The Backs, Garden area near River Cam, Cambridge, England
The Backs stretches along both sides of the River Cam and shows a mix of college grounds, open lawns, and maintained gardens tucked behind historic Cambridge University buildings. The area spans roughly 10 hectares and offers constantly changing views of architecture and water landscapes that remain accessible to the public year-round.
From the 16th century through around 1750, the land served the colleges as pastures and orchards, crossed by simple wooden bridges. The transformation into today's gardens and lawns happened gradually as the colleges shaped their outdoor areas with more structure and care.
The gardens link six major colleges together, creating outdoor spaces where students and visitors experience academic life among nature. The green areas form part of daily college routines and show how the institutions have woven natural surroundings into their character.
Visitors can walk on public paths that run throughout the grounds and remain open during every season. It helps to take time exploring and use the different access points from the adjoining colleges to see all areas fully.
Cattle actually graze on the pastures behind King's College at certain spots, continuing a centuries-old tradition from when the land served as working fields. This rare feature links modern Cambridge directly to its rural past.
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