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The Peterborough Green Wheel ride
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Based on a network of traffic calmed and traffic free roads and paths the Peterborough green wheel is a Millennium commission sponsored project. When complete it will provide a 80 km route linking all of Peterborough's major tourist sites and attractions.
Currently the best day out on the green wheel would be based around Ferry Meadows country park cycling along the Green Wheel to the Peakirk wildfowl gardens a distance of some 19 miles. The Ferry Meadows country park also offers the Nene Star river cruiser, windsurfing, sailing and rowing boat hire. Two snack bars, a Bar, an adventure playground, miniature train, horse riding and a pay and play golf course and pitch and putt complete the facilities on offer. Combine this with acres of open countryside and ancient woodlands and you have an ideal base for your Green Wheel day out.
The park is also home to one of the Peterborough Sculpture trust's major works, Pyramid by John Maine. Cutting through the park is the Nene Valley Railway, where you can often see Thomas the Tank engine with Annie and Clarabell. You can experience a ride on a steam train from the Ferry Meadows station.
When you start out along the wheel towards Peakirk you will pass through Marholm, home to the Fitzwilliam Arms pub, locally known as the Green Man because of its topiary. The Green Man is a true family pub, with a great beer garden, children's play area and a menu to suit all ages and budgets.
The next site on the route is the haunted Woodcroft castle. Cycling along you will meet Etton Rail Crossing, one of the few crossings of the East coast main line that is still operated manually. As you cross the line you may reflect on the Mallard and its speed records which were set on this stretch of line.
Just before you enter the village of Etton there is a chance to take a short diversion to visit Helpston, the birthplace of John Clare. Etton village is another picturesque small Cambridgeshire village, with another excellent family pub for eating and refreshment. The Golden Pheasant has a wide range of both beers and food on offer and a children's play area and aviary.
After passing through the village you will cross the main A15 by way of the newly constructed Etton tunnels. As you cross the old A15 you are only one and a half miles from Terry Wright Cycles in Deeping St James, turn left at the A16, right as you go through Northborough and left at the Deeping river bridge and pop in and say hello.
Back on the green wheel, you are nearly at the wildfowl gardens. Follow the Green wheel signs, through Glinton and past the Foxcovert road turn (you will be going this way back), the wildfowl gardens are on your right as you exit the village. The gardens offer a chance to view many rare and unusual species of wildfowl, particularly exciting are the downy duckling days during spring, where if you are lucky you will see chicks being hatched. There is also a gift shop and cafe, the gardens are an interesting and educative afternoon out.
Heading back towards Ferry Meadows gives you a choice of routes, you can either retrace your steps or head back via Foxcovert road and the newly laid cycle path that skirts Werrington village. If you choose to take the Werrington route, be warned that you have to cross the main railway using the pedestrian footbridge at Hurn Road (i.e. get off and push). This route brings you back to Marholm where there is yet another route choice turn left and you ride through Milton estate and the green wheel's own path through Bretton Woods which will bring you into the park via thorpe wood. Straight ahead and you will retrace your original route back to the park.
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