Wandlebury Hill

Wandlebury Hill (Grid reference: TL493534) is a hill in the Gog Magog Downs, a ridge of low chalk hills extending for several miles to the southeast of Cambridge. The underlying rock is present in a number of places on the hill. At 74m/243ft it is the same height as the nearby Little Trees Hill, although the latter is usually considered higher and certainly is a more notable landmark.

The top stands in Wandlebury Country Park, a nature reserve owned by the Cambridge Preservation Society. 2500 years ago there was an Iron Age fort here; although the fort has vanished, the ditch (the Ring) dug around the edge can clearly be seen and walked along, being 5 metres deep in places and offering an adventurous route along its edge (for children). Wandlebury House, home of among others, Francis Godolphin, stood within the Ring. The house has been demolished but the monumental stable block remains and is used as the headquarters of the Cambridge Preservation Society. The grave of the Godolphin Barb horse can be seen.

The reserve is an excellent place for birdwatching and is a beautiful place for an early morning stroll. Like Little Trees Hill, the summit is on public land and is accessible when sheep are not in the field in which the trig point stands. It can be reached by walking across the field from post 3 of the nature trail. The panorama consists largely of trees and grass. Virtually no climb is involved in the ascent, just a pleasant stroll through woodland.

External Links

• Map published in 1891
• The Cambridge Preservation Society's page about Wandlebury