Wicken Fen Nature Reserve

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Wicken Fen Nature Reserve Discover a lost landscape as you explore this unique remnant of ancient fenland, with its amazing abundance of wildlife. It helps us to learn and grow.
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Wicken Fen was the first nature reserve owned by the National Trust. With its wide open vistas and vast skies Wicken Fen is a window onto a lost East Anglian landscape and a wildlife haven, home to over 9300 species of wildlife.


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As Halloween approaches, there are two Spooky Season experiences for families to choose from on Wicken Fen this October....
16/10/2026

As Halloween approaches, there are two Spooky Season experiences for families to choose from on Wicken Fen this October.

Will you play Stranger Folk or do the Poitions Trails... or maybe both?

Grab your imaginary couldron and brew a make-beleive spooky potion, gathering ingredients from the Fenwilds. Find the twelve enchanted trail boards around the woodland walk and boardwalk, each has a different ingredient for you to tick off, picking up points as follow the Potions Trail.

Stranger Folk is an adventure game where British folklore seeps into the real world, taking you into a landscape of mysterious creatures. Explore the nooks and crannies of Fen Cottage and the ancient Fen. Download the Stranger Folk app (best to do this before you leave home!) and start your folklore magic adventure. The Crone will be your guide, directing you to the cracks where the stranger folk are sneaking in, so you can help close the gaps between their world and ours.

Both are available daily throughout October, between 9.30am and 5pm.

As spooky season approaches, here is something scary happening in nature… hawthorn with berries AND in flower at the sam...
15/10/2026

As spooky season approaches, here is something scary happening in nature… hawthorn with berries AND in flower at the same time! An indication of the confusion caused to nature by climate change 😱



Spotted and snapped by Jo Jones, 14.10.2026

14/10/2026

Fresh from Iceland: six whooper swans fly over the Fen - just one of the wildlife species that benefit from the wetland habitat management on Wicken Fen

09/10/2026

Autumn walking at Wicken - a stroll around the boardwalk soaking up the seasonal atmosphere 🍁

Autumn colours...The fen is subtly changing colour as October progresses, the reed-heads taking on rusty, straw tones, c...
07/10/2026

Autumn colours...

The fen is subtly changing colour as October progresses, the reed-heads taking on rusty, straw tones, contrasting with the bright berries.

It won't be too long before fieldfares and redwings arrive from Scandinavia to feed on the berries and fruits, sustaining them through the colder months.

Listen out for the chattering calls of these thrushes carrying across the Fen on the autumnal air. Already the honking of geese can be heard overhead.

📷 NT/ Mike Selby

Make a little magic this autumn half term at Wicken Fen!Looking for a family day out? Come and discover the wild, wonder...
05/10/2026

Make a little magic this autumn half term at Wicken Fen!

Looking for a family day out? Come and discover the wild, wonderful and slightly mysterious side of the Fen.

Go on a Stranger Folk adventure and uncover tales of British folklore, mysterious creatures and ancient magic as you explore Wicken Fen and Fen Cottage. Running daily until 1 November.

Get crafty at our family workshop on 29 October, where you can create your own autumnal owl using pressed leaves and natural materials. Booking essential.

Or simply make a day of it: take a boat trip, hire a bike, explore the miles of paths and enjoy a warming drink or tasty treat at the café.

Adventure, fresh air and a touch of magic – there’s plenty to discover at Wicken this half term.

To find out more and plan your visit, head to our website

02/10/2026

As the spirit and human worlds collide, sneaky goblins, cunning boggarts and Stranger Folk are slipping through the crack to stir up trouble on the Fen! Gather your team, harness the elements and seal the rift before the creatures take hold.

Stranger Folk is a fun game of ancient folklore and real-world adventure for families to play together. Download the Stranger Folk app and begin an immersive adventure inspired by British folklore.

Head to the Wicken Fen Visitor Centre to play between Saturday 3 October and Sunday 1 November.

A little more rainwater resilience on Wicken Fen!Wicken Fen has installed four new Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) pl...
01/10/2026

A little more rainwater resilience on Wicken Fen!

Wicken Fen has installed four new Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) planters to help manage rainwater in a simple but eye-catching way.

The planters divert rainwater from drainpipes, slowing its flow and allowing some of it to be used by plants, while the excess is gradually released into the sewer.

Why is that useful? Wicken Fen is on a mains combined sewer system and during periods of more intense rainfall the system can sometimes struggle with increased flows. At the same time, the local area is seeing more visitors and new housing, adding to pressure on the drainage network.

The four planters were provided by Anglian Water and the Wicken team has planted them up with drought-tolerant, locally appropriate plants.

They’re not a complete solution to Wicken’s drainage challenges, but they’re a practical step in the right direction — and a great way of making an otherwise invisible bit of infrastructure something visitors can see, understand and talk about.

Sometimes, finding solutions to big environmental challenges starts with making the issue visible. 💚

Find out more about SuDS planters from GreenBlue Urban, see link in comments below.

📷 Miranda Campbell,
National Trust - East of England

This   marks the last day of September. Now that we're into  , a lot of Wicken Fen Ranger time is spent on practical hab...
30/09/2026

This marks the last day of September. Now that we're into , a lot of Wicken Fen Ranger time is spent on practical habitat management of the nature reserve.

Here is Ranger Dan felling a willow. These fast-growing trees thrive in wetland environments but can take over if not managed, shading out rare fen flowers. Some areas of woodland are kept on the fringes of the Fen (this habitat is called carr), but it is important they don't spread too far and encroach on the open fen meadows.

Wicken Fen's scrub management is carried out in accordance with a National Nature Reserve Management Plan approved by Natural England.

📷 NT/ Mike Selby

Address

Wicken Fen Visitor Centre, Lode Lane, Wicken
Ely
CB75XP

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+441353720274

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