Yaxley

Day Trips

Settle into your cosy B&B overlooking the peaceful River Nene and watch boats drift by. Breathe in the fresh countryside air as you stroll along the towpath shaded by ancient willow trees. Immerse yourself in the gentle rhythm of local life, pausing to admire wildflowers dotting the riverbank.

Meander into Yaxley village centre for a traditional pub lunch where friendly locals share stories over hearty pies. Explore narrow lanes lined with historic cottages and the 19th-century parish church of St Peter and St Paul. Pop into a village store to sample regional cheeses and freshly baked bread.

As dusk falls, return to your B&B garden to sip a glass of local English wine while watching swans glide on the Nene. Listen to owls hooting and frogs croaking in the nearby marshes, creating a serene soundtrack to the twilight. Drift off under a blanket of stars, warmed by the glow of a crackling wood stove.

Drive the short distance to Peterborough and enter the majestic Norman cathedral, gazing up at soaring arches and medieval stained glass. Join a guided tour to uncover centuries of royal visits, monastic rituals, and wartime resilience. Feel the cool hush of the cloisters where generations of worshippers once gathered.

Lunch at a riverside café along the Nene, featuring seasonal salads and hearty stews sourced from Cambridgeshire farms. Stroll across the medieval bridge to explore charming side streets, independent bookshops and artisan boutiques. Stop for afternoon tea in a converted mill with views of the gently flowing river.

Return to Yaxley and dine in a family-run gastropub serving locally reared lamb and freshly harvested vegetables. Chat with the landlord about village folklore by the warmth of a roaring fireplace. End the day with a peaceful moonlit walk through adjacent farmland fields.

Begin at Sacrewell Farm and Watermill, where water-powered machinery turns grain into flour as it has for centuries. Watch a live milling demonstration, feeling the vibrations of the wheel and inhaling the scent of freshly ground wheat. Wander through historic outbuildings filled with farm tools and rustic décor.

Enjoy a farm-to-table lunch in the converted barn café, sampling homemade pies and seasonal vegetable soups. Explore the surrounding meadows to encounter rare breed sheep and heritage piglets in their paddocks. Participate in a hands-on workshop crushing oats or making butter by churning fresh cream.

Head back to your accommodation and prepare a picnic basket with local cheese and apple chutney for an al fresco dinner. Find a quiet riverside spot to feast as the sun dips below the horizon. Listen to the gentle lapping of water and the distant calls of geese settling in for the night.

Spend the morning at Ferry Meadows Country Park, cycling along flat, well-marked trails surrounded by woodland and lakes. Rent a bike or take a guided eco-tour to learn about native tree species and birdlife. Pause at scenic viewpoints to photograph kingfishers darting over the water.

Hire a rowing boat or canoe from the visitor centre and glide across the shimmering lake, feeling the cool spray on your face. Picnic on a grassy bank beneath ancient oak trees while swans glide past. For a thrill, try paddleboarding in the sheltered inlet and spot dragonflies skimming the surface.

Join an evening ranger-led walk to witness bats emerging at dusk and listen to their echoing calls via a bat detector. Gather around a campfire circle for locally baked bread roasted on sticks and mugs of steaming spiced cider. Return under a canopy of stars to your B&B, lulled by the chirping of crickets.

Explore Flag Fen Archaeology Park, marveling at reconstructed Bronze Age platforms and ancient wooden paddles. Walk the raised boardwalks across peat marsh to see the remains of dwellings submerged for millennia. Listen to expert archaeologists explain how prehistoric communities thrived here thousands of years ago.

Sample a hearty ploughman’s lunch in the centre’s café before scanning artifact displays in the on-site museum. Handle replica tools and pottery to imagine life in Bronze Age Cambridgeshire. Join a hands-on workshop to learn primitive fire-starting methods or weave simple baskets from local reeds.

Return to Yaxley and dine at a cosy riverside inn offering classic British fare with modern twists. Order locally caught trout or mushroom risotto, complemented by regional ales. End the evening with a riverside stroll beneath glowing lanterns strung between trees.

Take a half-day trip to Burghley House, one of England’s grandest Elizabethan mansions. Wander through opulent state rooms decked with tapestries, fine china and ancestral portraits. Stroll through formal gardens trimmed with geometric hedges and cascading fountains.

Enjoy afternoon tea in the courtyard tea room, indulging in delicate finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and sweet pastries. Explore the deer park on a guided walk, spotting fallow deer grazing in the sunlit glades. Photograph the iconic Long Water and the sweeping façade reflected in its surface.

Back in Yaxley, treat yourself to a wine-pairing dinner at a boutique restaurant featuring seasonal produce. Engage the chef in conversation about foraging local herbs and flowers for garnish. Conclude the meal with a decadent chocolate tart and a nightcap by candlelight.

Visit Eye Nature Reserve at dawn to catch sight of marsh harriers and kestrels soaring above reed beds. Follow boardwalks through willow carr and wet grassland for close encounters with water voles and dragonflies. Feel the tranquility of untouched wetland teeming with life.

Lunchtime brings a packed picnic in a hide overlooking a reed-fringed lake, where great white egrets and herons stand statuesque. Browse identification guides to tick off species on your life list or capture wildlife shots through a spotting scope. Then take a short guided foray into adjacent woodlands to learn about native fungi and mosses.

Return to Yaxley for dinner at a riverside brasserie with floor-to-ceiling windows looking onto the Nene. Sample pan-seared duck breast with blackberry jus and local root vegetables. As night falls, relax with a riverside bench stroll, listening to the gentle rush of water and distant owl calls.

Hire e-bikes from a local outfitter and set off on the Nene Way cycle route, following the gentle curves of the river through countryside. Stop at historic lock keeper’s cottages and read their interpretation panels about 18th-century barge traffic. Savor the wind in your hair as you pass grazing sheep and golden wheat fields.

Break for a countryside picnic beside a weir, sampling meats and cheeses from a nearby farm shop. Continue pedaling to rural hamlets where stone churches perch on low hills. Pop into a thatched tea garden for iced lemonade and homemade scones before heading back.

Celebrate your cycling feat with a hearty riverside barbecue at a local community hub, sharing travel tales with fellow riders. Roast sausages and corn over open flames while children play near the water’s edge. Retire to your B&B and luxuriate in a hot bath with aromatic salts after a day in the saddle.

Embark on a day trip to Stamford, one of England’s best-preserved medieval towns, lined with honey-coloured stone buildings. Join a guided walking tour to learn about its role in Victorian literature and film. Explore hidden courtyards and striking Georgian façades that have stood for centuries.

Enjoy lunch at a riverside pub overlooking the Welland, choosing dishes crafted from locally sourced game and fish. Browse independent shops for antique books, artisanal chocolates and bespoke pottery. Wander through the Bob Champion Research & Education Building gardens for a peaceful respite.

Return to Yaxley and dine on a seasonal tasting menu at an intimate farm-to-fork restaurant. Engage with the chef curator as each dish arrives, from smoked trout amuse-bouche to lavender panna cotta. Finish the night under a blanket of stars with a warming glass of port by your B&B fireplace.

Spend a leisurely morning cycling back to your favourite riverside spot to watch sunrise light up the water like liquid gold. Reflect on your adventures while sipping local coffee and sampling freshly baked croissants. Capture final photographs of village life unfolding around you.

Pack a gourmet picnic with leftovers from local delis—artisan breads, cured meats and creamy cheeses—and head to a secluded riverside meadow. Share stories and laughter with new friends or travel companions as you dine alfresco. Wander through adjacent meadows for one last glimpse of rare meadow flowers before sunset.

Conclude your journey with a heartfelt communal supper at a traditional village hall, featuring live folk music and seasonal dishes shared family-style. Raise a toast to new memories made along the Nene and friendships forged in Cambridgeshire. Drift to sleep in your B&B one last time, serenaded by the gentle murmur of the river.