I visited city three hours from Manchester and found cows strolling through city centre

Cycling across the city centre’s vast swathes of parkland, it felt like life couldn’t feel much better. And then came the cows – a herd of brown and white beasts bumbling towards me, not a fence between us.

But all around me was an air of calm, no one else the least bit perturbed by a bunch of farm animals trampling over a city green. Was this normal? Well, normal it was not. But then again this was Cambridge, a place where deep tradition seamlessly merges with modern flair and a few added quirks in between.

Centuries ago, cattle were a common sight in UK cities when local farmers would graze them in public spaces. Industrialisation drove most out but Cambridge’s bovine beasts stood firm and have become a symbol just as striking as its River Cam punts.

Nowadays dozens graze on commons between April and October, mingling happily with residents and visitors alike. And, once we’d got over our surprise, my 15-year-old son Freddie and I found them an added delight to our bike ride.

We’d picked up hire cycles from Primo Bikes and found ourselves meandering along river paths, across greens and past history-steeped colleges. We weren’t the only ones. Cycling seemed to be the form of transport for many, from students to parents pushing child-filled karts hooked up in front.

Streets away from the main drags were surprisingly quiet, there were plenty of bike lanes and paths and motorists tended to be respectful of their two-wheeled neighbours. Saddling up was a relaxing way to gain a good feel for the place while blowing off a few cobwebs. (bike hire from £15, primocycles.co.uk)

Cambridge is great for kids as there’s so much to see and do, yet it’s compact enough to keep tired legs and grumbles at bay.

Punting turned out to be a