Wicken Fen

Wicken Fen sits ten miles northeast of Cambridge and is one of the oldest nature reserves in Britain — a surviving fragment of the undrained fenland that once covered much of East Anglia. The National Trust manages the site across Baker's Fen, Adventurers' Fen and Burwell Fen, and the 8 km circuit follows gravel droves, grass paths and boardwalk through open water, reedbeds, grazing marsh and fen scrub. The scent is immediately distinctive — ancient peat, standing water and reed — carrying without interruption across the flat, open ground. Marsh harriers, bearded tits and bitterns (booming in the reedbeds in winter) are regularly visible, and the reserve supports one of England's most spectacular starling murmurations in autumn. The terrain is dead flat with just 5 metres of total gain.

This dog friendly walk has limited off-lead potential as dogs must be kept on leads throughout to protect the nesting and feeding birds that are the reserve's primary conservation purpose. Despite the on-lead restriction, dogs register this landscape immediately as something different — the wetland scent, the constant bird movement at close range from the path edges, and the unusual underfoot texture of boardwalk and peaty drove keep them fully engaged. The Docky Hut Cafe at the visitor centre welcomes dogs for ordering with outdoor seating. The flat, accessible terrain suits dogs of all ages and fitness levels. Seasonal mud can affect the grass paths in winter, but the gravel droves remain reliable year-round.