The Fens - Discover The Difference

Visit the Fens to escape the everyday hustle and bustle of modern life, with uncrowded roads, tranquil waterways and the famouse wetlands that provide ahaven for wildlife. The rich fertile soil makes this area the heart of Britain's flower bulb industry, celebrated with spectacular displays, parades and festivals.

Enjoy your stay in the Fens, discover what this fascinating area has to offer

A land of waterways The Fens are as much a place of water as they are of land. In former times the vast watery marshes supported an abundance of fish and wildfowl. Today's intricate network of waterways and famous wetlands provide a wealth of wildfowl and wildlife habitats. Elsewhere there is ample opportunity to relax unwind and soak up the slow paced atmosphere of exploring the waterways by boat or following waterside footpaths and trails.

Brimming full of history and heritage Before the Fens were drained, this was a different world of misty marshes and bogs, of small islands, inhabited by strange independent folk, their livelihood the fish and wildfowl of this eerie, watery place. There are legends of web footed people, of ghosts and witchcraft. The changing nature of the Fens, man's relationship with the land and the development of the Fen towns has left a fascinating story, oozing history and heritage, just waiting to be discovered by visitors today.

Flowers and produce Today's Fen landscape is the result of man's ingenuity, his constant desire to tame the wet wilderness and create more farmland. History, nature and man have created a landscape, unrivalled for its rich fertile soils and abundant variety of crops. Today you can enjoy and discover this abundance of flora and horticulture which is so much a part of the Fens. Yellow carpets of daffodils, spectacular flower festivals and fabulous display gardens are here to enjoy, whilst flowers and fresh produce are always close at hand.

Historic market towns stand proud as landmarks on the horizon, drawing in visitors from far and wide like magnets across the open land. Elsewhere can be seen through early morning mist or silhouetted against the setting sun, church towers and windmills rise majestically from the land, none more so than Ely Cathedral, "the ship of the Fens" sailing above the Isle of Ely.

Relax, unwind and explore In the wide open landscape, set under vast skies, the Fens offer the chance to really relax and unwind. For cycling, there is no other place quite like it, quiet open country roads with no steep hills to climb. Panoramic views, stunning sunsets and crisp clear light provide a breath of fresh air. Little wonder that so many people have and will continue to express their creative instincts in the Fens.

The Fens and Beyond

East Cambridgeshire has a distinctive character with a striking diversity of scenery. Much of the area to the north and east of the city of Ely is pure fenland, interrupted by clay outcrops on which Ely and its neighbouring villages stand and which were once truly Islands in the Great Fen. The villages to the south stand in the midst of gently undulating Countryside which contrasts magnificently with the rich fenlands. They have a distinctive character, with many thatched cottages.

Tel: 01353 862495 - Follow the map link on the Find Us Page.