Swavesey Lake and River Walk Loops (5.2 miles)

This is another of the walks around the RSPB reserve in Swavesey and Fen Ditton.  Part of this route is detailed here as a shorter walk.

We once again started in the car park but you can pick the route up from the guided busway or Swavesey village.

1. Starting in the car park take the gateway ahead and then take a gateway on your right.  Follow the track passing a lake on your right.  When you reach the signpost go through the gate on your right.

2. Follow the bank past the hide with the lake on your right and the river Great Ouse on your left. 

Ferry Mere, Swavesey

3. Eventually you will come to a small lock with a bridge. Go over the bridge and carry on forward down the riverbank.  Again follow the bank keeping the river on your left.  On your left you should see two churches – the spire belongs to Over church and the square tower to Swavesey. 

River Great Ouse towards Over

4. When you find the bank bearing right and the river left continue on and go over a weir and turn right.

River Great Ouse

5. Continue along this bank until you get to a small thicket. We rested for a while here as there is a convenient fallen tree.   After the tree turn right leaving the tall spire of Over church behind.  Continue through a small woodland until you come out in a field and cross over towards the roadway.

6. Once through the gate turn right and walk along the roadway until you reach the guided busway and turn right before crossing the busway.

7. Walk along the busyway with Swavesey church (The Priory) on your left.  Continue on until you reach a small crossing on the track.  Cross over the track and go down slightly before taking a footpath through a gate on your left.

Swavesey Church (The Priory)

8. Follow this path keeping the stream on your left and the meadow on your right.

Continue on until you reach a wider channel.  Climb up to the bank and turn right.  Walk along a short distance until you reach the small lock that you crossed in point 3. Cross the lock and turn left.

9. Follow the bank to the end and go through the gate. Bear slightly right and go down the slope, bearing right at the end, go through the gate.  You will now have a large lake on your right and the busway beyond the hedge on your left.  There are picnic tables along here if you wish to stop.

10. Continue on this track until you reach a busway crossing at the corner of the lake.  Take the track on the right that runs alongside the lake.  Continue until you reach the end and take the gap on the left back to the car park.

Our route was 5.2 miles

See the route on mapometer

Terrain: Flat grassy paths. Can get very muddy in places and some areas prone to flooding. 

Habitats: Meadows, river, lakes.

Facilities: No toilets or other facilities on site. Close to guided busway stops.

Swavesey Lake & Great Ouse, Cambridgeshire (3.75 miles)

This walk is around the Swavesey part of the larger RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes reserve. *Please be aware that this area often floods after heavy rain and if in doubt please check the website.  Walking shoes or trainers are advisable.

Swavesey is a village to the north of Cambridgeshire with easy access from the A14.  Parking is available at the RSPB entrance as you leave the A14 but for this walk it is recommended you park on Market Street in the centre of the village.  Feeling the need to do an extra mile or so, we did take a different route once which takes you back to the river and lakes and home some of the way you came.  That variation is below also.

Nesting swans

After leaving the car turn right on the High Street and then cross the road to Taylor’s Lane.  Follow the lane down to the right, past a cemetery and a small nature reserve on your left.  Carry straight on down a loose tarmac track.  

Cross the guided busway and carry on bearing left with the track and with a lake on your right.  

Take the gateway on your right and follow the stream until you come to a small bridge on your left.  Go over the bridge.  You should now have a large lake on your left and then the stream and the original lake on your right.  Follow this path until you come to a fork.  

For this walk take the path to the right, go over the small weir bridge and follow the trail.  You now have the River Ouse to your left.  Stay on this track until you reach a gateway and take the track on your right.  

Follow this straight pathway right down to the bottom and turn right.  This track should take you back over the guided busway then onto Middle Fen Drove.  Carry on until you come out into the village again.  Turn right past the village pond and onto the High Street, go around the bend and you will be back at the car park.

Our route was: 2.54 miles
See the route on mapometer.com

Teasels

The slightly longer detour on this route is after 2 miles and before you make the second crossing of the guided busway.  Take a small track on your right that runs alongside a small stream.  Follow this to the end and you will be back at the second small bridge.  Retracing your earlier steps, cross the bridge and turn left, following the stream back to the first bridge, go over this and walk back along to the gateway.  Turning left follow the track back over the guided busway and along back to Taylor’s Lane.  Cross the High Street at the end of Taylor’s Lane and the car park is on the right.

Our route was: 3.75 miles
See the route on mapometer.com
Terrain: flat, grass tracks, loose tarmac *can be muddy in wet weather and can flood after prolonged heavy rain.
Habitat: lakes, river, meadows, fields.
Facilities: The village shop and The White Horse Inn are located next to the car park.