Harlow to Cambridge and a small part of the
BRCA2 gene.
Harlow |
Bishop's Stortford |
Hinxton |
Sawston |
Cambridge Route 11 is planned to start in
Harlow at a junction with
route 1. However, aside from a short section of off-road cycle path near
Bishop's Stortford, there is no route before
Stansted Mountfitchet. Here a delisted section on country lanes heads north to near
Audley End station where the listed section continues north to
Ickleton and
Duxford. Off-road sections via
Sawston lead to an off-road path parallel with the railway at
Great Shelford. This section of the cycle path, about long, from
Great Shelford to
Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, is decorated with 10,257 lines of four colours representing the nucleotide sequence of the
BRCA2 gene. This gene, implicated in early-onset breast cancer, was discovered in 1994; the discoverers included scientists from nearby Addenbrooke's Hospital and the Sanger Institute, Hinxton. This section of path also includes and commemorates the 10,000th mile of the
National Cycle Network. It is fondly referred to by regular users as "The DNA path". It offers a fine view of White Hill and Clarke's Hill, which are the northernmost peaks of the
Gog Magog Hills. Route 11 intersects with
National Cycle Route 51 in Cambridge.
Cambridge to King's Lynn Cambridge |
Burwell |
Wicken |
Ely |
Downham Market |
Watlington |
King's Lynn Intersects with
National Cycle Route 1 near King's Lynn Route 11 passes through the historic centre of
Cambridge passing buildings including
Kings College Chapel. Leaving the city, the cycle path uses the south bank of the
River Cam before crossing to the north side and following the riverside path to
Waterbeach station. Here there is a gap in the cycle route to
Bottisham Lode. Cyclists heading further north should therefore follow
route 51 via
Fen Ditton,
Bottisham and Lode to join route 11 again at Bottisham Lode. The next section of the route to
Wicken Fen nature reserve uses a sequence of roads, tracks and bridges across the fenland called the Lodes Way. There is a challenging footbridge with cycle channels at Burwell Lode which is very steep. At
Wicken Fen there is a visitor centre with cafe and cycle hire. Route 11 then follows country lanes and the River Ouse to
Ely where route 11 passes
Ely Cathederal. Leaving Ely, route 11 is signed to
Little Downham, but then delisted to Ten Mile Bank as the roads are now too busy to be safe for family cycling, particularly the section on the
A1101. However, this route can still be followed and is still shown on Ordnance Survey maps. This section passes the Welney Wetland Centre. From Ten Mile Bank, route 11 mostly follows country lanes via
Downham Market and
Watlington to a junction with
National Cycle Route 1 near
Wiggenhall St Germans. Route 1 can then be followed into the centre of
Kings Lynn along the east bank of the
River Great Ouse. ==References==