ABOUT THIS CHALLENGE
The Charity... 18 Clues proudly supports animal and environmental charities at home and abroad. Each time we add a new set of Challenges to our portfolio, we select an additional inspirational charity to donate to on a quarterly basis. In this instance we chose to add Save Me Trust to our list of charities. Save Me Trust was set up to proactively protect the welfare and dignity of wild animals through campaigning, lobbying and changing laws. Founded by Sir Brian May and Anne Brummer, it specialises in collaborating with experts to find sustainable solutions based on science and common sense.
The Location... Known worldwide for its famous university and quintessential English charm, Cambridge is like a living storybook where every corner hides a surprise. Imagine ancient colleges with secret courtyards, quirky hidden gems, and punts gliding along the River Cam. The city is small enough to wander around on foot or bike, yet packed with magnificent architecture, world-class museums, quirky bars, buzzing cafés, and green spaces perfect for relaxing picnics.
The Challenge... College life in Cambridge is steeped in tradition… and mischief! Student pranks have become legendary, from a van hoisted onto the Senate House roof to King Henry VIII's statue at King's College being interfered with, and many other daring escapades. There are whispers that plans are afoot for an even riskier prank. Identify the ring‑leader and the target college before someone gets seriously hurt.
USEFUL INFORMATION
The Walking version will provide you with a great overview of this small city, with its intricate blend of 'town' and 'gown'. It is around four miles long and will take up to three hours to complete. Allow longer for refreshment stops, picnics, and/or taking in points of interest along the way. As with all Challenges, you can start and finish at any clue, and may split it over a couple of days if you wish. NOTE: The route is very flat.
Getting There... This Challenge is not circular, so we recommend that you start your Challenge at Clue 1, in the heart of the city centre.. Train: Clue 1 is a 15-20 minute walk from the railway station, or Stagecoach offers requient services from the railway station to the city centre. Coach: Coaches arrive from London, many other UK cities, plus several airports. You can walk ito the historic city centre in under 5 minutes from Parkside. Car: You can park in the city centre, but it is much easier to park in one of five Park & Ride sites around the edge of the city. Electric buses run into the city centre from these sites up to every 10 minutes. Parking is free and the return bus fares aroun £4 for adults and £1 for children.
Cambridge boasts a large number of museums within a relatively compact area, including The Fitzwilliam Museum; one of the oldest and largest museums in the world! If you have time to squeeze in a visit to a museum, here is a selection. [NB: The first eight are along the Challenge route, the next three are not far from the route, and the last five are further away.]
Whipple Museum of the History of Science
The Fitzwilliam Museum
University Museum of Zoology
Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
Museum of Cambridge
Kettle's Yard
The Polar Museum
Museum of Classical Archaeology
Cambridge Union History Museum
David Parr House
Girton's Museum Collection
Cambridge Musuem of Technology
The Centre for Cmputing History
Cambridge Science Centre
Many Cambridge colleges welcome visitors, though they are private institutions and can close without notice for events, exams, or special guests. The best time to visit is June - September, after exams. Check the colleges' websites or enquire at the porters' lodges. Some colleges charge a small fee and other's are free to visit.
The Virtual version will take up to two hours to complete, although you can, of course, start and stop whenever you wish. You never know where you will pop up next to find and solve a clue!
Clues, facts and solutions for the two versions are completely different, so if you live near or are visiting Cambridge, we highly recommend that you buy both Walking and Virtual versions to discover so much more and enhance your chances of winning the prize draw.
Cambridge - Silicon Fen
Please note that in order to ensure that our customers' Challenge Unique Reference Numbers (URNs) cannot be compromised, only one copy per Challenge version may be purchased in any one order. You may purchase one copy of both versions in a given order, or one copy of different versions of any number of Challenges, but not two or more of the same Challenge version in one order.