Whether it’s on land or lake the summer fun at Peterborough’s Nene Park is limitless.
Our favourite green space has as much to offer on the water as it does throughout the Park so why waste petrol and get stuck in the holiday traffic jams when you can live it up locally?
Pedaloes, ice cream, barbecues and picnics, play areas and cycle routes plus loads of special fun activities - who needs the coast?
The Nene Outdoors Pay & Play activities at Gunwade Lake can keep adults and children entertained for hours with the chance to paddle board, canoe, kayak, windsurf, sail or just settle back in a rather large swan pedalo and cruise around in the sun! The electric passenger boat is a great new addition and can take you on a leisurely trip up the river wildlife spotting.
On land there’s archery and climbing sessions throughout the holidays along with special events, huge open spaces to play in, cycle hire to explore further afield and loads of walking trails to follow.
So what to choose? We asked one Peterborough family to try activities on the water and in the Park.
Mum and dad, Jen and Justin and their daughters Imogen and Isla have spent many great days out at Ferry Meadows before, but they still found new experiences to enjoy.
“In all the years we’ve been visiting the Park, this was our first boat trip but we all loved the experience. It was great to explore the Park from a different perspective and our helmsman Devon was very knowledgeable. We couldn’t believe how quiet the electric boat was, which we believe resulted in us appreciating some of the local wildlife, including herons and kingfishers.”
They agree that for anyone living in the local area, the country park at Ferry Meadows feels like the perfect local day out.
“As a family, we’ve been visiting for years. It’s ideal if you just want a couple of hours in the fresh air with the added bonus of having fantastic play parks for the little ones, however you can easily spend an entire day there, making use of the extensive range of activities.
“The Park caters for everyone, whether it’s a family wanting a peaceful walk, exploring the local wildlife or those wanting a more adventurous day out.”
There’s such a broad range of water sports and fun to be had on the lake but those unmissable swan pedaloes gliding around are always a winner.
“We really enjoyed being on the lake taking turns to manoeuvre our swan, in amongst others taking advantage of the water based activities who seemed to be having a great time too. Our girls loved the fact they were both able to take control of the steering and have a go at pedalling too. They also particularly enjoyed how close the swans and ducks came to our pedalo!”
The experienced instructors at Nene Outdoors make sure everyone’s safe and has a great time. The summer holidays are all about having the time to try new experiences and James and his team encourage all age groups to have a go.
“Our ten year-old daughter has previously been paddle boarding on the lake and absolutely loved it,” said Justin. “She was a little apprehensive at first but due to the patience and encouragement of the instructor, by the end of her session she was able to stand up, control her board and was desperate to give it another go.”
On land there’s just as much to do and an opportunity to really explore with great pathways suitable for all abilities, wheelchairs and buggies as well as handy cycle hire facilities offering a range of bikes and helmets located next to the Lakeside Café at Nene Outdoors.
Jen says - “The reason we love biking around the Park is because we find a different trail each time we visit. The Park is actually so much bigger than some may realise. It’s also a safe place for children to ride and our own daughters gained so much confidence from our bike rides at the Park when they first learnt to ride a bike.
“All staff we came across were friendly, approachable and extremely knowledgeable about the Park, there are good facilities for eating, drinking and for the children to just run around and be themselves.”
Whatever you choose to do, make this the summer you explore one of Peterborough’s best local days out!
To find out what’s happening during the holidays and to book your activities in advance so you don’t miss out, just head to www.nenepark.org.uk
ESP BOAT TRIP OFFER
ESP readers can receive a 10% discount on tickets for the eco-passenger boat trips. Just enter discount code ESP10 when booking online. The offer is valid until the end of September 2022.