In the know

My friend Rob is a longtime Cambridge resident who dabbles in rowing and is therefore a dab hand at understanding the rules and regs around land occupied by the various college boathouses.

The boathouses, peppered with bridges and some riverside apartments, occupy a stretch of the north bank of the Cam. Rob explained that although there are signs up that deter walkers, it is possible to walk this entire side of the river in front of the boathouses and through a few patches marked as private gardens (which sounds like it might be wishful thinking on the part of the residents, rather than inscribed in law). Cambridge University and all that sails within know that the imposing presence of the institution and all of its land and assets will ensure most people will respect signs. It’ll take a wily and bolshie Dane (Rob) to say what’s what. I was happy to partake because the discovery of any new path or route is wonderfully exciting after a year of pounding the same streets.