THE LOWDOWN

aerial shot of Ferry Meadows at nene park Peterborough

Looking for the holy grail of family days out? You know the type… somewhere kids and parents will enjoy in equal measure, where no screens are involved, dogs are welcome, it doesn’t cost the earth and you can easily spend a whole day there without anyone saying “I’m bored”.

Well, we know just the place – Ferry Meadows in Peterborough, a country park with over 658 acres of gorgeous parkland, woodland, lakes and meadows with walking routes, cycling trails, play areas and water-based activities galore that’ll keep all ages happy and tire out even the most energetic kids.

Ferry Meadows is part of the larger Nene Park Estate including Orton Meadows, Orton Mere, Woodston Reach, Thorpe Meadows and The Rural Estate and it will blow your mind how much glorious greenery is open to the public right on the edge of the city.

For families, Ferry Meadows is the place to head because there’s so much to see and do. Attractions include a visitor centre and two cafés, a farm shop, three play areas, the Nene Outdoors Watersports and Activity Centre, a miniature railway, boat rides and miles of trails to walk or cycle.

The park is open all year round, (with cheap parking and no entry fee!), and we particularly love the events that they put on for families, including the Nature Tots parent and toddler groups, Wild Home Educator sessions, wildlife events, guided walks and wildlife boat trips. Over the summer Ferry Meadows is at its very best with outdoor theatre and cinema screenings, music in the park and the brilliant Six Weeks of Summer campaign that includes so many activities that you could easily visit every week and never get bored.

WHAT TO DO

Swan and dragon pedalos at Gunwade Lake Ferry Meadows

You won’t be at a loose end here, guaranteed. Instead you’ll be wondering which activities to prioritise and which to save for the inevitable follow-up trip. We started our day at the huge and impressive Watersports and Activity Centre with a trip out on the serene Gunwade Lake on board a pedalo. My kids, aged 6 and 3, had a quick tussle over whether we’d board a swan or dragon, and then we were off, gliding across the water spotting wildlife and soaking up the serenity.

It was deceptively hard moving the pedalo along the lake against the current and my muscles ached the next day (I really must go to the gym more!). Fortunately the nicest moments were when we just drifted around enjoying the silence and spotting birds. My restless children kept moving seats and didn’t sit still for long, but with life jackets on and the pedalo feeling very sturdy it wasn’t a worry and I’d recommend it for all ages.

At the watersports centre they operate a Pay & Play system meaning anyone can have a go. You can hire paddleboards, rowing boats, kayaks, canoes, dinghies, windsurf boards, and wetsuits. As well as hiring the equipment there’s the chance to book tuition for both adults and children as well as scheduled courses to join.

Once we’d manoeuvred the swan back to the jetty and managed to bribe the kids out of the shop, we drove the short distance round to the main car park at Ferry Meadows for our boat trip. Just opposite the café and farm shop (more on that later) there’s a small jetty where you can board an eco passenger boat that takes you along Overton Lake and the River Nene to spot wildlife. It’s only £9 per person and children under 3 go free, plus dogs are welcome on board. You can also hire the boat for private trips.

We were amazed at how quiet the electric boat was, but delighted too as it made spotting wildlife much easier and meant we could really enjoy the peace and tranquility of the surroundings. The children loved standing at the bow of the boat shouting with joy every time they saw an electric blue dragonfly, swan, duck or moorhen. The absolute highlight of the trip though had to be the two kingfishers we managed to spot – a dream come true for any birders, including my husband.

The friendly “captain” of our boat took us along the river to pretty Milton Ferry Bridge, a top spot for wild swimming if that’s your thing, before turning round. He was happy to answer all our wildlife questions and was an excellent guide. After 45 minutes, we docked back at the jetty where the children spent a joyful half hour feeding the ducks with the free duck food provided at the café counter.

It’s not all about the water here, so if messing about on the river isn’t your thing, there’s plenty of other things to keep you busy. There are three separate play areas catering for all ages, so you won’t find any sullen tweens or teens sat on screens while toddlers go down the slide for the umpteenth time, because there’s something for everyone.

With young children in tow we headed straight to Otter Play, next to the café. This is a brilliant fenced in area with sand, water, rocks and trees as well as a slide, cradle swings and a log tunnel. It was small enough for my three year old to navigate herself, but not too small to bore my six year old.

If you’re here with slightly older kids than mine then check out Badger Play, located along the pathway between the Visitor Centre and Ham Bridge. This natural forest school style play area has bird nest turrets, climbing trunks, a tube slide, swings and a trampoline as well as a wooded area for den building and exploration.

wooden play area called Fox Play at Ferry Meadows

Finally, Fox Play, which opened in 2021, is ideal for older kids with 13 pieces of play equipment, including 2 zip wires, a tunnel, a slide, a climbing tower, tyre swings, an accessible upright swing, pump-operated forest fountains, a 4-seater seesaw, balance beams, and a wheelchair accessible wobbly bridge. There’s also a toddler swing, so this should be your play area of choice if you’re entertaining a range of ages.

We also loved the look of the miniature railway for younger children. The cute train takes you through the different meadows and past two lakes, and is a brilliant way to see the park if little legs are getting tired. As with everything at Ferry Meadows it’s super affordable – just £2 for a single or £3 return, and there’s an accessible wheelchair carriage too.

SCOFF & QUAFF

There’s no denying that lots of fresh air makes for hungry children (and adults), and Ferry Meadows more than caters for empty tummies. If you’re post-pedalo at the watersports centre there’s the Lakeside Kitchen & Bar, with a huge terrace that juts out over the lake and looks nothing short of idyllic on a summer’s day. This café serves breakfast, light lunches and larger meals as well as afternoon tea and can be booked for private events.

Over by the visitor centre there’s the main Ferry Meadows Café with both inside and outside seating. We enjoyed incredibly delicious cakes and coffee here while the children had ice creams. It’s a really popular spot for breakfast and lunch, dogs are welcome and it’s right next to Otter Play, so kids can run around while they wait for the food to arrive.

If you’re trying to keep the costs down after multiple costly summer days out you’ll be very pleased to hear you don’t have to buy the food in the cafés as there are plenty of places to picnic around the park. Some picnic tables have pull out trays on the end for holding disposable BBQs and there are even fixed BBQ stands dotted around that can be used on a first come, first served basis.

To top it all off, there’s an award-winning farm shop in the visitor centre that is a wonderful place to round off a visit to Ferry Meadows. It’s a proper treasure trove of all our region’s best produce, including a bakery as well as meat from Grasmere Farm. A word of warning, if you don’t want kids to whine on at you for a present then head in alone or get them to bring their pocket money, because there’s also a very tempting range of gifts, homewares and games and toys.

WHAT ELSE?

In July 2024 Ferry Meadows introduced the inaugural Summer Nights event, a programme of outdoor theatre and cinema screenings. With plenty of family friendly options it’s a great idea for an affordable summer treat for the kids. There’s still plenty of time to get involved with 12 more shows taking place throughout August. Find out more here.

summer nights outdoor cinema at ferry meadows

When it comes to special seasonal events Ferry Meadows really delivers. Over the summer holidays there’s the Six Weeks of Summer Programme, which includes a packed schedule of family-friendly events every day. Our top picks include a Pop-Up Fun Park, a climbing wall, foodie Fridays, craft and wildlife workshops and the special two-day sailing courses for kids. Throughout the year you’ll also find Halloween events and a brilliant Christmas programme.

To really embrace the wild, outdoorsy experience you can camp at Ferry Meadows and soak up the natural surroundings by day and night. There are two dog-friendly campsites to choose from and both come with benches, fixed bbq stands, fire pits, wash stations with sinks and a drinking water tap, so it’s a good option if sleeping under canvas isn’t your usual holiday style!

THE VERDICT

Good for: Family days out, it’s a whoop-a minute wonderland for the kids especially toddlers to tweens, who will have a blast. Active teenagers will love the watersports on offer too. It’s a lovely, wholesome day out in the fresh air, that’s fun for everyone and won’t make a huge dent in the summer holiday fund. What’s not to love?

Not for: We can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t get something out of a day trip here. While it’s obviously great for kids, there’s so much space that adults seeking solitude are more than catered for too. Exercise fanatics can make use of all the trails and sports facilities while wildlife lovers can amble along the river in the eco boat. Plus it’s all flat (this is Peterborough after all) so buggy pushers and wheelchair users can access everything.

Ferry Meadows, Ham Farm House, Ham Lane, Peterborough, PE2 5UU, nenepark.org.uk

The great outdoors! Family fun and fresh air at Ferry Meadows, Peterborough

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