The National Trust is inviting visitors to explore the magical wildlife of the Cambridgeshire Fen's on paddleboard safaris this summer.

Standup Paddleboarding is a new fun activity for all the family. Similar to a surfboard, after only a few minutes instruction on how to balance the board and paddle, beginners' are soon gliding along the waterways enjoying the unique beauty of the fens whilst getting some healthy exercise.

Starting from Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve, near Ely, the three hour safaris will run from Tuesday 1 June to Friday 4 June, at 9am and 2pm. Safari's cost £50 which includes hire of board, buoyancy aid, instruction and a guide. The National Trust is also running introductory one hour paddleboarding sessions (£15) on Wednesdays throughout the summer. A minimum height requirement of 140cm is recommended, as anyone shorter may find it difficult to handle the paddle and could struggle physically with the paddling demands if the wind increases. Bookings can be made through the Wicken Fen Visitor Centre on 01353 720274

"Drifting peacefully through the countryside under your own steam is a fantastic experience" says Wicken Fen Community Warden, Emma Shepherd, who will guide the safaris. "It's amazing to see the colourful dragonfly's hawking up and down the waterways and the fish and aquatic plants in the crystal clear waters. It gives you a whole new perspective on the amazing wildlife of the Fens, you really feel at one with nature."

Enhancing public access to the countryside for leisure and recreation is one of the key objectives of the Wicken Fen Vision, a 100 year project by the National Trust to create a landscape scale nature reserve stretching from Wicken Fen to the outskirts of Cambridge. Exploration of the relatively underused waterways, known locally as Lodes, has been a key theme in public consultations held by the Trust

The paddleboarding safaris are being run as a joint venture between the National Trust and the Ely based Fen Paddle Company. Roland Gurner, founder of the Fen Paddle Company said "I'm thrilled to be working with the National Trust to promote Standup Paddleboarding at Wicken Fen. I want to give people the opportunity to experience the freedom, physical benefits and challenges of Standup Paddleboarding. It's a fantastic way to engage with the beauty of the countryside, it doesn't damage the environment and it's a great reason to get off the sofa and outdoors into the fresh air".

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