This section of the Lodes Way, itself part of the NCN11, is a quiet 7.65km backroad + gravel path route from Lode to the beautiful National Trust nature reserve at Wicken Fen.
Things to look out for
- Stunning Grey Heron
- Wild deer, moorhens, and hares
- Highland coo, a long way from home but a majestic sight, and equally so the Konik ponies
- Birds of prey flying over the fields and hedgerows, possibly a Hobby, Hen Harrier or Marsh Harrier according to the Wildlife at Wicken Fen site.
I quite often use this route as a quieter, and more soul satisfying, way to get back from (previously) work or the gym. There’s a cafe at the visitors centre which is a great stop for refreshments and cake. It’s worth noting though that there is a rather awkward foot bridge to scale, which means pushing your bike up one of those metal rails that are laid up the steps. There are ways to get back through to Reach or Burwell which avoid this but you’ll miss the delights of Wicken Fen itself or have to take a less pleasant way round via the roads.
Ok, so onto the route itself.
The route
A quick note here. The route is fine if you download the gpx, or use Komoot to copy/download the route to your Garmin/Wahoo/etc. but do not follow Google Maps routing as the turn by turn directions are very misleading.
Another note. The road surface isn’t great in places, if you’re on a road bike you can pick your way through it but it’s not fun. A gravel, touring or mountain bike is best, something with a bit of bounce in the tyres anyway.
OK, really moving to the route now. Starting at Lode, ride all the way through the village on the high street’s twists and turns. As you come to the end of the village you’ll see the signs for the national speed limit (white with a black diagonal line for those not familar with them) and the road narrows and becomes one of the fen roads of which most of this route consists. Continue straight until you see a bridge on your left, and a little further on a turn to the right. Take that turn on the right which is has a lovely blue National Cycle route sign for the Lodes way, and shows the distances to Wicken (6.5miles) and Burwell (5.5miles). These signs are your friends on this route.
Carry straight along this road (Wight Fen Droveway) until you reach a T-junction, with turnings to the left or right. Follow the signs to Wicken, meaning a right turn here, and shortly after a left turn through some bollards indicating you’re now on a short traffic free path. This is only signposted as the cycle route 11.
Follow the path until you are fed right up and over a bridge, and as you come off the bridge turn left, and then right following the route 11 sign. Ride along this path until you come to another T-junction, where you’ll follow the sign to Wicken by turning left. A litle while later you’ll come across a 4-way junction.
Turning right would take you to Reach, left to Upware and straight to Wicken which is the direction you’ll take. You’ll know you’re on the right path because the road surface deterioates markedly here and you’ll be glad you took your gravel bike, or at least put the biggest tyres you could fit on your road bike. At a fork in the road, you’ll take the turn signposted to the right and follow the road to another semi T-junction. Realisticly this is a farm track to the left and nicer gravel to the right. Take the right turn, we’re now on the the gravel. Yay!
Follow this up and over an arched bridge, swooping down and taking a ‘dog-leg’ to the left, it’s easy to spot on the bright gravel surface.
This is the home straight, no more complicated instructions. Follow the smooth gravel, through a the first of two bumpy cattle grate areas that stop the ponies and Coos from enjoying the gravel. A tight left bend will take you along Burwell Lode and up to the Cock-up Bridge mentioned earlier. You’ll have to dismount, and if your bike is light enough, carry it up the steps, and if not push it up the rather steep rail installed for the purpose. Coming down the other side you’ll turn left, passing through a farm, anpther cattle grate thing,
and then the path turns left to bring you alongside the river (possibly a lode, I’m not sure). A little further on and you’ll see the path cross the bridge, follow that round and a few hundred meteres later you’ll reach the Wicken Fen visitors centre and cafe. If you’ve make it this far, especially with one of the great Fen headwinds you’ll deserve both coffee and cake in the sunshine.
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