – an essential pitstop.

Proceed onto King’s Parade, taking the chance to gaze up at the architecture, now that you are not rushing through to a lecture. With one last longing look, return to the library via the Senate House Passage. Hopefully this whistle stop tour made you feel like the workload – our passport to this stunning city – is worth it. If not, at least you had some ice cream.

An Ode to the Hill Colleges

As someone whose hometown sits atop a hill, I refuse to accept that these colleges are located on anything more than a slight incline. Regardless, as a member of an incline college, I cannot deny this part of town’s tranquillity.

This walk is for when you need some home comfort, a reminder that the world exists beyond the library walls. Navigate to Storey’s Way, via Madingley Road. Say hello to the ducks at Churchill, and, if in residence, marvel at the heron perched at the waters’ edge.

Follow Storey’s Way until the end, stopping to smell the lilacs that dot the street. Enter the footpath at the end, and gaze out across the open field.

I will admit, this is my favourite walk. Though not as scenic as the others, there is something comforting about the mundane of this walk; passing families on bikes, or people laden with ‘Farawainsbury’s’ shopping, is a reminder that life continues outside the pressures of exams and deadlines.

The path ends at Eddington. Treat yourself to a coffee from Dulcedo Social, or take in the extensive offerings of the superior Sainsbury’s (I said what I said).

Follow the same route back, hopefully crossing paths with the adorable corgi that frequents this walk, a guaranteed mood booster.