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The Fen Rivers WayThe Fen Rivers Way
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The Fen Rivers Way

May - October 2021
Following the course of the River Cam and the River Great Ouse from Cambridge to King's Lynn across the Fenland landscape and into The Wash. Read more
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  • TravelerThe Fen Rivers Way
    1

    Part 1; Cambridge to Clayhithe

    May 9, 2021 in England ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    We start at Magdalene Bridge, just south of Magdalene College, which straddles the River Cam and is on the site of the original bridge that gave "Cambridge" its name. It is not far to Jesus Lock; this divides ‘Middle River’ from the ‘Lower River’ and sets the border where punting gives way to rowing and boathouses - it is Lock No. 1 on the navigable portion of the River Cam.  We skirt the edge of Jesus Green and pass the Lido on our way along Midsummer Common where cows are grazing in the centre of the city. There are houseboats on both sides of the river; beyond Elizabeth Bridge we walk along Riverside and reach the Museum of Technology, an industrial heritage museum whose original building housed a combined sewage pumping and waste destructor station (hence the 175ft chimney shaft) - it is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. 

    We reach Stourbridge Common (see FP Cambridge - Cherry Hinton Brook / Coldham's Brook post), crossing over the bridge at the Green Dragon pub to Water Street to rejoin the Fen Rivers Way on the other side of Cam and go under the Railway Bridge (and soon to be Chisholm Trail linking up green spaces in an off road route from Cambridge Station to Cambridge North Station).

    There are views of Ditton Meadows and shortly afterwards Fen Ditton, a village on the northeast edge of Cambridge, and its Church; there have been rowers on the river today, both eights and singles.  We pass under the A14 and reach Bates Bite Lock (No. 2 on the navigable portion of the River Cam); it is possible to cross here and walk back to Cambridge via Fen Ditton and Ditton Meadows.  We see the village of Horningsea on the other side and carry on to Clayhithe and Waterbeach.

    This is a good walk with great views and approx. 7 miles in length.    Read more

  • TravelerThe Fen Rivers Way
    Day 1

    Part 2; Clayhithe to Upware

    May 11, 2021 in England ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    We reach the bridge over the Cam at Clayhithe and enjoy the view of the Conservator's House from The Bridge public house; this is the residence of the foreman of the Conservators of the River Cam, the navigation authority for the River Cam in Cambridgeshire. Cambridge had been a major inland port as a result of its position on the navigable River Cam for centuries, but this position changed with the draining of the Fens and the Conservators were established to elicit tolls at sluices and locks along the Cam.

    Waterbeach is very close and this is now designated as a "new town" and, as we follow the track, we enjoy a view of the boats mooring there. A little further on we reach Bottisham Lock (No. 3 on the navigable portion of the River Cam) and then see the pumping station and flood gates at the end of Bottisham Lode (this links the village of Lode with the Cam). We pass Shrubb's Marina boat moorings and then reach Swaffham Bulbeck Lode where there is another lock and pumping station (this lode links the hamlet of Commercial End with the Cam).

    A couple of miles further on we arrive at Upware, where Reach Lode begins (this links the the village of Reach with the Cam); Upware is known for its aptly named "Five Miles from Anywhere, No Hurry" inn which backs down to the Cam.    Read more

  • TravelerThe Fen Rivers Way
    1
    Day 1

    Part 3; Upware to Ely

    May 11, 2021 in England ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    As we continue north from Upware, we soon reach another pumping station where there is also a pillbox on the banks of the Cam; we then reach Dimmock's Cote Bridge before proceeding to Pope's Corner, the confluence of the River Cam and the River Great Ouse. This is the site of the large Fish and Duck marina which we see as we cross to the west bank of the River Great Ouse via Holt Fen Bridge; this river flows from here down to Earith and St Ives in Cambridgeshire and then on to Bedford and beyond.

    As we head north there are views of Ely Cathedral - the "ship of the fens" - looming in the distance, as well as a few houseboats on the river.    Read more

  • TravelerThe Fen Rivers Way
    Day 98

    Part 4; Ely to Littleport

    August 16, 2021 in England ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    We cross the road, which is close to Ely Railway Station, and walk past The Cutter Inn to reach Quayside where there are lovely views of the marinas and various boats and barges mooring in Ely.  We pass the Jubilee Gardens and the Maltings (see Ely; the Eel Trail, part 2) and stop at Babylon Bridge for the magnificent view back; the bridge carries a private road to the various marinas that are on the other side of the river. 

    Carrying on past Babylon ARTS, the leading arts organisation in Ely, we follow the trail along the river. We reach a factory area and bear left to Kiln Lane and the Roswell Pits; formerly a source of gault (aka Kimmeridge), an impervious clay, they are now a Site of Scientific Interest and a nature reserve.  A short diversion here brings you to an excellent view of the Cathedral.  We double back to reach Cuckoo Bridge, which leads in turn to another bridge over the River Great Ouse.

    There is a long walk by road to reach the hamlet of Queen Adelaide; this has three railway lines crossing its main street, each with a separate level crossing!  Over the Queen Adelaide Bridge for the 3 mile walk to Littleport along the floodbank of the River Great Ouse, crossing Sandhills Bridge on the way to Littleport railway station.    Read more

  • TravelerThe Fen Rivers Way
    1
    Day 119

    Part 5; Littleport to Downham

    September 6, 2021 in England ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    After leaving Littleport railway station, we follow the road to reach the roundabout with the A10(T) and re-join the right (eastern) side of the Great River Ouse flood-bank; the walk is sandwiched between the two for over 3 miles before we reach Brandon Creek (it is both hot and a little noisy at times, but there are good views of boats on the river).  Brandon Creek is where the River Little Ouse joins the Great Ouse and for much of the its length it defines the boundary between Norfolk and Suffolk; indeed, after crossing the bridge, one is in Norfolk!  There is a short walk along a minor road before we join the flood-bank; there are more pleasant views on the almost 3 mile stretch to the small, but growing, village of Ten Mile Bank.  Further on, we reach a railway bridge (for the Kings Lynn to Cambridge and London line) and then follow the flood-bank to reach Denver Sluice.

    First built in 1651, Denver Sluice was constructed to protect the South Level fens from flooding by providing a secure point for discharge of flood water and by preventing tidal flooding of the fens. Fifty years ago, this original function of Denver Sluice was taken over by the Flood Relief Channel, with the A G Wright Flood Relief Channel Sluice at the Denver end of the channel and the Tail Sluice at the other, near King’s Lynn. The main purpose of the original Denver Sluice itelf now is to prevent the build up of silt in the Tidal River Great Ouse. 

    It was fascinating to visit this before heading further up river to reach Downham Market (aka Downham) and the end of this leg of the Fen Rivers Way.    Read more

  • TravelerThe Fen Rivers Way
    Day 151

    Part 6; Downham to King's Lynn

    October 8, 2021 in England ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    After leaving Downham Market railway station and doubling back to Downham Bridge, we follow the footpath north that follows the eastern side of the Great Ouse; at times the Relief Channel is very close to the river.  After a couple of miles, we pass the bridge at the village of Stowbridge and continue heading north towards the Wiggenhalls; the route heads past the stone supports for an old rail bridge across the river on the line that ran from Watlington to Wisbech - the line closed in 1969, although the bridge over the Relief Channel is still there.  

    There are four Wiggenhalls - St Peter, St Germans, St Mary and St Mary Magdalene - and the first we come to, Wiggenhall St Mary Magdalene is the largest.  The church there is huge and has a weeping chancel, where the nave and chancel are built at a slight dogleg to each other, as well as a rare collection of medieval stained glass and beautifully carved benches.  A mile further up river are the ruins of the Church of Wiggenhall St Peter and another mile brings us to the Church at Wiggenhall St Germans.

    The river bears north east now and two miles further is the where the Relief Channel rejoins the Great Ouse - this is the site of the Tail Sluice which works in tandem with the Denver Sluice down river (see previous FP post). We cross the bridge over the Sluice and follow the river King's Lynn, initially by the side of Palm Paper's giant mill; this is on the site of what was once King's Lynn's sugar factory. There are good views of King's Lynn before we cross the River Nar, a tributary of the Great Ouse, and we reach King's Lynn itself.  This is end of the Fen Rivers Way - it has been nearly 50 miles since starting in Cambridge and this great long distance walk has now been completed!    Read more

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