Summer walk and access – explore even more wetlands

Summer road access update in this post. Surround yourself with wetlands along our summer walk, tansy trail and Lady Fen walk.

Surround yourself with wetlands along our summer walk and explore the furthest reaches of the reserve on the Tansy Trail. Enjoy a morning out on the summer walk before the heat of the day, with great opportunities to spot summer wildlife and connect with the landscape of the Fens.

Planning your journey

UPDATE: Work does not take place at weekends, so you can access us direct from Downham Market, Littleport, Wisbech or March without doing the diversions on Hundred Foot Bank.

From Mon 31 July there is a road closure along our road for about 6 weeks. The Second, and final phase, closes from the visitor centre to the first corner north along Hundred Foot Bank, affecting people travelling from the north and East. Access to WWT Welney is still possible from the A10 via the A1101. It is best to Welney or our postcode (PE14 9TN) on google maps or your sat nav when planning your route. We hope the map below is helpful to show the section of road which will be closed and how to approach the centre.

Information from Anglian water about these works can be found by clicking here.

Let your adventure begin

In June we always look forward to opening this part of our reserve once sensitive breeding or additional spring flooding comes to an end. As you pass Reedbed hide and the dragonfly ponds, the stone track turns to a mown path which weaves past reedbed and waterways. Views open out across the washes as you continue along until you reach a junction in the reeds.

A short diversion to the left takes you to a secret gateway, with a small mown corner of a field we know as West’s wash. Here views across the southern end of the reserve can be enjoyed as you perch on a fallen tree bench. Or taking a right at the junction takes you onto the summer walk proper weaving through reeds and wildflowers across the width of the Ouse Washes to finish with a loop by the River Delph. You can do as much or as little of the route, with the full length running 1.3km out from the main hide, returning along the same path.

Look out for signs highlighting the plants and other interesting features of this part of the reserve, enjoy the mixture of scrub plants, reeds and wildflowers as well as open vistas across the washes and even some places where you can get views along and at the edge of the ditches. Our furthest two points on our summer Quentin Blake trail can be found in this area of the reserve, listen out for corncrakes and try to spy tansy beetles.Our Scottish Soldier’s Heritage Trail along the first half of the summer walk gives a little insight into the human side to the creation of the Hundred Foot River, by hand hundreds of years ago.

At the far end of the summer walk is the Tansy trail, a further 900m loop through scrubby glades between some of our most remote washes and the River Delph. This trail is great for getting a variety of beetle species, butterflies, damselflies and dragonflies. In June and July listen out for the final calls of breeding cuckoos; then by August and September look out for flocks of finches and tits starting to come together for autumn and winter….or even early thrushes arriving back to the UK.The footpath here is not quite as smooth and the mown path of the summer walk, so take extra care with footing, walking shoes are needed.

A couple of picnic benches can be found along the way as well as some additional places to perch and take in the refreshing, relaxing surroundings.Here are some tips if exploring the summer walk to help you enjoy it as much as possible:

• Wear walking shoes for the tansy trail
• Take drinking water with you
• Wear sun protection and a hat
• Apply some insect repellent

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