The Elm
This delightful thatched Inn is situated in Abbots Ripton close to the pond and a short drive to…
Woodwalton Fen National Nature Reserve
LOCATION
RAMSEY HEIGHTS, CAMBRIDGESHIRE
RECOMMENDED BY
Our View
Woodwalton Fen NNR is a rare and isolated remnant of fenland habitat lying at the most westerly point of the East Anglian fens. The fen is a haven for fenland wildlife and supports many vulnerable and rare species. A wildlife highlight is the magnificent aerial display of marsh harriers over the northern reedbeds, and in winter hen harriers are also occasionally seen. In spring and summer, hobbies can be seen catching dragonflies. Sparrowhawk, buzzard, kestrel and red kite are all regularly seen, along with the occasional merlin in winter. More than 1,000 beetle species, of which nearly 200 are rare in Britain, have been recorded on the reserve, along with over 900 species of moths and butterflies. The reserve has more rare or notable moths than any other site in the country, including the huge pink-toned elephant hawk-moth and the marsh carpet moth. Almost half of all the UK’s dragonfly species can be found in Woodwalton Fen, and visitors in summer are likely to see the electric blue of the common blue damselfly and Britain’s largest species, the emperor dragonfly.
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Discover Cambridgeshire
To the west of East Anglia is Cambridgeshire, a county best known as the home to the university that makes up the second half of ‘Oxbridge’ (the other half is Oxford). As well as its globally renowned educational credentials, it also has a rich natural history; much of its area is made up of reclaimed or untouched fens. These are low-lying areas which are marshy and prone to flooding. The lowest point in the UK is at Holme Fen, which is some 9 feet (2.75 metres) below sea level. Some of the fens had been drained before, but it was in the 19th and 20th centuries that wide-spread, successful drainage took place, expanding the amount of arable and inhabitable land available.
Ely Cathedral was built on an island among the swampy fens, but now sits among acres of productive farmland, albeit farmland criss-crossed by miles of flood-preventing watercourses. Oliver Cromwell was born in Ely, and his family home can still be visited. Cambridge itself is a beautiful and historic city, with any number of impressive old buildings, churches and colleges, and plenty of chances to mess about on the River Cam which gave the city its name.
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