East Cambridgeshire · England
Big skies, ancient fens and the Ship of the Fens
From the cathedral city of Ely to wild wetland, chalk downs and riverside villages, East Cambridgeshire is a landscape that rewards slowing down.
Welcome
A corner of England shaped by water
East Cambridgeshire runs from the edge of Cambridge north across the Fens to the Norfolk border, and east to Suffolk and the racing country around Newmarket. At its heart is Ely, a small city on what was once an island in the marshes, crowned by one of the great cathedrals of Europe.
Around it lie the market towns of Soham and Littleport and dozens of villages, from hilltop settlements on the old Isle of Ely to chalkland villages in the south. Rivers, lodes and drains criss-cross some of the richest farmland in Britain, and Wicken Fen preserves a rare fragment of the wild fen that once covered it all.
Did you know?
- Ely’s name is often linked to the eels that were once traded here – rents were even paid in eels.
- Before the Fens were drained in the 17th century, Ely could only be reached by boat or causeway.
- Wicken Fen was one of the National Trust’s first nature reserves, bought in 1899.
- Ely Cathedral’s Octagon, built after the central tower collapsed in 1322, is a medieval engineering marvel.
Plan your visit
Explore EastCambs
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Towns and villages
Ely, Soham, Littleport, Burwell and the villages of the Isle and the south.
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Things to do
Cathedrals, museums, nature reserves, festivals and days out on the river.
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Local businesses
Markets, independent shops, farm shops, places to eat and business support.
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Community
Councils, advice, volunteering, arts groups and help when you need it.
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What’s on
Festivals, fairs, carnivals and markets through the year, with dates.
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Walks and cycle rides
The Devil’s Dyke, the Lodes Way and Wicken Fen trails, on a map.
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Getting here
Trains from Ely, roads, cycle routes and moorings on the Great Ouse.
Don’t miss
Highlights of East Cambridgeshire
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The Octagon, Ely Cathedral. Photo: Bill Boaden, CC BY-SA 2.0 Ely Cathedral
Nine hundred years of history, the extraordinary Octagon lantern and tower tours with views for miles across the flat fen landscape.
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Konik ponies, Wicken Fen. Photo: Ian Andrews, CC BY-SA 2.0 Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve
Boardwalks through ancient sedge fen, grazing Konik ponies and Highland cattle, and over 9,000 recorded species.
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Market Place, Ely. Photo: Colin Park, CC BY-SA 2.0 Ely Markets
A market has traded in Ely for centuries. Visit the Thursday charter market or the Saturday craft, food and vintage market.
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Anglesey Abbey. Photo: James.stringer, CC BY-SA 3.0 Anglesey Abbey, Gardens and Lode Mill
A National Trust house with celebrated winter and summer gardens, and a working watermill grinding flour at Lode.
Opening times and prices change through the year, so please check with each venue before you travel.
Through the year
Seasons in East Cambridgeshire
- Spring
Eels and blossom
The Ely Eel Festival fills the city around the early May bank holiday, the Stretham Feast follows in mid-May, and the fen edges come alive with birdsong.
- Summer
Folk and the river
The long-running Ely Folk Festival takes place each July, and the Great Ouse is busy with boats and rowers.
- Autumn
Open doors and fireworks
Heritage Open Days and the Soham Pumpkin Fair fill September, and Ely Fireworks lights up Cherry Hill Park in early November.
- Winter
Big skies and wintering birds
Huge skies, flooded washes full of wintering birds and the winter garden at Anglesey Abbey.
Travelling by train?
Ely is one of the busiest rail junctions in East Anglia, with direct services to Cambridge, London, Norwich, Peterborough, King’s Lynn and the Midlands. For station facilities, parking and live travel help, visit ElyTrainStation.co.uk.