Peterborough – History, Culture and Waterside Routes

Peterborough offers a range of options to consider when planning your trip: a Grade I listed cathedral, collections relating to history and nature, and waterside routes and activities. When choosing where to stay, you can take cultural interests and the approximate time needed for individual routes into account.

Cathedral and Museum Collections

The Cathedral Church of St Peter, St Paul and St Andrew is a Grade I listed building. The main pedestrian entrance to the cathedral grounds leads from the Market Place through the Norman Gate archway. The cathedral also contains the remains of Queen Katharine of Aragon’s tomb.

The Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery’s collections span more than 150 million years of Peterborough’s history, environment and culture. A special collection is devoted to Norman Cross and is considered the largest and finest of its kind in the world. The museum’s marine reptile fossils are also a notable feature: collected locally from the Oxford Clay strata of the Jurassic period, they are of international importance.

Archaeology, Art and Landscape

The Flag Fen Museum displays one of the earliest wheels discovered in Britain. Children can try their hand at archaeological work in a recreated excavation area. The surroundings of Flag Fen include parkland that provides a habitat for wildlife. Those interested in medieval wall paintings can see depictions of the Wheel of Life, the Nativity and King David at Longthorpe Tower.

Waterside Routes and Activities

The Three Lakes Trail is a circular route that starts and ends at Ferry Meadows. It explores Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman settlements. It takes approximately 50 minutes to an hour; trail conditions may affect this. Ferry Meadows also has a 4-mile (6.4 km) circular cycling route that starts at Lakeside.

Nene Outdoors offers kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and other watersports on Gunwade Lake. There are also eco-friendly passenger boat trips around Ferry Meadows. Both activities are seasonal; check whether your chosen activity is available before your visit.

Thorpe Meadows has a different focus: a purpose-built rowing lake is surrounded by waterside paths for walking, cycling and jogging. Visitors can also learn to row there. The Sculpture Trail at Thorpe Meadows is 3.2 km long and takes approximately an hour. Its approximate duration is therefore similar to that of the Three Lakes Trail; the Sculpture Trail is also specified as being 3.2 km long.

Railworld and Historic Railways

Railworld Wildlife Haven is a visitor attraction in Peterborough. Volunteers transformed a disused coal yard into an urban green space with ponds and waterfalls. The site’s transformation and present-day landscape are the focus here.

The Nene Valley Railway is a historic steam railway running from Peterborough to Wansford. West of Peterborough, its trains pass through rural areas, parkland and riverside settings. If you plan a trip, check the timetable beforehand, as the route description does not indicate whether trains are currently running.

Discover more destinations: Wansford, Helpston, Ufford, Barnack, Northborough.

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