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Reach Lode
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(30 Oct 08)
Feed the Birds
(23 October 08)
Go Wild at Half
Term
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Half Term Events
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Boathouse
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(3 October 08)
Bus service cuts
(1 October 08)
Wicken Fen Vision
Drop-in sessions

(17 September 08)
Handover of
Hurdle Hall

(1 September 08)
Wicken Fen Vision
Consultation results

(14 August 08)
Working Fen
Weekend

(15 July 08)
Swaffham Bullbeck
Lode Bridge Opened

(8 July 08)
Fantastic Fen Flora
(7 July 08)
Bird Ringing study
(25 June 08)
Fen Cottage
conservation
(17 June 08)
National Insect
week
(17 June 08)
RDP grant
(4 June 08)

 











Press Release

Working Fen Weekend

A weekend of family fun is promised at this weekend's Wicken Working Fen Weekend.

National Trust Wardens will be harvesting Sedge on the ancient Sedge Fen, a traditional form of fen management which has been practised since at least 1419. The last Fenland eel catcher will be demonstrating his ancient craft, and on Sunday the sails will be turning on the Wicken windpump, one of the last working windpumps originally used to drain the Fens.

Visitors can also visit the historic Fen Cottage, one of the smallest properties maintained by the National Trust. The livelihoods of its original inhabitants would have been closely linked to the working Fen.

Other activities include boat trips on a traditional Fen lighter along beautiful Wicken Lode, pond dipping, dragonfly discovery tours, children's junk modelling and insect home building.

Wicken Working Fen Weekend will be held on Saturday - Sunday, 19 - 20 July between 10am - 5pm, normal admission applies.

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Notes to Editors 
1. Wicken Fen was purchased by the National Trust in 1899, the first Nature Reserve owned by the Trust.
2. Wicken Fen is one of the most important surviving areas of wetland in Western Europe home to over 7,800 species.
For further information please contact: Howard Cooper, Communications Officer, Wicken Fen Tel 01353 720274 Mobile 07826 874133 or e-mail howard.cooper@nationaltrust.org.uk

© National Trust 2006/7/8
Wicken Fen, Lode Lane, Wicken, Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB7 5XP, UK
Tel/Fax: (+44) (0)1353 720274 | Email: wickenfen@nationaltrust.org.uk