Nene Washes

Address: 21a East Delph, Whittlesey, Cambs PE7 1RH

Grid ref: TL318991

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The Nene Washes are a Flood Storage Reservoir for the River Nene and the grassland here is frequently flooded during the winter. It's an excellent spot to watch birds of prey - marsh harriers and hobbies in summer, and hen harriers and peregrines in winter.

Plan your visit

Open at all times.

Free entrance to RSPB members: Yes

Adults: Free

Children: Free

Car park cost: Free

Facilities

Car park
Guided walks

Accessibility

How to get here

By train

The nearest station is Whittlesea on the Peterborough-Ely line, which has a train every two hours from Monday-Saturday only. It is a 2.5 mile (4 km) walk from the station.

By bus

Buses run along on the A605, through the village of Coates. Alight at Coates Council Houses and walk down Eldernell Lane (TL315977), about 1 mile (1.5 km).

By bike

The National Cycle Network Route is approximately 1 mile away.

By road

The reserve is 8 miles (13 km) east of Peterborough, and north-east of Whittlesey. There is a car park at the end of Eldernell Lane, off the A605 east of Coates.

Sat nav POI file: If you have a satellite navigation system that can accept POI files, please see our POI page for a download link and instructions.

Other ways to get there

The Nene Way long-distance footpath, between Whittlesey and Wisbech, runs along the south bank and overlooks the reserve.

Get directions from Google Maps

View on What3Words

RSPB reserves on Google Earth

Group bookings are accepted.

Contact Nene Washes

21a East Delph, Whittlesey, Cambs PE7 1RH
charlie.kitchin@rspb.org.uk
01733 205140
@RSPBFens
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What will you see?

Our star species

Crane

Cranes have been nesting on the washes since 2010 and form flocks outside the breeding season.

Black-tailed godwit

This is the UK's most important site for breeding black-tailed godwits.

Short-eared owl

Short-eared owls can be seen hunting over the grassland here in winter.

Snipe

Snipe can be seen at the Nene Washes all year-round, but are easiest to see in spring.

Garganey

Similar to the spotted crake in the way that it is a regular but elusive summer visitor to Nene Washes.

In spring, the breeding waders black-tailed godwits, snipe, lapwings and redshanks are all displaying, other waders pass through. Marsh harriers, hobbies and other birds of prey are frequent.

Breeding waders become less easy to see as summer progresses. Yellow wagtails breed on the washes and numbers build up in July and August. Look out for barn owls and warblers near the car park.

The washes are very good for raptors, and marsh harrier roosts can hold more than 20 birds. Often an osprey stops over on its southbound migration and fishes near Eldernell. During autumn, you can spot the first short-eared owls join the barn owls hunting over the washes.

Depending on the extent of flooding, there can be thousands of wildfowl including Bewick's and whooper swans, pintails, wigeons, teals, shovelers and pochards. Golden plovers, lapwings and Icelandic black-tailed godwits. Hen harriers, short-eared owls, stonechats and water pipits are all regular. Cranes nest on the washes - in winter they often form a single flock with more than 30 birds.

About Nene Washes

Habitat

Nene Washes is a site primarily made up of wetland: numerous grass fields divided by water filled ditches and washland. The site is regularly flooded, particularly in winter.

Conservation

The site is a Ramsar internationally important wetland site, a Special Area of Conservation, a Special Protection Area and a Nature Conservation Review site. The site is almost entirely lowland wet grassland managed primarily for breeding waders which involves grazing and mowing to maintain a short and varied sward. There are swampier areas which support nesting cranes and spotted crakes but reed and trees are discouraged.

Site information

Nene Washes is a 15 square kilometre biological Site of Special Scientific Interest on the bank of the River Nene east of Peterborough in Cambridgeshire. It is also a Special Protection Area and Ramsar Site.

Nene Washes