It is said that you can tell how far someone’s family goes back locally by how they pronounce Babraham. Bab-ra-ham? You must be very new here. Bay-bra-ham? You must be quite new here. Bay-brum? You’re OK. Baaaaaay-brm? Your Grandad grew up here.
There’s a big research institute at the edge of the village famous for fiddling with animal’s genes, but this is Cambridge, what village doesn’t have that? What sets it apart is that for somewhere so handy (6 miles south east of the city, a hop-step-and-jump from the A11) it’s small and unspoilt and relatively low-traffic. You can easily get to all the big science parks of the area and into the city but it’s not too much of a through-route. It’s also great because it has a splendid pub and that rarity of a small village primary school. After they turn 11 a segregated tarmac cycleway (about a mile long) takes them to Sawston so you don’t have to ferry them to secondary school or cough for a bus pass. Sawston is where you’d also go for shopping, the doctor, cafes, swimming, the gym etc etc.
It’s also great because it has a splendid pub and that rarity of a small village primary school
If you’re the walking or cycling type you can head off into the fields via footpaths and bridleways to Abington or Stapleford or nip across the A1307 and up to the Roman Road and Wandlebury.
