River Cam

The River Cam is a famous river that flows through the city of Cambridge in eastern England. It is an important part of the landscape and history of the area. After it leaves Cambridge, the river continues north and east until it joins another river called the River Great Ouse near a place called Ely.

The River Cam is special because people can travel on it using small boats called punts, and it is also used for rowing. The river stretches for about 69 kilometres (43 miles) from its beginning near a village called Widdington in Essex all the way to where it meets the River Great Ouse. This river is connected to a larger network of canals and rivers in England through the Middle Level Navigations and the River Nene, making it part of an important waterway system.

Name

The River Cam used to be called the Granta. Its current name actually comes from the city of Cambridge. As the city's name changed over time, people began calling the river the Cam to match. But some people still call the part of the river above a bridge in Cambridge the Granta. The River Rhee meets the Cam a little bit before that bridge.

Minor tributary

Another small river called Bourn Brook starts near the village of Eltisley, about 10 miles west of Cambridge. It flows east through Caxton, Bourn, and Toft before joining the River Cam at Byron's Pool.

The upper river

The River Cam starts near the village of Widdington in Essex. It flows north past Audley End House and meets another river called the Rhee, which is also known as the River Cam, just south of Grantchester. The distance from the start of the river to where it meets the Rhee is about 41.7 kilometers or 42.6 kilometers depending on the data.

The lower river

The lower River Cam, from Hauxton Junction to the junction with the Ely Ouse, is about 28.6 kilometers (17.8 miles) long.

An organization called the Conservators of the River Cam was created in 1702 to make sure the river could be used by boats. They take care of two places where the water level can be raised, called locks: Jesus Lock^{map 7} and Baits Bite Lock.^{map 3} The part of the river north of Jesus Lock is sometimes called the lower river.

People often use the stretch between Jesus Lock and Baits Bite Lock for rowing. Many houseboats are moored there, and the people who live on them call themselves the Camboaters.

The lowest part of the river, including Bottisham Lock,^{map 2}, is managed by the Environment Agency.

From Jesus Lock and the Backs to Grantchester (middle and upper river)

The part of the river above Jesus Lock is sometimes called the middle river, and the area above the Mill Pond is known as the upper river. Between Jesus Lock and the Mill Pond, the river flows past the Backs, which are the green spaces behind the walls of many colleges. This part of the river is very popular with visitors because of its beautiful views of bridges, grass, and trees.

During the months from April 1st to September 30th, only boats that people move by hand, like punts, are allowed on this part of the river. From October 1st to March 31st, boats with engines can go as far as Mill Pool, but not many people use this because there are not many places to stop along the river.

People can move punts and canoes around the weir above Mill Pool using special paths. From there, the river continues through meadows to the village of Grantchester.

Tributaries

The River Cam has two main tributaries: the Granta and the Rhee. Both are sometimes also called the Cam.

The Rhee starts near Ashwell in Hertfordshire. It flows north, marking the border between different areas, and then turns east. It passes several villages and old water mills before joining the Granta.

The Granta is the longer tributary and is considered the upper part of the Cam. It begins in Essex and flows north through many villages, passing historic homes and old mills. It eventually meets the Rhee to form the River Cam. Another small tributary, Bourn Brook, flows from near Eltisley to join the Cam near Cambridge.

Literature

"The Reeve's Tale" from Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales mentions a brook and a mill near Trumpyngtoun, close to Cantebrigge.

The famous poet Lord Byron once swam in a place now called Byron's Pool. Another poet, Rupert Brooke, often canoed along the river and wrote beautiful poems about it.

Children's author Philippa Pearce used the River Cam as a setting in her book Minnow on the Say, renaming it the River Say.

The river also appears in a poem by John Milton called Lycidas.

Use for recreation

The River Cam is a favorite spot for many fun activities. People enjoy fishing, swimming, and different kinds of boating on the river.

Angling

The river’s water is clean and clear, making it a good home for fish. Fishing rights on one side of the river belong to the Cambridge Fish Preservation and Angling Society.

Boating

All boats going downstream from Mill Pond need a special permit. There are places to tie up boats near Jesus Lock and other spots, but some areas might change soon.

Punting

Punting is a popular way to enjoy the river between Jesus Lock and Grantchester. Some colleges have their own punts, and people can also rent them.

Canoeing

Canoeing and kayaking are enjoyed year-round, especially above Mill Pond. Clubs like Cambridge Canoe Club and Cambridge University Canoe Club are located here. Standup paddle boarding is also getting popular.

Powered boating

Boats with engines can go up to Byron’s Bear pub all year, and further between October 1 and March 31.

Rowing

The lower river is where university and town rowing teams practice and race. Events like the Cambridge Lent, May, and Town Bumps races happen here.

Sailing

The Cam Sailing Club, founded in 1899, holds races most weekends from March to November.

Swimming

Swimming is popular in the summer between Byron's Pool and King's Mill Weir. Some people even swim at Grantchester Meadows all year, including on New Year’s Day.

Navigation

Cambridge was once an important place for boats because of the River Cam. Over time, the river’s path was changed to make space for new buildings. As the town grew, people found it hard for boats to move because of sandbanks and old water mills.

In the 1700s, special rules were made to help boats travel better. People built special gates called sluices to control the water level. Today, the river is mostly used by small boats and for rowing races. Some parts of the river can only be used by small boats because of height limits. The group that looks after the river still works to keep it safe and open for boats.

Flooding

The River Cam is usually calm, but sometimes it can flood. The last big floods happened in 2001, in February and again in October, and then once more in February 2009.

The Environment Agency looks after the river's water levels and sends out warnings when flooding might happen.

Water resources

People are worried about taking too much water from the ground near the River Cam. This can lower the water levels in the river and its small streams. In the 1990s, the Environment Agency tried to help by taking water from underground and putting it back into the river through special pipes.