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Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve is divided by the 'Wicken Lode,' a man-made water course. The area north of Wicken Lode, together with a small area known as Wicken Poors' Fen, forms the NNR. These zones have original peat fen with communities of carr and sedge. They support rare and uncommon fenland plants such as marsh pea, Cambridge milk parsley, fen violet and marsh fern. This part of the Fen can be enjoyed from a series of boardwalks. The area south of the Lode is called Adventurer's Fen and consists of rough pasture, reedbed and pools. Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve
Make a day of it at Wicken Fen
- And combine it with RSPB Lakenheath, just 30 minutes away and a great spot to see Marsh harriers and the UK's only breeding golden Orioles.
The dykes, abandoned claypits and other watercourses carry a great wealth of aquatic plants, many of which are uncommon elsewhere. It is one of the single most important remaining sections of the original peat fens of East Anglia, most of which were drained and converted to arable farm land.
The reserve supports a huge range of characteristic fenland wildlife and is notable for its many different animals and plants.
Wicken Fen facts
- The fenland habitat of Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve is 255 hectares (630 acres)
- The National Trust has been managing Wicken Fen since 1899. Wicken Fen was the Trust's first nature reserve.
- The National Trust launched the Wicken Vision to make the nature reserve bigger for wildlife and people. Since the start of the Vision in 1999 the National Trust has been able to more than double the size of Wicken Fen to 666 hectares (1645 acres)
- There are over 2500 moth species in Britain, in contrast to just 56 species of butterfly.
- Wicken Fen is today enjoyed by more than 40,000 visitors a year, including local school groups, families and conservationists.