Cambridgeshire (Cambs)

Contains the University of Cambridge, that's about it really, from that everything follows.

The city appear to exist there because it was a convenient crossing of the Cam. It also lies near the start of the ancient navigable section TODO towards north or south? Castle hill also offered a convenient fortification location near the river, and is part of the reason for the early Roman settlement. The original bridge was presumably in the current Magnalene bridge, just under the castle hill.

TODO why did the University of Oxford scholars flee to after the The hanging of the clerks in 1209? Why not anywhere else?

Anywhere north, including NE and NW: fenlands, i.e. marshes. Quite a few quarries as well. Extremely flat, very uniform, towns often have to be on top of small hills to escape the incessant flooding. Norfolk Coast AONB is beautiful if you take a train ride first, the beaches are very wide and many of them have few people if you avoid a few very busy spots.

East and SE: rolling hills towards Suffolk and the coast. Beautiful county, both Dedham Vale AONB and Suffolk Coast AONB.

South: first one of the hilliest nearby areas around Elmdon and Arkesden, then gently going down to the lush Lee River valley.

Southwest: larger and larger cities as you move towards London. From a train starting point, you can reach the Northen Chilterns, for some serious hills.

West: mostly flat farmland until you hit the River Great Ousse.