Denver Sluice to Welney Wetland Centre

After walking a few legs of the Hereward Way we realised that the route would take us across the Ouse Washes (once the winter flooding is over) and through Welney. We also realised that there is a far shorter route from our home to Welney - straight down Hundred Foot Bank from Denver Sluice. I'm embarrassed to say that, although this path starts less than two miles from our house, we hadn't walked it until today.

We walk down to the sluices reasonably regularly, most recently a couple of weeks ago (photos here), so today we drove down the road to the car park at the Sluices (TF589011); the other car was at the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust's Welney Wetland Centre (TL546944). The road route between the two (with a diversion today because of a road closure between Denver Sluice and Ten Mile Bank) is across typical black fen, with subsidence leading to a bumpy ride. This is real 'back of beyond' territory, with views across the fens to the Wissington Sugar Factory, and we drove past a machine which was loading sugar beet onto lorries. However, the sun was shining and we had a lovely walk.

Hundred Foot Bank runs alongside the Hundred Foot Drain, also known as the New Bedford River. The washes lie between the New and Old Bedford Rivers, both constructed by Cornelius Vermuyden in the 17th Century as part of his fen drainage scheme. In the winter the washes are allowed to flood, and swans and other wildfowl are attracted to this unique manmade landscape.

There is not much to say about our route, since it simply follows the bank. It was both easier walking and more interesting than I had expected. Initially we had horses for company and then, past Welcome Lake Sluice, we had good views across the New Bedford River to the flooded washes. It was delightful.

There is a public footpath all the way along the bank, but as you approach the Welney Wetland Centre, there is barbed wire between the road and the bottom of the bank, so we weren't sure how we were going to get off the bank. For safety, we left the bank as we reached the road at Lady Fen (TL553955) and walked along the road, underneath the walkway taking customers to the WWT hides, and back to the car. On this occasion we didn't visit the Welney Wetland Centre, but the photograph shows the swan feed there, on a very cold New Year's Day 2011.