Where to scatter ashes in Cambridge

For many people, scattering ashes is a deeply personal moment. It can be a really meaningful way to say goodbye and it’s important to take time to plan ahead and ensure you choose the right location for you and your loved one.

While some people choose to keep ashes at home in an urn, many people scatter ashes around natural beauty spots, usually places that have special memories attached to them. 

Scattering ashes is a great way of honouring your loved ones and in the UK people are generally allowed to scatter ashes anywhere. This can be along a river, in the sea, under a tree, at the beach or even on private land.

To scatter ashes in the sea or in a river then you do not need to have permission but there are some guidelines to follow and it’s recommended you seek advice from the environmental agency. For places inland it’s generally safe, but there are guidelines in place to protect nature and permission may need to be granted from the land owner. 

As Cambridge is a beautiful city, there are many places for families and friends to scatter ashes, from the River Cam, to one of the local picturesque parks surrounding Cambridge, such as Milton Country Park.

Find your funeral director in Cambridge who will help you arrange a cremation or burial, and give you ideas of a meaningful place to scatter your loved one's ashes.

Explore the beautiful River Cam and scatter your loved one’s ashes by taking a boat from Fen Ditton Marina. There’s a company that offers to take parties of up to 12 out on the river, allowing you to say a farewell with all your family and friends. The crew ensures a friendly and comforting environment, as you visit a picturesque spot to scatter ashes and say goodbye. There are two boats available: you can choose from a narrowboat or solar catamaran along with some optional extras to personalise your scattering of ashes ceremony.

The trips can be arranged from early morning through to midnight and can be fully personalised with your choice of music playing through the boat's bluetooth speaker system via your mobile phone.

There are a number of refreshments available that can be served onboard by the crew and a number of riverside pubs and restaurants that offer full catering options before or after the ceremony. 

With everything looked after you can release your loved one’s ashes or float a wreath in a personalised ceremony on the River Cam.

If you wish to scatter your loved ones ashes in an area close to the place of service, the Cambridge Crematorium on Huntingdon road has two chapels, the East Chapel and the West Chapel. It also features a peaceful garden and woodland area in which to scatter ashes after the ceremony. 

The remembrance garden is accessed along the same road as the Cambridge Cemetery and features several beautiful water features and is home to a variety of different gardens, plants and wildlife. The Cambridge remembrance garden also has a number of large trees throughout the ground that make a peaceful place to scatter ashes. The garden is always open so you can visit the garden whenever you would like. 

A time to scatter your loved ones ashes can be arranged by appointment with the crematorium staff. Alternatively, you can [link]memorialise your loved one with a special plaque or vault.

Just a few miles north outside Cambridge lies Milton Country Park. The park has a variety of natural habitats and is a place of natural beauty and is home to an abundance of wildlife, grassy meadows, wooded areas. It is a beautiful, quiet and tranquil place with easy access throughout the area.

You can walk through the orchard to the south of the park, or take a trip along one of the many lakes and ponds within the park, such as Todd’s Pit and Dickerson’s Pit.

Parking is available at the site, along with facilities such as the Wild Place, which is an enclosed area with a fire pit - though be aware that these facilities cost extra.

Milton Country Park is a special place in Cambridge and an important ecological site. If you wish to scatter your loved one’s ashes here then you will need to seek permission from Cambridge Sport Lakes Trust and they will let you know when and where.