Ditch the Gym Guilt This January, Try Something Gentler at Wandlebury
If January fitness culture makes you want to crawl back under a duvet, you’re not alone.
If the idea of new routines, new goals, and new versions of ourselves feels out of reach, Wandlebury offers a different route to health and fitness.
Wandlebury Country Park is open every day throughout winter, and January is one of the easiest months to visit. The park is quieter, the paths are clear, and the landscape feels open and spacious, ideal for unhurried walks, family outings, or a simple change of scene.
For families, winter visits mean children have space to run, and the park’s long views and woodland paths make it easy to turn a walk into an informal adventure. A short loop can be enough, with time left to warm up afterwards at the pop-up café (open Thurs-Sun).
For others, January is a chance to rediscover the park at a slower pace. Without the busyness of spring and summer, the historic shape of Wandlebury is easier to see. The Iron Age hillfort and the way the Ring ditch follows older boundaries all become clearer in winter.
Some visitors come simply to walk. Others come to think, talk, or spend time together. There’s no expectation to do more than feels right.
One option for those who enjoy company is the weekly Healthy Walking Groups run every Thursday throughput the year, come rain or shine. these free walks offer a low-pressure way to explore the park with others, with two different paces to choose from and time afterwards for coffee and conversation. They’re popular precisely because they’re easy to join, no booking, no special kit, and no commitment beyond turning up.
Di, who organises the walking groups, explains:
“I look on the walk as fitness, but it’s the social side after that’s just as important. Over the years, people have told me this is the highlight of their week.”
Whether you visit once or return regularly, Wandlebury in January offers space without expectation. A place to get outside, exercise, and spend time together without the pressure of goals or targets.
The park remains one of Cambridge’s most distinctive green spaces, shaped by centuries of use and care. January is a good moment to reconnect with it, quietly, and on your own terms.
Visiting Wandlebury in January
Wandlebury Country Park is open daily throughout winter.
Healthy Walking Groups
Every week
• 10am – experienced walkers
• 10.30am – less experienced walkers
Free to attend (parking charges apply, parking is free for CPPF members)
No booking required.
For those less mobile we have a mobility scooter whoch is free to hire. Please visit HERE to book.
