Visiting the Great Fen

In all weathers and seasons, the Great Fen is a place to enjoy stunning wildlife, beautiful landscapes and a wide range of events and activities.

Each part of the Great Fen has its own distinct character. The following areas are free to visit and open to visitors all year round.

Great Fen Information Point (New Decoy Farm)

This is the first Great Fen public site to be located at the centre of the project area. Entering the bog-oak carpark you will find maps and information and you can take a  walk past ponds, wet meadows and trees, to an unusual bird hide. As this site continues to develop it will be a great place to see dragonflies around the ponds and breeding waders accross the fields.

At the beginning of the marked trail you will find a picnic area shaded by an old walnut tree. The trail leads through the woodland and then on to the strawbale bird hide. From here, during the winter months, you may see flocks of Siskin, Redpoll and Goldfinch, feeding around the hide. Continue through the woodland and you will find interpretation panels explaining the history of this reserve.

Find out more about visiting Great Fen Information Point (New Decoy Farm).

Woodwalton Fen National Nature Reserve

A peaceful, wildlife paradise, Woodwalton Fen is one of the UK's first nature reserves and an internationally important place for wildlife. Follow grass paths through the reeds, watch dragonflies dart along the ditches and see the aerial displays of Marsh Harriers. 

In the centre of the reserve is a unique feature: a 100-year-old thatched bungalow on stilts. Erected by Charles Rothschild when he bought the fen, it is open during special events. 

You can explore on waymarked trails, taking in meres, bird hides (accessible via steps) and a view of the whole of the Great Fen from the bank. It is also a good place to see one of the more unusual species - Chinese Water Deer.

Find out more about visiting Woodwalton Fen.

Holme Fen National Nature Reserve

Explore grassy paths through this beautiful Silver Birch woodland. Have your picture taken next to the famous Holme Post, which shows how dramatically the ground level has dropped since the drainage of nearby Whittlesea Mere - once the largest lake in England outside  the Lake District.

Throughout the woodland and on the meres you can see wildlife, including many species of birds, butterflies and dragonflies. In autumn look out for the odd shapes of more than 500 different species of fungi. 

There is an accessible path (120m) to Boston's Mere, opposite the Holme Post.

Find out more about visiting Holme Fen.

The Wildlife Trust Countryside Centre

Half a mile down the road from Woodwalton Fen is the Wildlife Trust Countryside Centre at Ramsey Heights, home to the Great Fen office and the team's schools and community work.

The Centre is surrounded by a small nature reserve with short, gentle walks on grass paths and beside ponds. Pushchair and wheelchair access is possible with care along the Discovery Trail (approx 20-30 minutes). An all-terrain access buggy is also available for free hire, along with other aids. The nature reserve can be visited at any time.

In the Centre itself there is a classroom and toilets, including an accessible toilet. You can also look into the kiln of the old Victorian brickworks. Both the centre and office are open during events and office hours (usually Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm). You can pick up trail guides and information for the whole Great Fen, including the Wildlife Trust Countryside Centre itself.

Find out more about visiting the Wildlife Trust Countryside Centre.

Darlow's Farm and Middle Farm

The first area of Great Fen land to be bought in 2002 was Darlow's Farm and the adjacent Middle Farm came a little later. Both are in the early stages of restoration and are being grazed by cattle throughout the year.

The farms form an expanse of wet meadow habitat and can be viewed well from the clay bank on the northern and western sides of Woodwalton Fen. Find out more about visiting Darlow's and Middle Farms.

Future places to visit

As the Great Fen develops, there will be more and more places to explore. For example, there is now access through Holme Fen to a tower hide called Trundle Mere Lookout which overlooks Rymes Reedbed.

In the following years there will also be a new visitor centre in the heart of the Great Fen (latest news here)