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Wicken Fen - some history

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The National Trust's oldest nature reserve, and England's most famous fen - Wicken Fen, one of Europe's most important wetlands, supports an abundance of wildlife. There are more than 9000 species, (I didn`t count them) including a spectacular array of plants, birds and dragonflies. The raised boardwalk and lush grass droves allow easy access to a lost landscape of flowering meadows, sedge and reed beds, where you can encounter rarities such as hen harriers, water voles and bitterns. They have grazing herds of Highland cattle and Konik ponies which are helping to create a diverse range of new habitats.  This site  is always a delight to visit,  and one of our favourites.  Fen Cottage . The cottage is one of the last surviving buildings of a once thriving hamlet whose residents lived and worked on the fen. Built in various stages from the late 18th - early 20th Century, it was constructed from local materials including peat, wood, sedge, reed and clay, much