Wildlife reserves · East of England
Wicken Fen
In or near Fordham.
Wicken Fen — nature reserve in Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 2 h–4 h
- Best time of year
- Autumn & winter (migration & wildfowl)
- Nearest railway station
- Soham · 3.7 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Dog-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Wicken Fen, the nearest railway station is Soham, located 3.7 km away. Entry is free, but accessibility is limited for wheelchair users. The postcode for sat-nav is CB7 5XP.
About
Wicken Fen is a wildlife reserve in the United Kingdom. It covers approximately 255 km². Heritage designation: Site of Special Scientific Interest. Owned by National Trust. Managed by National Trust. Wikidata describes it as: "nature reserve in Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom". Coordinates: 52.3108°, 0.2913°.
Photo gallery
Summary from the official site
Wicken Fen is a National Nature Reserve known for its diverse landscape and rich wildlife. Visitors can explore various trails, see grazing herds of Konik ponies, and learn about the area's natural history at the Visitor Centre.
Read more on the official property page.
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Wicken Fen SSSI
- National Nature Reserve: WICKEN FEN
- Ramsar wetland: Wicken Fen
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Wicken Fen is a 254.5-hectare (629-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest west of Wicken in Cambridgeshire. It is also a National Nature Reserve, and a Nature Conservation Review site. It is protected by international designations as a Ramsar wetland site of international importance, and part of the Fenland Special Area of Conservation under the Habitats Directive. A large part of it is owned and managed by the National Trust. It is one of Britain's oldest nature reserves, and was the first reserve cared for by the National Trust, starting in 1899. The first parcel of land for the reserve was donated to the Trust by Charles Rothschild in 1901. The reserve includes fenland, farmland, marsh, and reedbeds. Wicken Fen is one of only four wild fens that still survive in the enormous Great Fen Basin area of East Anglia. There 99.9% of the former fens have been replaced by arable cultivation.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
Description
The Wicken Fen Vision is a project of the National Trust; its plan over a 100-year period is to expand the protected fen area to a size of 56 km2. It was launched in 1999 to mark the 100th anniversary of the first acquisition. In 2001 a major acquisition was made with the purchase of Burwell Fen Farm (1.65 km<sup>2</sup>). In 2005, a 100 ha turf farm, to be called Tubney Fen, was purchased. Other purchases include Hurdle Hall Farm and Oily Hall Farm in 2009, and St Edmunds Fen in 2011. The National Trust aims to acquire further land as it becomes available, paying market prices. As a result of the increased area of wetlands, the populations of skylarks, snipe, grey partridge, widgeon and…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 52.3108, 0.2913
- County
- Cambridgeshire
- District
- East Cambridgeshire
- Parish
- Wicken
- Postcode
- CB7 5XP
- Parliamentary constituency
- Ely and East Cambridgeshire
- Nearest railway station
- Soham — 3.7 km
- Opening
- Daily 9:30am–5pm
- Official site
- www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q7998320 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Wicken Fen (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Wicken-Fen-Hide.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Featured in this guide
Other places nearby
1930s fen dwelling
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Wicken Fen
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Where to eat & stay near Wicken Fen
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Places to eat & drink
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Wicken Fen?
- Wicken Fen is in Cambridgeshire, London, United Kingdom (postcode CB7 5XP), in the parish of Wicken.
- What is Wicken Fen?
- Wicken Fen — nature reserve in Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom.
- How do I get to Wicken Fen?
- The nearest railway station is Soham, about 3.7 km away. Drivers can use postcode CB7 5XP.
- Who runs Wicken Fen?
- Wicken Fen is operated by National Trust.
- Is Wicken Fen a listed building?
- Wicken Fen is officially recognised as Site of Special Scientific Interest listed.
- Is Wicken Fen a protected site?
- Yes — Wicken Fen is part of the Wicken Fen SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the WICKEN FEN National Nature Reserve.
- Is Wicken Fen free to visit?
- Yes, Wicken Fen is free to enter.
- How do I get to Wicken Fen?
- The nearest railway station is Soham, about 3.7 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode CB7 5XP.