One of Cambridgeshire’s least-visited nature spots filled with rare wildlife

The nature reserve is a quieter place to enjoy a country stroll

Cambridgeshire is full of natural beauty spots. They make for the perfect places to walk around and soak up wildlife.

There are many in Cambridgeshire, some more visited than others. One that is visited the least is Chippenham Fen near Newmarket.

Chippenham Fen is made of wetland habitats that stretch across 112 hectares. Compared to other parts of the Cambridgeshire fens that are on flat land, Chippenham Fen is 12 metres above sea level and surrounded by higher farmland. The nature reserve is more unique as it is full of a range of “rare” wildlife.

The reserve is home to Saw Sedge beds, which are tall triangular-stemmed plants with serrated leaves. Chippenham Fen has several of these plants, which are considered to be rare in Europe.

Then there are the wet meadows which are filled with purple moor grass and lots of flowers. This type of meadow is also considered to be rare in Europe.

Among the rare forms of wildlife, are several hundred different breeds of moths, including the rare Silver-barred moth. The fen is considered a more peaceful place to walk and offers some beautiful views across the hundreds of acres.

To visit the reserve, you do need a permit. However, there is a public path that runs through the reserve. People must stick to the path whilst walking through the reserve. The site has no dedicated parking however, there is on-street parking within walking distance of the reserve in Fordham and Chippenham.