Wicken Fen - Nature Trail, Cambridgeshire
Enjoy the wildlife in this unique habitat on an easy walk. Visit 3 wildlife hides including the 10 metre Tower Hide, with commanding views across the reserve. Suitable for active families.
Detour
In spring and summer take a short detour onto the Butterfly Trail.
Map
Start:
Wicken Fen Visitor Centre, grid ref: TL5651070686
1
Starting from Visitor Centre turn right onto the boardwalk trail, heading towards the wind pump.
Sunsets and hen harriers
As the sun dips lower in the sky you may be lucky and witness a magnificent fenland sunset. From late autumn and throughout the winter, look out for hen harriers, Britain's rarest bird of prey, flying low over the russet sedge as dusk approaches, looking for a safe place to roost overnight.
2
Follow the boardwalk in the direction of the wind pump. Before the advent of steam and diesel pumping engines, wind-pumps were the main method used to drain turf pits and fields.
Wooden wind pump
This wooden wind pump was originally located near Harrison's Drove on the edge of Adventurers' Fen, and was one of six used to drain the turf pits in the latter part of the nineteenth century, where it was used to drain peat workings. It was moved to its current location in 1956, and restored in the 1960s. Lord Fairhaven of nearby Anglesey Abbey paid for much of the restoration. Today it is the last working wooden wind pump in the fens.
3
Leave the Broadwalk trail here and continue straight on with the Rodger Clark hide on your right.
If you have time, visit the hide by following the walkway off to the right. Overlooking old flooded clay pits, once used for brick making, the Rodger Clark hide is an ideal place to watch dragonflies and small birds. And keep a eye out for Kingfishers too.
4
In the spring and summer it is worth taking a short detour here on your right along the Butterfly Trail. Return to this point to continue on the Nature Trail.
5
Follow the path or drove (droves are fen-land paths that are cut back every year and are rich in plant diversity) past the willows and on towards a grove of aspens. The willows grow here because 19th Century naturalists used willow sticks smeared with sweet sticky food to attract moths. The sticks were not always cleared away and some took root. This area becomes completely waterlogged in winter.
6
At the aspen grove the path turns sharp left onto Mitchell's Drove - named after Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Mitchell, the first full-time warden of Wicken Fen.
7
Follow the path along Mitchell's drove, with Spinney Bank on your right, until you come to the Pump House where the Trail turns sharp left. The engine in the pump house drains water from surrounding farmland into the dyke.
8
Follow the trail south with Drainers Dyke on your right. On your left you will pass a tower hide built in 2001. This hide provides views over Verrall's Fen.
9
Follow the path past a stand of Birch trees. Birch and alder are home to countless insects and are favored woodpecker nest sites. Continue past Gardener's Drove until to come to a waterway. Turn left.
10
Tower Hide - the path passes another tower hide on the left. This hide was built in the 1950's and it overlooks the Mere and Adventurer's Fen.
Look out for marsh harriers in summer and hen harriers in winter. You may also be able to see some Konik Ponies and highland cattle on Baker's Fen and around the Mere.
11
Sedge Fen - on your left you will pass a working sedge field, with strips cut every three years in summer. The trail follows the drove along the waterway (or Lode) past a wind pump which draws calcium-rich water from Monks Lode and pumps it into ditches to irrigate Sedge Fen. Continue back to the Visitor Centre.
Sedge was a valuable fenland crop, and has been harvested in this way at Wicken Fen since 1419.
End:
Wicken Fen Visitor Centre, grid ref: TL5651070686
