Holme and Holme Fen
You need to log in as a member of Walkingworld to access the details for this walk and have an active subscription. Please join, or log in above if you are already a member.
The route starts in the village of Holme and takes a country road over the incredibly busy East Coast Main Rail Line and into Holme Fen Nature Reserve. We return along a very straight road, typical of the fens, to the starting point in Holme. There is some road-walking at the beginning and end, though a simple circuit of the nature reserve can easily be done from and back to Waymark 3. Thefts from cars are common here, so better to leave the vehicle in the village. These sections of tarmac are soon passed and on the outward leg the almost jet-black peaty soil of the area is seen at first hand. This is a walk to be savoured, rather than rushed, as the detail of the nature reserve is not always apparent, so it needs time to absorb everything on offer. The route between Waymarks 8 and 11 needs care, as the vegetation may grow faster than the staff cut it back, but we skirt round a stand of rhododenrons, so should be fairly straightforward. More waymarks are given for the route as a whole than is strictly necessary. This is to delineate the line on the map, rather than as crucial decision points. In the summer, leaflets may be available at some of the information boards in the reserve. Otherwise it is worth reading up a little before visiting.
Notice on the 1:25k maps, there are negative spot heights - points below sea level. The 1:50k versions and GPS units just show 0 metres. The total ascent is shown as 8m. Curiously, this is the reverse of most walks. We go down 8m then gradually climb up again, but you'd never notice. It's real fenland, this. Flat!
England - East England - Cambridgeshire - Fens
Features
Birds, Butterflies, Church, Flowers, Mostly Flat, Woodland