One thing that you will be hard-pressed to find in Cambridgeshire is a hill; even walking up Castle Mound in Cambridge is well within the ability of a toddler. That makes cycling the perfect way to see the area. If you prefer walking, follow the Cam to Grantchester and have tea at the Orchard Tea Gardens – a relaxing pastime for a lazy Sunday. For something more exhilarating, try punting; it's the time-honoured means of exploring the Backs, the river's famous grass-covered banks.
Further afield are Wandlebury Country Park and Fowlmere Nature Reserve, but no trip to the county is complete without seeing the Fens. Though much of these wetlands were reclaimed for agriculture, some of the landscape – criss-crossed with waterways and teeming with wildlife – is preserved.

1 Wicken Fen
Covering more than 538 acres, Wicken is one of the most important wetlands in western Europe. Access is provided by three trails and, even if the weather is poor, the all-weather boardwalk lets you keep your feet dry. Keep your eyes peeled for moths and beetles, because the fen has more than 100 species of each. If you prefer something larger, look out for the wild konig ponies, which were introduced recently to munch areas clear of sedge.
Birdwatchers have more than eight hides from which to choose in their quest to spot hen harriers and bearded tits, and budding botanists will find some 300 species of plant, including the rare fen violet. The fen is being expanded and improved under the National Trust's centenary project.

2 Wandlebury Country Park
Steeped in legend, Wandlebury is reputedly one of King Arthur's domains, a kind of Camelot in Cambridgeshire. Actually, Wandlebury is a compact 110-acre former estate that is easily accessible from Cambridge and boasts footpaths through 57 acres of woodland and chalk grassland.
Wandlebury also has some interesting assets to spice up your walk. Look out for Tadlow Granary, a 15th-century wooden building that was taken down at its original site in Tadlow and re-erected at the park in 1980. The Wandlebury Ring, an Iron Age hill fort, is a reminder of times past, although all that remains of the fort is a circular ditch 300m in diameter and 2.5m deep. On a clear day, walk up towards the viewpoint to see Ely Cathedral and the surrounding open countryside. Children might enjoy the newly built education centre, housed in a restored stable block.

3 Punting on the River Cam
No trip to Cambridge is complete without a punting expedition through the city. The punt started life as a lowly vessel for fenland fishermen, but is now associated with bubbly beverages and men in straw boaters. If you want to travel in style, hire a guide and let him punt you gracefully down river, leaving you free to admire Trinty, Queens', King's and St John's, all colleges that back onto the river.
If you like adventure, try it yourself. Punting is as difficult as it looks, but you're unlikely to forget the experience of propelling one of these narrow boats. Just one tip: if you face a choice between falling in or losing the 10ft pole, lose the pole. All punts will have paddles for such emergencies.

4 The Cambridge Cycle
Cambridge is a great city for cyclists because it is flat and beautiful, with a wealth of cycle paths. You can easily hire a bicycle from the station or city-centre shops. A good route is to start opposite Downing College at Parkers Piece, the best known open space in the city, and head straight across it to Parkside Road.
Follow a couple of narrow roads – Clarendon Street, which turns into New Street, which turns into Fair Street – to Midsummer Common, near Jesus College. Pop into Jesus for a look at its famous horse statue. Continue across Jesus Green onto Chesterton Lane and turn south onto Queens Road. This road is quite busy, but the view of the Backs is superb.
To complete the loop, cut across Sheep's Green, Coe Fen and enter Lensfield Road. Turn right onto Regent Street and you're back where you started. The tourist information office provides detailed maps of the city.

5 The Grantchester Grind
A lovely, mildly active way to spend a morning is to walk across the Grantchester Meadows to Grantchester village, full of thatched cottages, flowers, a couple of good pubs and the Orchard Tea Gardens. The Orchard has been a favourite haunt of Cambridge dwellers for centuries.
War poet Rupert Brooke wrote about the Orchard in his 1897 poem, 'The Old Vicarage', asking: "And is there still honey for tea?" The answer is probably yes, and old-fashioned charm is still served – along with tea – to diners seated in deckchairs clustered under blossom trees.
The Grantchester Meadows are a mile long. Start from south-west Cambridge, just off Newnham Road, and follow the Cam. The walk takes in grazing cows, young athletes on the pitches nearby, and rowing boats skimming down the river.

6 Fowlmere Nature Reserve
If you're serious about birds, then visit Fowlmere. The RSPB bought the site in 1977 and installed four hides and a two-mile circular nature trail, most of which is boardwalk.
One hide offers sweeping views of the reserve, which comprises watercress beds fed by natural springs and reedbeds. This terrain entices kingfishers, water rails, grasshopper warblers, and other species. Your patience may be rewarded.
The site is very busy on weekends, so to enjoy it at its best and most peaceful visit during the week.