Exploring Charming Cambridge
Cambridge, located on the Waikato River in the Waikato region of the North Island, is renowned for its historical association with horse breeding. Today, it also boasts a vibrant café and restaurant scene. The town's appeal is enhanced by its picturesque town centre, which has benefited from the movement of heavy traffic to the Waikato Expressway.
Charming Walks in Cambridge
The town centre is quite compact, but you could easily spend a few hours enjoying the food scene, with a farmers' market on Saturday mornings. Check out the mare and foal horse statues in front of the town hall and the Cambridge Museum, which tells the Maori and European histories of the area.
In addition, there are two delightful short walks situated at either end of Victoria Road, the main street running through the town centre. One of these loops encircles Lake Te Ko Utu, offering an attractive setting for a leisurely stroll. The second loop, known as Soldiers Track, provides a scenic route over the stunning Victoria Bridge and alongside the Waikato River at the southern end of the town centre.
Cambridge History
The area was known to Tainui iwi as Te Oko Horoi, and was the site of the important Horotiu Pā due to its strategic position high above the Waikato River. It was also a significant horticultural area.
In 1863, a British-led army invaded the Waikato and fought a series of battles with Māori, pushing south along the river. The army was being supplied by steamboats and needed a base beside the Waikato River. Te Oko Horoi was selected, and more than 800 soldiers occupied the area. It became known as Camp Cambridge, after Queen Victoria’s cousin, the Duke of Cambridge, who was commander-in-chief of the British army. When hostilities ended, Cambridge developed as a market town.
How to Get to Cambridge
Cambridge is easily accessible via the Waikato Expressway, which connects the town to Hamilton.
Other nearby attractions include Mangatautari, an entire ancient forest-clad volcanic peak and bird sanctuary enclosed in a predator-proof fence to the southeast of Cambridge. There are access points to the manuga at the north and south ends. A little closer along the river to the east is Lake Karāpiro, the most northerly of the hydro lakes on the Waikato River.
