Nene Park, Peterborough facts for kids
Nene Park is a large country park located in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, in the United Kingdom. It first opened in 1978 and stretches for about three and a half miles. The park goes from just west of Castor all the way to the center of Peterborough.
Nene Park is a fantastic place for outdoor fun! It has three lakes, each offering different activities. One lake has a watersports center where you can learn sailing, kayaking, and windsurfing. At another lake, you can rent pedal boats and rowing boats. The third lake has places for boats to dock and connects to the River Nene. The park also features three children's play areas and a small miniature railway, which is a lot of fun.
The main way to enter the park is through the Nene Valley Railway station at Ferry Meadows. From here, you can easily reach all the park's main attractions. The eastern part of the park can also be reached from Orton Mere and Peterborough Nene Valley stations.
Contents
What is Nene Park?
Nene Park was planned in 1968 as part of a big project to expand the town of Peterborough. It was first managed by the Peterborough Development Corporation. In 1988, the park's management was handed over to the Nene Park Trust. This Trust is a charity that runs the park.
The Nene Park Trust aims to "provide a park for the public to enjoy." This means they want to improve life for people in Peterborough and visitors by offering a great place for recreation. The park offers a mix of fun attractions and quiet natural areas. It also includes farmed land and special nature spots.
The Nene Park Trust looks after a total of 2,535 acres (about 1,026 hectares). A large part, 658 acres (267 hectares), is dedicated to the Ferry Meadows country park. There are also two 18-hole golf courses covering 259 acres (105 hectares). Another 82 acres (33 hectares) are used for organized activities like horse riding, rowing, watersports, and fishing. The rest of the land, 1,535 acres (621 hectares), is privately owned but has paths and informal areas for everyone to enjoy.
The park's landscape is very diverse, meaning it has many different types of environments. You can find woodlands, flood plain meadows, and fields where crops are grown. Local schools often visit the park for educational trips to study nature. Students can also get hands-on experience helping to manage the landscape. Within the park, there's a visitor center, a pub, two hotels, a collection of sculptures, a plant nursery, and a garden center. All these things make the park appealing to many people and an important part of the city. There's also a major steam railway, run by enthusiasts, that is about eight miles (13 km) long.
Discovering Ferry Meadows
Ferry Meadows is a popular country park and recreation area. It makes up a big part of Nene Park and stretches for six miles (10 km) along the River Nene. The Nene Park Trust manages this area.
People often visit Ferry Meadows for many fun activities. You can enjoy pleasant walks, have picnics, or even barbecues. It's also a great spot for coarse fishing and bird watching. At the watersports center, you can try dinghy sailing and board sailing. Ferry Meadows also has a miniature railway and sometimes offers pony rides. You can find interesting sculptures around the park and two cafes.
Cafes at Ferry Meadows
One cafe is called Lakeside Kitchen & Bar. It's located right next to the Nene Outdoors Watersports and Activities Centre. This cafe serves traditional, homemade food. The other cafe is called Ferry Meadows Cafe. You can find it at the southwestern end of Overton Lake. Here, you can get a variety of hot and cold drinks and snacks. Both cafes are owned by the Nene Park Trust and managed by Raj Regmi.
Camping and Caravans
Ferry Meadows also offers places to stay overnight. There's a group camping site for tents. Plus, there's a year-round touring caravan site for members of the Caravan Club.
Cycling at Ferry Meadows
Ferry Meadows is one of the main attractions signposted on the Green Wheel cycle route. This makes it a popular stop for cyclists exploring the area.
Exploring Orton Mere
Orton Mere is the name of a lake and the area around it within Nene Park.
You'll find several places nearby where boats can dock if they are traveling along the River Nene. The area also gives its name to the nearby Orton Mere railway station on the Nene Valley Railway.
