Connect Ely with Slow Ways

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Ely

Cambridgeshire


Slow Ways linking Ely and Brandon, Chatteris, Littleport, March, Mildenhall, Soham, Waterbeach, Willingham

England / Cambridgeshire / Ely

Ely’s eight Slow Ways are 50% checked

Drawn: 8/8
reviewed: 7/8
verified: 2/8
and surveyed: 0/8

Help connect Ely

Many Slow Ways have several route options. Some will be better than others, or good for different reasons.

Our goal is for each Slow Way to have at least one route that is verified and surveyed. To be verified – and get its snail badge – a route needs at least three positive reviews.

Give a hike and help get a for every one of Ely’s Slow Ways.

Walk to Ely from further afield

Slow Way Route To do
Chatteris—Ely
Chaely one Review me Distance 24km/15mi Ascent 64m Descent 76m
Ely—Brandon
Elybra one Review me Distance 33km/21mi Ascent 99m Descent 109m
Ely—Littleport
Elylit one

Review me Distance 11km/7mi Ascent 64m Descent 45m
Ely—Littleport
Elylit two

Double check Distance 11km/7mi Ascent - Descent -
Ely—Littleport
Elylit three Survey me Distance 10km/6mi Ascent - Descent -
Ely—Mildenhall
Elymil one Review me Distance 26km/16mi Ascent 88m Descent 98m
Ely—Soham
Elysoh one Pioneer me Distance 13km/8mi Ascent 43m Descent 56m
Ely—Soham
Elysoh two

Double check Distance 12km/7mi Ascent 38m Descent 51m
March—Ely
Marely one

Double check Distance 33km/21mi Ascent 130m Descent 112m
Waterbeach—Ely
Wately one Survey me Distance 19km/12mi Ascent 94m Descent 80m
Willingham—Ely
Wilely one Pioneer me Distance 22km/13mi Ascent 61m Descent 74m

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Collective progress

55% of Ely’s eight route options are drawn, reviewed, surveyed and/or verified

11/11

drawn

9/11

reviewed

2/11

surveyed

2/11

verified

15 people have contributed to Ely’s Slow Ways

7 people have pledged to walk and review a route

2 people have surveyed a route in Ely

178km out of 212km have been walked and reviewed

291km of reviews have been shared in Ely

Latest Updates

That said there is a bit near Lakenheath on the B1112 that had no path but an ok verge to jump onto when the road was both way traffic. An alternative route would skip some of the road section into the village/town taking the dirt road/track and following the public footpath on the right of the river. The part of the route also after Shippea hill along the A road was a bit hairy too even though it followed the Hereward Way. That said there were a few road stretches where there was a path but a bit hidden/above on a bank which you might miss if you don't also have a map....

Truffle

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Ely—Brandon

Alex Bennett pledged to walk Elybra one

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In general, the route was accurate and easy to follow, and it took me 6 hours in total from start to finish. The walk starts at the Oliver Cromwell House (see photo 1) in the shadow of the impressive Ely Cathedral, and initially follows a quiet residential street before crossing over the busy A10 which requires patience and fortitude (photo 2), then along a quiet-ish single-track country road. Just before reaching the village of Coveney the route deviates to the left and follows a series of grass tracked byways before turning left onto a country road (photos 4 and 5). This is a pleasant section of the route and follows the drain for some distance before crossing over on a footbridge (photo 8). There follows another section of mostly quiet Fenland road, before turning right and walking along some drove roads. It is essentially safe apart from the busy A-road crossings and the route is accurate, though there are numerous paths that are wet and muddy that would be difficult to access using the route in a wheelchair....

pcgosling

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Ely—Brandon

Halkeelin1997 pledged to walk Elybra one

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Wasn't completely clear if you could walk along the edge of the river immediately south of Victoria Street in Littleport but there's an easy diversion down another footpath a little further along which quickly reconnects you to the river. A number of stiles to climb over but good to be off road for most of it - though there aren't many places to shelter from the rain on the river section if it's a wet day, and no facilities outside of the towns it connects....

213mik

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The railway crossing about 4 miles out from Ely is closed requiring a back track and making use of the walker unfriendly roads....

WillBriggs

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The first half of the route between Ely and river takes in some areas of housing and then skirts through Ely Country Park and areas of common land, rich in vegetation and wildlife....

kib21

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Ely—Littleport

mtormey added Elylit three, a new walk from Ely to Littleport

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I like the idea of there being a route that doesn't simply use the riverside between Ely and Littleport, but this one unfortunately doesn't work!...

mtormey

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A short stretch of footpaths amid the various rail lines in the area gets you to the walk along the River Ouse. From there, it's a straightforward walk all the way to Littleport....

mtormey

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Path is uneven in places and can be muddy in winter and a bit overgrown in places in the summer. Spring is a perfect time to walk it. When you get to Ely you can cross the river and continue following it in towards town on the north side rather than going straight to the centre....

Jeanette

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Very simple route to follow to get from Waterbeach to Ely by mostly following the bank of the River Cam/Great Ouse. The path from just south of Upware to Dimmock's Cote Road can be very muddy during the winter and can be very uneven in places. There are often cows in the fields between Waterbeach and Upware, so care needs to be taken in some of those fields....

cenbons

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Ely

bemo surveyed Ely

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I walked from Littleport, but the footbridge was closed, therefore continued on along the river, eventually coming into Ely by crossing the river on the main road bridge south of the town. After that you can go back up the river and into the town, but I went to the railway station. If the bridge is going to remain closed a new route is needed, perhaps keeping on the West Bank of the river....

Treeflea

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Ely—Littleport

bemo added Elylit two, a new walk from Ely to Littleport

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It’s generally a straightforward route, the only issue being that the pedestrian footbridge across the River Great Ouse around 1 Km south of Queen Adelaide is currently closed, with access to the footbridge blocked by wire mesh fencing....

swebbews

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The route is not the most picturesque, although the stretch along the river is pleasant enough. The paths were generally well-maintained, apart from one kissing gate that was overgrown with nettles. There was some confusion at the Soham end of the walk regarding the route under the railway line - we ended up going under a very low bridge to reach the other side....

stevemmitchell

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stevemmitchell took this photo on Elysoh two

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The section just to the south of Dimmock's Cote Road can be very wet and muddy: it's a heavily rutted farm track. North of Dimmock's Cote Road the route skirts Kingfishers Bridge nature reserve: take care to follow local signs regarding paths in order to avoid disturbing ground-nesting birds....

kib21

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Grassy path (river bank) all the way from Queen Adelaide to Littleport. Grass path is sometimes over grown and cows can be found grazing. Not suitable for wheelchair users....

Slowwaywalker

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carolinealicemead surveyed Elylit one

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The section between Little Downham and the Hundred Foot Washes isn't really walkable, sadly: most of it's extremely overgrown all year round, to the extent that it's basically impassable. A better option is to take West Fen Drove out of Little Downham, then Byall Fen Drove to the Hundred Foot Washes. (The path along the edge of the Washes isn't great either, but it does exist!)...

Katie Sykes

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rachellzbth surveyed Elymil one

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It's possible to get refreshments and use the toilet at Jude's Ferry in West Row (if you walk by during opening hours), in Isleham at the Co-op if you walk into the village, and Prickwillow if your walk lines up with the opening times at the Engine Museum....

rachellzbth

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rachellzbth took this photo on Elymil one

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Ely

Anne Jackson surveyed Ely

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Ely

LimeyHoya surveyed Ely

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Chatteris—Ely

Slow Ways added Chaely one, a new walk from Chatteris to Ely

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Ely—Brandon

Slow Ways added Elybra one, a new walk from Ely to Brandon

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Ely—Littleport

Slow Ways added Elylit one, a new walk from Ely to Littleport

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Ely—Mildenhall

Slow Ways added Elymil one, a new walk from Ely to Mildenhall

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Ely—Soham

Slow Ways added Elysoh one, a new walk from Ely to Soham

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Ely—Soham

Slow Ways added Elysoh two, a new walk from Ely to Soham

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March—Ely

Slow Ways added Marely one, a new walk from March to Ely

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Waterbeach—Ely

Slow Ways added Wately one, a new walk from Waterbeach to Ely

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Willingham—Ely

Slow Ways added Wilely one, a new walk from Willingham to Ely

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1

Ely, Tue 16 April

11°

Cloudy

Ely’s Slow Ways starting point

Grid ref

TL5380580266

Lat / Lon

52.39882° / 0.25923°

Easting / Northing

553,805E / 280,266N

Fancy stretching your legs a bit more?

If you’ve polished off all of the routes between Ely and its neighbours, how about walking its whole web?

This includes the great ring of routes that join its neighbours to each other!

Facilities

Users have reported that the following facilities can be found within 1km of Ely's meeting point

Public toilet

Wheelchair accessible toilet

Supermarket or convenience shop

Restaurant, cafe or pub

Accommodation

Accommodation for under £50 a night

Campsite

Bothy

Free wifi

Mobility scooter hire

Off-road wheelchair hire

Disabled Parking

Train station

Bus stop

Ferry

Official ‘Walkers are Welcome’ town

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