Sweeting's Fen

Downs, Moorland in Cambridgeshire Fenland

England

Sweeting's Fen

Field east of the Whitemoor Road level crossing Credit: Christopher Hilton

Sweeting's Fen is a nature reserve located in Cambridgeshire, England, known for its unique and diverse landscape. The fen is situated in the south of the county, near the village of Upware, and covers an area of approximately 100 hectares.

One of the defining features of Sweeting's Fen is its rich fenland habitat, which consists of wet meadows, reed beds, and open water areas. It is home to a wide range of plant species, including rare orchids such as the fen orchid and the marsh helleborine. The reserve also boasts a variety of bird species, making it a popular spot for birdwatching. Visitors may be lucky enough to spot the iconic bittern, as well as kingfishers, herons, and various waterfowl.

In addition to its fenland habitat, Sweeting's Fen also encompasses areas of heathland and woodland. These habitats provide a home for numerous species of insects, reptiles, and small mammals. The reserve is particularly known for its population of adders, a venomous snake species that thrives in the heathland environment.

Sweeting's Fen offers a network of footpaths and boardwalks, allowing visitors to explore the reserve and observe its wildlife. The reserve is managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Northamptonshire, which actively works to protect and enhance the site's biodiversity.

Overall, Sweeting's Fen is an important and diverse nature reserve, offering visitors the opportunity to experience the beauty and tranquility of Cambridgeshire's unique fenland landscape.

Show me another place!

If you have any feedback on the listing, please let us know in the comments section below.

Sweeting's Fen Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 52.553679/0.03655871 or Grid Reference TL3897. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Field east of the Whitemoor Road level crossing

Christopher Hilton

Farmland west of the Whitemoor Road level crossing, from the railway

Christopher Hilton

Looking north from the railway towards buildings on Whitemoor Road

Christopher Hilton

Looking north from the railway towards buildings on Whitemoor Road

Christopher Hilton

Farm buildings on Middle Road, from a passing train

Christopher Hilton

Looking north from the railway towards Otter Holts Farm on Middle Road

Christopher Hilton

West Fen, from the railway

The diagonal green line in the field on the left marks the course of West Fen Drain. The houses in the distance are on Whitemoor Road.

Christopher Hilton

West Fen Drain, from the railway

Christopher Hilton

West Fen, from the railway

Christopher Hilton

West Fen, from the railway

Christopher Hilton

Railway to March across West Fen; Middle Road LC: aerial 2016

Chris

Nene (Old Course) west of March, Botany Bay: aerial 2016

One of the earliest mapped courses of the River Nene, from Peterborough to The Wash, was around Whittlesey Mere, through Benwick, March and Upwell, eventually joining The Well Stream at Outwell which flowed to the then coastal town of Wisbech. Over the centuries a straight channel was dug through the marshes north of Wisbech to the current outfall north of Sutton Bridge and the land on either side reclaimed. There are numerous visible sections of the old coastal banks on both sides of the River Nene north of Wisbech, see Link. One of the earliest attempts to improve the flow of water from Peterborough to the coast and reduce flooding in the Fens was made by Bishop Morton who had a straight channel dug in the late 15th century from Peterborough to Wisbech known as Morton’s Leam, see Link In the early 1700s a new and much larger straight channel was dug from Peterborough to Wisbech called Smith's Leam, parallel to and just north of Morton’s Leam, to improve the flow of water from Peterborough to the sea. Morton’s Leam from Guyhirn to Wisbech was incorporated into Smith’s Leam and the remainder of Morton’s Leam from Peterborough to Guyhirn became the main artery into and out of the Nene Washes which were created between Guyhirn and Peterborough. Smith’s Leam is now known as the River Nene and the original meandering river from Peterborough to Marmont Priory Lock in Upwell is now known as The River Nene (Old course), see Link.

Chris