National Trust - Wicken Fen Nature Reserve — Attraction in East Cambridgeshire

Definitely one of the most picturesque and unique situated in the heart of The Fens, Cambridgeshire. The property has the distinction of being the oldest nature reserve in the Country and there are a range of trails at the site to enjoy such as the Boardwalk, Adventurers, Lodes Way and Woodland. The Boardwalk Trail takes you through Sedge Fen where you can marvel at the wonderous plant life and trees, which exist in the partial swampy conditions and have the opportunity to see some great wildlife and enjoy great views across the Lodes from the Roger Clarke Hide, Tower Hide and Verralls Hide where the views across the Lodes and Ponds are absolutely stunning. The Boardwalk also takes in the best feature and most prominent of Wicken Fen the Old Fashioned Wind Pump which looks exactly like a Windmill as it just looks great againt the rest of the landscape and is great distinctive landmark of the site. The Boardwalk also takes in the another Wind Pump which is very more modern and again blends in well with the rest of the landscape. The Adventurer's Trail takes in the Mere and part of Wicken Lode where you can enjoy spectacular views of the impressive Tower Hide and also on the Adventurer's Trail you can visit the East and West Mere Hides and see picturesque views of the Mere and takes in some great wildlife such as Tufted Ducks and Pochards. The other final Trail at the site is Lodes Way which takes in Bakers Fen and Guinea Hall Fen where you can see the Konik Ponies and Highland Cattle, which give the site is great reputation and are also one of the more distinctive animals and feature of the site. You can get a good view of both the Konik Ponies and the Highland Cattle and marvel at what majestic and magnificent creatures they are. There is also some very rare wildlife to spot in the form of a Muntjac Deer, which is an introduced species from China but sightings are very rare and you can catch a great glimpse of them up close. Other features at the site are The Fen Cottage, which you can see on the walk down to the visit to the Visitor Centre and looks spectacular in its old contemporary style and condition. The Fen Cottage gives you an idea of what life was like for workers outside of working in The Peat Bogs. There is a Cafe on site selling a range of food at decent prices and a gift shop selling a decent range of souvenirs at reasonable prices. The staff are extremely friendly and very helpful pointing out where to go on the site and also providing a Trail map. Overall this is a brilliant day out and is great place to sample the great outdoors and nature along with a gentle relaxing stroll. Definitely worth a visit in The...

I first visited Wicken Fen over twenty years ago, and recently decided to go back with my wife and boys, as they'd never been. My memory of the place was a bit fuzzy, and I couldn't remember much about it but certainly wasn't expecting to enjoy it quite as much as we did! The car park is a short walk from the visitor's centre, which was nicely kept and well-stocked. A very friendly staff member advised us about the site, where we could walk and what we might look out for. We booked a boat trip for later, then went around the boardwalk. It helped that the weather was fantastic that day, but I'm sure we'd have loved it even on a cloudy or wet day. The boardwalk was wide enough for people to pass without difficulty, and we managed to spot a dairy amount of wildlife (including Marsh Harriers!). After our walk, we crossed the lane from the visitor's centre and went into the Fenman's cottage, a fascinating snapshot of life more than a hundred years ago! Everything is set out as it would have been, as if the old fenman might return any minute! The cottage garden is well-kept, and there are several workshops and an outside toilet (that shows just how basic the facilities were!). After another short walk, we had an ice cream at the cafe before heading to the meeting point for the boat trip. It's an open boat with shallow draught and a very quiet electric motor, and we chugged gently along while the guide enlightened us about the fen, the wildlife and history of the area, which was excellent. The trip was just under an hour in total and well worth the fee. All in all, a fantastic day! There are toilets near the visitor's centre (behind the cafe) and in the car park. There's also a bike-hire place next to the old cottage and plenty of paths to explore by foot or bike outside of...

Wicken Fen is a vast area of ancient Fenland near Ely in Cambridgeshire. The area is managed by The National Trust. Non members have to pay for entry but there are parts that are open to all. Sedge Fen is totally original and has never been drained, there is an extensive raised walkway that goes around it allowing you to cross the wet areas. You can also leave the walkway at one point and enjoy the woodland walk with the sounds of small birds all around. You can see one of two wind pumps which are used to keep Sedge Fen wet as it's prone to drying out at certain times. There is also a fen cottage which is laid out as it would have been many years ago, it also has a workshop in the cottage garden. Away from Sedge Fen there are several more fen areas where you can walk and enjoy the peace. Your dog is welcome under control and you can use your push bike too! You can also hire bikes from just opposite the visitor centre. I saw numerous birds including marsh harriers,Kingfisher,chiff chaff,reed bunting and more. You can also take a boat trip on one of the lodes ( man made waterways ) The trip of 50 minutes or so is £7.50 , you get a commentary and things are pointed out along the way. It's very peaceful. On one of the fens there are long horned cattle and over 100 Konik ponies who roam freely and help manage the land. There is a visitors centre and shop plus a cafe and toilets The car park is a 2 minute walk away,it's free for NT members, there is a small charge for non members. There are a number of other marked trails in the area too so if you love a walk in the countryside and enjoy the peace this is a...