Photos: King of Hearts, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Julian Herzog (Website), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 Dmitry Tonkonog, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo credits
Photos: King of Hearts, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Julian Herzog (Website), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 Dmitry Tonkonog, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
The Bridge of Sighs to the Mathematical Bridge
Your local guide
Josie Cole
View profile
Highlights
- A covered bridge named after Venice
- A timber bridge's geometric bracing
- Two bridges, two different stories
- What the naming stories get wrong
- A short walk between two icons of the river
About this tour
This short walk links two of the river's best-known bridges, the covered Bridge of Sighs at St John's and the timber Mathematical Bridge at Queens', both seen from the water's edge. It covers why each bridge earned its name and what is actually true about the stories attached to them. It is a compact session for viewers with limited time.
We start at the Bridge of Sighs with the naming story, then walk the short distance along the river to the Mathematical Bridge. Questions usually compare the two structures directly, which I encourage since the comparison is genuinely useful. I finish with a note on which other bridges along the Cam are worth a look.
It suits viewers short on time who still want two of the city's signature views. It also works well as a quick add-on to a longer riverside session.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 5 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Cambridge before heading out.
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Bridge of Sighs 21 min
The camera holds on the covered bridge linking two courts of St John's College, and I explain why 19th-century visitors named it after the Venice bridge despite the two having little in common structurally.
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Mathematical Bridge 21 min
Further along, you see the timber footbridge at Queens' College, and I point out the geometric bracing pattern that gives the bridge its name and its enduring myth.
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Your questions 9 min
Time to ask anything about Cambridge: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 4 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Victoria sponge cake and Chesterton, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in London time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 9 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Cambridge, showing you Bridge of Sighs and Mathematical Bridge live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We connect on a video call and follow the river on foot between the two bridges, since they sit only a short walk apart.
Times shown in London time (GMT)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Tue 10 Nov · 9 seats left From 22,00 €
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