Cambridge; Friday, 18 June, 2021

I used an extended lunch break to head up to Cambridge, getting a bit of work done on the train on the way up – whilst also marvelling at the spectacular downpours that kept sweeping through. After three weeks of almost perfect weather the rain gods were making sure they got the average rainfall back up again.

I arrived into Cambridge during a brief lull in the downpours, with it just spitting heavily, and walked the short distance across the station forecourt to the hotel and checked in. I headed up to my room and logged back onto my laptop to finish my working day.

The end of my working day, but pure fluke, lined up with a period of relative dryness, so after packing my work things away I grabbed the camera and headed the short distance up the road to the University Botanic Gardens.

I had a long wander round the gardens, and was even able to visit the glasshouses which were open – which I was surprised about as I though they would have been closed because of the Covid restrictions – though the lack of other people being around due to the weather may have made it more possible for them to be open today.

From the glasshouses I wandered towards the very back to the gardens, where there is a raised walkway that takes you up to a really good view across some of the gardens.

I headed back down to ground level and started to make my way back through the gardens towards the entrance as it was approaching closing time. As I was wandering back I did wonder how they made sure the gardens were cleared and people knew to go home, when one of the gardeners on a bike cycled path ringing a big bell announcing that the gardens were closing.

I exited the gardens and walked back the short distance to my hotel, managing the whole round trip without actually getting rained on – made all the more impressive by the downpour that took place less than 10 minutes later whilst I was sat in my room.

I waited for a little while for the rain to subside, but in the end it looked like it was settling in for the night, so I decided to call it quits and use the restaurant within the hotel for dinner and then have an early night.