SPRINGTIME STROLLS
purchased by charity Cambridge Past, Present & Future in the 30s to prevent urban sprawl, and has since become a long-term initiative to create a large area of wild belt on the western side of Cambridge. The same charity looks after Wandlebury Country Park, south of Cambridge near the Gog Magog Hills. Here, you can walk miles through mixed woodland, enjoying a view of Ely Cathedral, wildflower meadows grazed by highland cattle, pond-dipping and more. It’s a charming and historic landscape for a seasonal yomp. Nature walks The city also boasts plenty of nature reserves, managed by our local Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. Trumpington Meadows offers scenic riverside walks through
meadows bursting with wildflowers, butterflies and peaceful picnic spots. Cherry Hinton Chalk Pits on the south- eastern outskirts of Cambridge are host to a variety of habitats, including grassland and woodland, as well as three rare plant species – great pignut, moon carrot and a rare type of grape hyacinth ( Muscari ). Beechwoods, off Worts’ Causeway, is another gem. Originally planted in the 1840s, these mature beech trees are a sheltered haven for helleborine orchids, woodpeckers and bramblings that feed on the beechmast. Fulbourn Fen, meanwhile, is an ancient area of grassland supporting cowslips and rare orchids. The wettest meadow, East Fen sees thousands of orchids bloom in early summer, alongside rushes and water mint. Early marsh and southern marsh orchids thrive here, sending up tall purple flower spikes in spring, while in summer, lizards and grass snakes sun themselves on the grassy tussocks.
WICKEN FEN, NEAR ELY One of Britain’s oldest nature reserves, this ancient fenland landscape is criss-crossed with boardwalks leading through wetlands teeming with wildlife. FEN DRAYTON LAKES An RSPB-run haven for birdwatchers, comprising a network of lakes and wetlands. GAMLINGAY CINQUES A dry grassland site providing a secluded haven for visitors, with diverse flora and fauna. This is an excellent spot for a peaceful walk This tucked-away reserve is the largest elm woodland in Cambridgeshire, offering a rich and thriving habitat for insects and birds. Visitors can explore its medieval manor remains and diverse ecosystems. One of the prime birdwatching sites in the county and a Site of Special Scientific Interest, explore the reservoir’s nine miles of shoreline. Expect to see great crested grebes, teal and wigeon, warblers, plus ospreys overhead. surrounded by nature. OVERHALL GROVE, KNAPWELL GRAFHAM WATER, NEAR HUNTINGDON Further afield
SPRING TO LIFE With the arrival of spring, Anglesey Abbey’s gardens overflow with stunning daffodils in full bloom
It’s a charming, historic landscape for a seasonal yomp
© NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES/MIKE SELBY
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