Visit the Cambridgeshire Fens the official guide

The Great Fen Website, what to see and how to support the project

Fens For The Future an in depth website about Fenland restoration

There are many people moving out of the cities in search of fresh air and a reconnection to nature. The Fens in East Anglia, The Broads and the North Norfolk coastline are tranquil open spaces crammed packed with nature reserves and outdoor places to explore. Here are a selection websites dedicated to Fenland Area, Britains largest manmade landscape.

Find out what you can see, how to support or get involved in restoration projects to help preserve the future of a beautiful, raw, open countryside.

Visit Cambridgeshire Fens

www.visitcambridgeshirefens.org

The official guide to the fens has a large list of “things to do” focused on towns; March, Whittlesey, Wisbech, Chatteris and villages; Coldham, Elm, Friday Bridge, Gorefield.

Museums & Historic Houses

Included is a list of Fenland museums highlighting the West Norfolk Aviation Museum displays of aircraft, aviation archaeology and more from World War I to the Falklands and Iraq wars. Discover the ancient market town of Chatteris. Its museum has artifacts from the earliest prehistoric settlements to recent times with over 600,000 years of human history. Historic houses include Octavia Hills Birthplace and Peckover House in Wisbech.

Great Fen Website

www.greatfen.org.uk

The Great Fen is an expanse of nationally significant fen landscape between Peterborough and Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire boasting 2 nature reserves Holme & Woodwalton Fens. In 2010 5 organisations came together to form a big fens restoration plan and connect the reserves. There is a very informative guide to wildlife, each creature has its own page and how to identify it. The sites to visit are well documented with map showing trails & car parking. Why not get involved in supporting this great project by donating, volunteering or even taking part in the Big Wild Walk.

Fens For The Future

www.fensforthefuture.org.uk

This website has a colourful map with Historical Interest, Natural Heritage & Nature and Drainage history. It goes into detail about the environmental challenges the area is facing now and has in depth proposals for the enhanced ecological future of the area. Included is a list of conservation partner projects.

Explore the Fens on a Narrowboat

Fox Narrowboats are nestled in the centre of the Fenland areas. We are directly connected to the Fenland waterways. We offer Day Boat Hire and Narrowboat holidays for short breaks, a week or more from April to September. Go to our booking page or phone our friendly reception on 01354 652770

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Image: Holme Fen – Silver Birch Woodland – By Wehh*

There’s nothing like a canal boat holiday for getting away from it all, and there’s nothing like The Middle Level in Cambridgeshire, for getting even further away from it all, exploring the little places off the main routes, and places that only the locals would know.

The Middle Level is a fascinating interconnected waterway combining natural rivers and manmade canals, and dating back to the 17^th century. Since the draining of the Fen, over the years the land here has sunk, and most of the area is now below sea-level. The Middle Level rivers now have to be pumped up to sea-level to drain the land.

Our marina in March, Cambridgeshire, is the ideal starting point for exploring these lesser-known waterways. Here are three things you must not miss on your Middle Level adventure.

1) The Three Churches in March, Upwell and Outwell.

St Wendreda’s Church is a short walk from our marina and is locally known for its beautiful double-hammer beam roof with 120 carved angels. St Peter’s Church in Upwell, dating back to the 13th century, is worth a visit because of the unusual tower. Inside there are 25 carved oak angels in the roof looking down into two Victorian galleries. St Clement’s Church, in the middle of Outwell village, is a treasure-house of unique mediaeval sculptures and beautiful stained glass. Check out: Four Churches to Visit When it’s not Even Christmas.

2) This Low Point is a Highlight

The lowest point in England: Holme Fen nature reserve, is a beautiful place for a stroll. Holme Fen is quite a walk from the nearest navigable waterway, which itself is quite remote from the main link route. But if you’re a bit of an explorer and like to go off the beaten track you will find the 19^th century Holme Post, which measures the ongoing land shrinkage, worth a visit. Explore the finest silver birch woodland, and discover the birds, dragonflies, marsh plants and fungi, that make the reserve a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Read more: Middle Level Navigations – Points of interest.

3) Rare Animals and Plants

Woodwalton Fen is a nature reserve and wetland site west of Ramsey. If you’re cruising towards Ramsey there is a mooring just under the second bridge, and a village shop with a pub there. This beautiful reserve is internationally important for wildlife, and provides a refuge for thousands of species of fen animals and plants, many of which are found nowhere else in the country. Ramsey is four hours cruise from March marina, and is also home to the Ramsey Rural Museum. This fascinating little museum is currently closed due to the pandemic, but keep an eye on their website for up to date information. https://ramseyruralmuseum.co.uk

Where to Moor on the Middle Level

There are pub moorings, visitor moorings and wild moorings on The Middle Level. However, mooring is a little limited through the Levels, so journeys do have to be planned. Try playing with the https://canalplan.uk/ website if you want to “geek out” before your holiday! Alternatively, the guidebook supplied with your hire boat will show you available moorings. Public moorings have a 48 hour maximum stay time.

There are visitor moorings in March town centre, which is good for shops and pubs. The Ship is directly opposite the moorings, and there is also The Griffin and a Wetherspoons.

The mooring at Whittlesey, on Kings Dyke, by the leisure centre is not too far to walk to the pubs. There are also a few nice wild moorings. For example on Beavills Leam, (near Whittlesey) you can moor to the left bank; there is plenty of room to turn around.

You can moor at Three Holes Bridge on the Main Drain/Sixteen Foot River. There are also visitor moorings in the villages of Outwell and Upwell. In Upwell it’s possible to moor at Church Bridge, and in Outwell moor at Boat Basin.

There are moorings at Benwick, on the old River Nene, and a good pub called The Five Alls, about 10 minutes’ walk from the moorings. This rural, family-friendly pub offers food to eat in or takeaway. From March marina it’s about two hours cruise on the River Nene, old course. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for up to date information and the current menu. https://www.facebook.com/fivealls/

If you’re heading onto the River Great Ouse there are holding moorings at Salter’s Lode that you can moor on overnight, or there is a nice mooring, Gladys Dacks, just west of Nordelph.

If you’re looking for something a little different, off the beaten track, The Middle Levels are a great place to explore by narrowboat.

Watch our Middle Level Boating Video on Facebook.

You may also like: Seven Surprising Differences We Discovered Cruising the Middle Levels

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Image Attribution: By *Wehha – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0

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