10 Scenic Walks In St Ives, Cambridgeshire (Family-Friendly Routes)

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St Ives, Cambridgeshire is situated 5 miles (8 km) east of Huntingdon and 12 miles (19 km) north-west of Cambridge. It’s a small but lovely market town with lots of things to do and see.

Here are 10 scenic walks in and around St Ives Cambridgeshire — a simple idea for spending quality time outside with your family.

Below you can see a Google Maps widget with all routes mapped out. Click the button in the top left corner to select the one you’re interested in. You can also share it or open it in a separate tab, where you’ll be able to copy the map or print it out.

Walks in St Ives: Walk around the St Ives Town Centre

This walk in St Ives is great for everyone, including families with children. It’s about an hour long and passes Holt Island Nature Reserve and Warner’s Park (with a play area).

You can make plenty of stops along the way and finish the walk earlier if needed. If you can, spend a bit of extra time in the town centre — it’s full of tourist attractions, historical buildings, and memorials.

Walks in St Ives: Walk around St Ives (North)

This is the second walk around St Ives that doesn’t cross the town borders. It starts at One Leisure St Ives Indoor and goes via the quieter streets of St Ives, which makes it a great family walk for a free Sunday afternoon.

You’ll find Hill Rise Park and three playgrounds scattered around the route, so there’s usually something for everyone. The walk focuses on pedestrian paths, which makes the whole experience more relaxed.

Walks around St Ives: Circular walk from St Ives to Woodhurst

Woodhurst is a tiny village located 4 miles (6.6 km) north of St Ives. It’s one of the best surviving examples of an Anglo-Saxon ring village in England.

Remember that there aren’t any shops or pubs, so bring your own food and drinks. It’s a lovely walk for a picnic — either on one of the open fields or by the pond.

Walks around St Ives: Circular walk around St Ives Lakes Fishery

This walk stays mostly around the lakes. You’ll find hidden paths between them that are great for photography — or just for a sunny afternoon among nature and wildlife.

I’ve seen plenty of hares in the field between Meadow Lane and the Lagoon. A heads-up though: in warmer months, the bugs can be a lot. If you’re not bothered by that, this circular route is genuinely beautiful, and I definitely recommend it.

Walks around St Ives: Short walk south-east from St Ives along the Busway track

Do you want fresh air and fewer crowds? This short walk south-east from St Ives along the Busway track can be perfect.

Start anywhere around the bus station / Waitrose area and follow the Busway track. Go as far as you want. You can also detour to one of the lakes.

Although this route is used mainly by cyclists (and families with children), walking here still feels calm. Evening walks are especially lovely — sunsets by the Lagoon can be spectacular.

Walks around St Ives: Walk south-east from St Ives (extended version)

If you liked the previous walk but want to go further (with a clear route mapped from start to finish), try this extended version.

It’s designed around exploring the meadow next to the Drayton Lagoon, and it tends to feel even quieter and more open.

Walks around St Ives: Walk south from St Ives to Crystal Lakes

Crystal Lakes is a picturesque leisure park between Fenstanton and St Ives. It includes two fishing lakes, caravan and camping pitches, and they also host a car boot sale every Sunday (if that’s your thing).

The walk takes you via the Wilhorn Meadows, under the bypass bridge, and along the river.

You can walk back to St Ives the same way — or choose a slightly different path and follow the Low Road.

Walks around St Ives: Walk west from St Ives around the Thicket and Berman Park

To get to Berman Park, follow the Thicket Path out of St Ives. You can start at One Leisure St Ives Indoor (where you can also leave your car).

As you walk along the Thicket Path, the trees of Berman Park quickly surround you. There are plenty of paths in both the lower and higher parts of the park.

Opposite, you can see Nobles Field — a lovely spot for a picnic by the river. Further along, Berman Park turns into the Thicket, a woodland that’s home to wildlife like foxes, squirrels, green woodpeckers, and more.

Walks around St Ives: Circular walk west from St Ives via Houghton and The Hemingfords

Starting from the Chapel on the Bridge, walk through the town centre, past Holt Island Nature Reserve, and along the Thicket Path to arrive in the village of Houghton.

The village is small, but there’s plenty to make a day of it.

First of all: alpacas. You don’t see them every day, do you? Houghton Hall Alpacas is a premium independent farm breeding pedigree alpacas in Houghton Hall. They’re in the northern part of the village, so it’s not exactly on the route, but it’s worth a small detour if you’ve got time.

Houghton Mill is a perfect picnic spot. You can sit beside the water and enjoy the view — and there’s also a tea room on site. If you have time, it’s lovely to see the mill in action. You can also buy freshly milled, stone-ground wholemeal flour.

If you’d rather eat in a pub or restaurant, The Three Jolly Butchers and The Three Horseshoes will have you covered — with the latter conveniently right on the route. Coincidence?

When you’re ready, it’s time to head back through the meadows, where you might spot wildlife.

Don’t miss The Manor House at Hemingford Grey — built in the 1130s and considered one of the oldest continuously inhabited houses in Britain. It’s a proper hidden gem.

This route gives you countryside, villages, wildlife, and history. It’s great for family walks and for cycling too.

If you don’t want to do it all in one go, you can finish at the end of the Thicket Path or at Houghton Mill. And if you don’t want to walk back to St Ives, the nearest bus stop is located at Houghton Hill Road.

Circular walk west from St Ives via Houghton and The Hemingfords is probably my favourite walk in Cambridgeshire, and I highly recommend it.

Walks around St Ives: Circular walk from St Ives to Hemingford Abbots via Hemingford Grey

You might have noticed that the previous route is similar to this one. The key difference is that this walk focuses on The Hemingfords and the meadows — without going near Houghton Mill.

This route takes you along the river, through open countryside, and into the charming villages of Hemingford Grey and Hemingford Abbots.

It’s suitable for most people because there are plenty of natural “pause points” along the way. The route uses paths with little to no traffic, which makes it a lovely Sunday afternoon walk with kids.

Final thoughts for walks in St Ives, Cambridgeshire

If you’re planning a simple day out in town, these walks are an easy starting point — pick one route, keep it flexible, and turn back early if that’s what you needs.

And if you want to make more of it, I’ve also put together a guide to the best things to do in St Ives, Cambridgeshire — perfect for adding a café stop, a playground break, or a little wander around the town centre after your walk.