Suffolk &amp; Cambs


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why">WHY?</h2>



<p>As far north-west into Cambridgeshire as you can get without tipping over into Lincs or Northants, Wansford is an historic and pretty village on the River Nene, full of eye-catching honey-coloured stone buildings that give strong Cotswolds vibes. It’s home to a three AA Rosette award-winning restaurant, two lovely pubs and the headquarters of the Nene Valley Railway (the UK’s leading international steam attraction) so there’s plenty for foodies and history buffs alike. The village is next to the A1 and only 15mins from Peterborough, which is on the East Coast main line, but it feels a hundred miles away from anywhere urban.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eat-nbsp">EAT&nbsp;</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1125" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2023/01/prevost.jpg" alt="award-winning food at Prevost in wansford" class="wp-image-30545" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2023/01/prevost.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2023/01/prevost-800x600.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2023/01/prevost-1000x750.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2023/01/prevost-400x300.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2023/01/prevost-700x525.jpg 700w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Prevost at The Haycock</figcaption></figure>



<p>For special occasions and fine dining there’s&nbsp;<a href="https://haycock.co.uk/prevost-haycock/">Prévost at The Haycock</a>, a modern British brasserie in the Haycock Manor Hotel that has three AA Rosettes and was voted no.63 in the UK’s Top 100 Restaurants. The kitchen is led by chef Rikki Hughes, who spent six years at Tom Kerridge’s two Michelin starred Hand &amp; Flowers in Bucks. The hotel is also home to The Haycock Kitchen a more low-key and relaxed affair that’s open for breakfast through to dinner and serves classic British fare cooked to perfection.</p>



<p>The village has two pubs <a href="https://www.paper-mills.com">The Paper Mills</a>, a charming country pub and restaurant and The Cross Keys more of a local drinking pub with B&amp;B.&nbsp; For lovely breakfasts, brunches and lunches head to the new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thirteenwansford.co.uk/">Thirteen Wansford</a>, a cute and cosy café in the heart of the village. If you tire of all those options, the surrounding villages offer <a href="https://www.thefalcon-inn.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Falcon Inn</a>, a gastropub in Fotheringhay that serves elegant and utterly delicious food and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.crowninnelton.co.uk/eat/">The Crown Inn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theblackhorseatelton.co.uk/">The Black Horse</a>, both in nearby Elton.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shop">SHOP</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="990" height="1190" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2024/10/Beheme-vintage-clothing-shop-cmabridgeshire.jpg" alt="Beheme vintage clothing shop Wansford Cambridgeshire" class="wp-image-42350" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2024/10/Beheme-vintage-clothing-shop-cmabridgeshire.jpg 990w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2024/10/Beheme-vintage-clothing-shop-cmabridgeshire-666x800.jpg 666w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2024/10/Beheme-vintage-clothing-shop-cmabridgeshire-832x1000.jpg 832w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2024/10/Beheme-vintage-clothing-shop-cmabridgeshire-333x400.jpg 333w" sizes="(max-width: 990px) 100vw, 990px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Boheme</figcaption></figure>



<p>There’s a Post Office in Wansford as well as <a href="https://www.bohemeclothing.com/about/">Boheme</a> (a vintage clothes shop), <a href="https://vowbridal.co.uk">Vow Bridal boutique</a>, a pharmacy and an off licence. The nearest food shop is a Londis in Nassington. Head to Stamford in Lincs or Oundle in North Northants for independent boutiques galore or for more mainstream shops Peterborough is a short drive away.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-amp-wellbeing-nbsp">HEALTH &amp; WELLBEING&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Now this is cool and very on theme for a village with the UK&#8217;s largest steam railway station&#8230; a gym in a railway carriage! Yep, you can burn calories at the unique boutique setting of <a href="https://thecarriagefitness.com">The Carriage</a>, an exclusive fitness club for personal training and small groups between Wansford and Wittering. Other nearby fitness options include Canopy Yoga in nearby Ailsworth and <a href="https://www.davidlloyd.co.uk/clubs/peterborough/">David Lloyd Leisure</a> on the edge of Peterborough next to <a href="https://www.nenepark.org.uk">Nene Park</a>, which is an outdoor fitness lovers&#8217; paradise in its own right with wild swimming lakes and miles of trails and watersports to enjoy. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-community">COMMUNITY</h2>



<p>The Nene Valley Railway hosts lots of events for families to get involved in, including regular visits from Thomas the Tank Engine as well as more grown up fun like wartime reenactments. There&#8217;s a strong sense of community here with two village halls (reflecting the fact that Wansford is technically two villages on either side of the river!) and plenty of classes from dancing and yoga to dog training (seriously get a puppy and you&#8217;ll know the whole village in days!). Every year there&#8217;s the big summer village show and The Haycock Manor Hotel holds summer and Christmas fayres, plus other events throughout the year too. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nearby-attractions-nbsp">NEARBY ATTRACTIONS&nbsp;</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="844" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2024/06/nene-park-aerial-.jpg" alt="aerial shot of nene park Peterborough" class="wp-image-40440" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2024/06/nene-park-aerial-.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2024/06/nene-park-aerial--800x450.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2024/06/nene-park-aerial--1000x563.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2024/06/nene-park-aerial--400x225.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Nene Park</figcaption></figure>



<p>Muddy Award-winning Ferry Meadows at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nenepark.org.uk/Listing/Category/the-park">Nene Park</a> is a short drive away and is a huge expanse of amazing outdoors space full of sports activities and wildlife and hosts many events throughout the year including outdoor cinema in summer and an amazing Winter Festival near Christmas. There&#8217;s so much to do there it will become your second home if you move to Wansford. Kids and train enthusiasts will love visiting&nbsp;<a href="https://nvr.org.uk/">Nene Valley Railway</a> based at Wansford Station, where you can board a classic steam train or enjoy one of the many themed events each year. Over the border in Northants, you’re just a 5mins from Fotheringhay Castle, birthplace of Richard III and where Mary Queen of Scots was beheaded and there&#8217;s also English Heritage&#8217;s <a href="https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/apethorpe-palace/">Apethorpe Palace</a>, once owned by Elizabeth I, now a private house but open to the public in this summer months. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-culture">CULTURE</h2>



<p>Elton Hall in the next door village hosts concerts, festivals, car shows and antique and craft fairs from time to time. The historic market square and Cathedral in Peterborough is regularly transformed for events and festivals such as food and drink festivals. Peterborough also has a couple of theatres –&nbsp;<a href="https://keytheatre-peterborough.com/">The Key Theatre</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://newtheatre-peterborough.com/">New Theatre</a>&nbsp;as well as an arts centre,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cresset.co.uk/">The Cresset</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://creativeoundle.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oundle Intrernational Festival</a>&nbsp;takes place in July, with tons of fab music, theatre and a buzzing food festival alongside.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-average-house-prices">AVERAGE HOUSE PRICES</h2>



<p>A village this pretty comes with a price tag to match. Properties in Wansford sold for an overall average price of £610,917 over the last year.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hot-property-nbsp">HOT PROPERTY&nbsp;</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="576" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2024/09/92042_HUC103368_IMG_15_0000.jpeg" alt="character cottage for sale in Wansford Cambs " class="wp-image-42109" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2024/09/92042_HUC103368_IMG_15_0000.jpeg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2024/09/92042_HUC103368_IMG_15_0000-800x450.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2024/09/92042_HUC103368_IMG_15_0000-1000x563.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2024/09/92042_HUC103368_IMG_15_0000-400x225.jpeg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A pretty 4 bed character cottage with a large mature garden in Wansford. <a href="https://www.hurfords.co.uk/property-for-sale/peterborough-wansford/pe8-6lb/3039995" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">On the market for £575,000</a>.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nurseries-nbsp">NURSERIES&nbsp;</h2>



<p>No nurseries in the village itself but there are some good options nearby.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.firstforchildcare.com/small-wonders">Small Wonders Day Nursery</a>&nbsp;is 15 mins away in Oundle, over the North Northamptonshire border and&nbsp;<a href="https://ormistonmeadows.co.uk/nursery/about-the-nursery">Stars &amp; Sparkles Day Nursery</a>&nbsp;in Orton Brimbles is located at the western edge of Peterborough, just 10 mins away. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-schools-nbsp">SCHOOLS&nbsp;</h2>



<p>There isn’t a school in Wansford but in the next village there’s <a href="https://www.nassingtonschool.org.uk">Nassington Primary School</a> or head north to nearby <a href="https://www.wittering.peterborough.sch.uk">Wittering Primary School</a>. If you’re considering independent schools, you’re in a bit of a golden triangle, with <a href="https://www.oundleschool.org.uk">Oundle School</a> just down the road,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thepeterboroughschool.co.uk/">Peterborough School</a>&nbsp;a short drive east and <a href="https://stamfordschools.org.uk/">Stamford School</a>&nbsp;a smidge over the Lincs border.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-kept-secret-nbsp">BEST KEPT SECRET&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The village straddles the River Nene so you&#8217;ll want to buy a wetsuit and join the many wild swimmers, kayakers and paddle-boarders who make the most of the riverside location. And, if you want to learn, head across the A1 to <a href="https://www.adventurenene.com">Adventure Nene</a> for lessons or to Nene Park, where they run courses in lots of different watersports. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-commute-nbsp">COMMUTE&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Peterborough station has direct trains into Kings Cross, with the fast service taking 49 mins. A season ticket costs £7,824. London by car is a 2 hr drive.</p>



<p>Main image credit: <em>Meadow Cottage, Wansford&nbsp;by&nbsp;Paul Buckingham</em></p>



<p><em>View the full&nbsp;<a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/best-places-to-live/">Top 300 Places to Live</a>.</em></p>


Wansford

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