A new walking and cycling map is now available for Wisbech, to help residents and visitors make the most of local routes that can be enjoyed on foot or by bike.

The map is the second in a series of maps being created by Fenland District Council aimed at encouraging people to leave their cars at home and travel actively across the district, for work and school, as well as exploring the area for leisure.                                                                                                     

The new Wisbech Walking and Cycling Map follows the launch of the Whittlesey Walking and Cycling Map in 2021, and preparations are well underway to launch maps for Chatteris and March later this year.

The maps, which are part of the Council’s Cycling, Walking and Mobility Aid Improvement Strategy, highlight the plentiful opportunities for walking and cycling throughout the district.

With its relatively flat landscape, the Fens is one of the best places in the country to walk and cycle, providing lots of easy terrain for all ages and abilities to enjoy.

The maps can also help people to plan their journeys by combining walking and cycling routes to key locations, and include links to longer, more challenging cycling routes connected to the National Cycle Network routes which run across Fenland.

Cllr Chris Seaton, Fenland District Council’s portfolio holder for social mobility and heritage, said: “Walking or cycling has many benefits for our health and wellbeing, the local environment and our wallets (no tax, no fuel, no fares)! Cycling can also be faster than travelling by car for short journeys, especially around town.

“Supporting people’s journeys through active travel around Fenland, be it to work, school or pleasure, is a priority for the council, so I’m pleased we’re creating these maps for all four of our Fenland towns.

I hope this latest one for Wisbech will introduce more people to the great cycling and walking network available in and around the town, and of course encourage people to be more active.”

The Wisbech Walking and Cycling Map has been funded by the Government’s Active Travel Capability Fund and was created with significant input from local stakeholders and community groups.

It features local pubs and village shops as well as local tourist attractions including Peckover House and Gardens, Wisbech Castle, Octavia Hill Birthplace and Elgood’s Brewery, Gardens and Visitor Centre.

The map can be downloaded and printed for free from fenland.gov.uk/leisure or picked up from a number of local outlets including the Community Hub, Wisbech Library, the Hudson Leisure Centre, Octavia Hill House, Peckover House and Wisbech Museum, as well as the Rosmini Centre, Queen Mary Centre and Trinity Centre.

The Whittlesey Walking and Cycling Map, which was funded through Cambridgeshire County Council’s Integrated Transport Block funding, can also be downloaded and printed for free from fenland.gov.uk/leisure. 

It can also be picked up from various outlets in the town including Whittlesey Library, Whittlesey Town Council offices, the Manor Leisure Centre and Whittlesey Museum.