Great Fen

Such a lovely peaceful place to go.

A lovely afternoon walk, ground can be soft in place just bear in mind, I spotted a grass snake and waterboat men on my visit.

Lovely place to visit for peace and quiet.
Plenty of information boards about the area.
Popular for school trips.
Free entry.

Lovely place for a walk and to see some wildlife

My relatives lived at common farm down Chapel road Ramsey Heights,, (The Lilley Family) back in the 70's and 80's.,
I can say that most of the pictures you see are of the Woodwalton Nature Reserve ? Right at the bottom of Chapel Road and over the Dike on the wooden bridge. Woodwalton fen Nature Reserve is Not this new great fen . Project ! Ramsey heights Nature reserve is owned by the RSPB ? and access is just after turning onto chapel Road off the main road.
Over 50 years Woodwalton Fen and Ramsey Heights Nature Reserve was was Created, Ramsey heights nature reserve was created from the old Brickwork and Tile works. Saddly the Brick Works Houses that stood further down Chapel Road were Demolished in the late70"s ? But the wide cannal section and boat turning Basin still Existed, infact there was a small office building next to the river.Barges use to feed the Ramsey Heights Brickworks with Coal and Transport the Bricks and tiles by the River out across the Fens, infact the WOOD WALTON DRAIN, runs into the OLD RIVER NENE, further up at St,Marys Bridge, where there use to be an old windmill.
This new Great Fen Project is an Extension to the The Ramsey heights Nature Reserve. The original proposal was to reach from Woodwalton Fen all the way across (15 miles) to Holme, approx 1,000 acres, back to boggy fenland,. Clearly despite getting a goverment grant etc, it appears LORD DE RAMSEY, has only created an extra 10 acres? To an existing nature reserve. If you watch the PRINCE CHARLES visit to view the completed Great fen project, youl probably realise most of it is The WOODWALTON FEN Nature reserve, so clearly we fob off Prince Charles aswell? just look at ather articles and youl see it says " The Great Fen Project is from Woodwalton to Holme". RUBBISH. The picture of that black wooden bungalow in the wood Is actualy in the Woodwalton Fen Nature Reserve, originaly it housed a Butrerfly Collection! Infact to my recollection woodwalton nature reserve and Ramsey Heights Nature Reserve are run by seperate organisations.
I even remember back in the 1970's when the Drainage Level Comission dredged out the River infront of the Woodwalton Nature reserve, they used a Narrow Gauge Railway, using Simplex locos and side tipping skip waggons, the R&B dredger used to lift the waggons across the river (Drain) and on one occasion the load swung back and Tipped the drag line Dredger over its back, as it tumbled off the River embankment and layed on the farmers field, emergency services were called, and later they came to Re Right the crane vertical back onto tracks. The narrow gauge railway was used when they also created the large Pond to the left of the nature reserve as you enter over the wooden bridge. The black wooden Bungalow at that point was the Narrow Gauge Terminous , opposite the wooden Bridge Entrance to woodwalton Nature Reserve.
Yours,
S.Burton.

Very quiet and peaceful. We heard and saw a lot of birds and animals. We heard a fox but didn't see it. Well kept and informative.
I saw a brown dragon fly and lots of other insects. A new covered seating viewing platform has been constructed. Some pictures do not do justice to this beautiful place.

Beautiful place for a visit

Great for walking your dog and the toilet facilities are very clean