Walking with water in common

Cambridge University

May 25

Cambridge

What does it mean to notice a stream that is sometimes visible, sometimes hidden, yet shapes where and how we live? This walking workshop invites you to get to know Hobson’s Brook from a new perspective, both its visible presence and hidden absence in Cambridge. Together we will engage creatively with the river, discover ways that water connects us, and explore how we might care for water collectively. Along the route we uncover and engage with historic and contemporary hydro-realities, and investigate practical, solution-oriented approaches to living with and as bodies of water. Thinking with community-led design and research practices we ask: How can collective making on-the-move be a methodology for knowing, caring, relating and prefiguring worlds with/as more-than-human agencies and communities? We start our walk at the north entrance of Nine Wells Woods—home to the chalk springs of both Hobson’s Brook and Vicar’s Brook—and end by the fountain in Market Square in Cambridge city centre. The walk will take approximately five hours including stops for discussions, creative activities, and lunch at Empty Common Community Garden (roughly halfway). What to bring? Suitable clothing Walking shoes Lunch and water Accessibility This walk is about 5 km (~1.5 hours) in varied but generally flat terrain. For those needing transport to Nine Wells from Cambridge city centre, we will meet at 9:30 at in front of 1 Scroope Terrace (Department of Architecture). Taxis, funded by CDRL, will take us to the entrance of Nine Wells. For those finding their own way to Nine Wells, meet at 10:00am. Location: what3words //woke.cheek.rider If you have specific accessibility questions or requirements please contact gustav.nielsen@uni.lu. This event is part of the Cambridge Nature Festival 2026, a celebration of Nature on our doorstep.