What could be better than a classic day out feeding the ducks? Treat your elderly relatives to the finest of duck spots in and around Huntingdon!
What can be better than a classic day out feeding the ducks? Treat your elderly relatives to the finest of duck spots in and around Huntingdon!
An activity as old as time… feeding the ducks is an activity that has been enjoyed for centuries. With the weather getting warmer, it’s a fantastic time of year to take your elderly loved ones out for the age-old favourite pastime that is feeding the ducks.
However not all ponds are filled with our feathery friends, so if you want nothing but the best duck experience make sure you take your loved ones to the right spots.
Just a few short miles from Huntingdon, Grafham Water, England’s third largest reservoir can be found nestled within 1500 acres of beautiful countryside. It has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest for over 30 years, and is home to ancient woodlands, reed beds and important populations of several bird and amphibian species and most importantly: ducks! Grafham Water Park offers a wide range of attractions for visitors of all ages. With nine miles of tracks around the reservoir, plus several unique trails to follow, picnic area and playgrounds, Grafham water is a great spot to take your elderly loved ones to feed the ducks. The trails are hard surfaced too, making it equally inviting and fully accessible to prams and wheelchair users. It’s locally known as a birdwatching favourite; the nature reserve is home to many mammal and amphibious species that you can watch discreetly from a hide. If you are taking a trip over to Grafham Water Park, you can find all the information on their visitors’ page: https://anglianwaterparks.co.uk/grafham-water-park/visitor-information
Hinchingbrooke Country Park is a fantastic spot for duck feeding as it covers 150 acres of open grasslands, mature woodland, and lakes. The park has held the Green Flag Award since 2018, which recognises and rewards the best parks and green spaces internationally. There’s fun for all at Hinchingbrooke Country Park as it’s home to a mixture of play areas, a café and hard surfaced paths that are wheelchair and pram friendly. We recommend being careful when deciding which trail to take as not all of them are hard surfaced, some are muddy/grassy paths leading to secluded woodlands. There is a cark park on site along with a visitors’ centre, café, and countryside centre. For duck feeding we highly recommend the main lake, however there is sure to be many feathery friends at all three. The Park’s information leaflet can be found here.
Just off Riverside Road in Huntingdon you can find Riverside Park, a 34 acre park that runs for 2km along the riverbank from the bridge over the Great River Ouse over to Hartford Church. Not to be confused with St Neots Riverside Park, which happens to be another brilliant local duck-feeding spot. This spot is not just great for the seniors, it’s fun for the whole family as it has a play park, sports field, and a sturdy path that runs alongside the river. This duck-feeding location has slightly less amenities than the ones we’ve previously mentioned but don’t let that deter you, it’s a short walk into Huntingdon town where you can find many places to stop for a coffee or bite to eat. For directions or any other information click this here.
This beautiful nature reserve south of the River Great Ouse consists of four lakes which are former gravel pits. Mixed in with the lakes are areas of grassland and hedgerows which provide habitat for many birds. Ducks and geese swim on the open water, kingfisher hunt in the streams and songbirds search the hedgerows for food, making it the perfect spot for feeding the ducks! Godmanchester Nature Reserve has over two miles of walking trails, please be mindful that some of these trails are hard surfaced so are very friendly for prams and wheelchair users, however a few of the paths are un-surfaced and a tad bumpy. If you’re planning to pay the reserve a visit, we recommend taking a look at the leaflet (here) to find out where it’s located and what you might see during your visit.
Paxton Pits is situated in the Great Ouse valley in Little Paxton village, between St Neots and Huntingdon, just off the A1. The nature reserve is made up of a series of lakes, meadows and woodland that are all rich with wildlife. With guided, accessible trails and a friendly visitor centre where you can rest your feet, buy bird food or grab a cuppa. Much like the above mentioned Hinchingbrooke Country Park, Paxton Pits Reserve was given a Green Flag Award which recognises and rewards well managed parks and green spaces. The Nature Reserve us open all day, every day and parking is free. The visitor centre is open seven days a week between 10am – 4pm, this is dependent on their volunteer availability, so we’d recommend checking their page for updates if you plan a visit. There are three guided trails around the Reserve with maps located at key points. With multiple lakes around the Reserve, this is a prime duck-feeding spot that we highly recommend. Click here to see a map of the Reserve, or here to head to their website.
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