Orton Mere & Woodston Reach
A peaceful place to wander, relax and soak up nature.
Linking Ferry Meadows with Thorpe Meadows, Orton Mere offers lakes, wide open green spaces and a beautiful tree-lined avenue that creates a welcoming alternative gateway into the Park. It’s an ideal spot for relaxed recreation, from gentle walks to time spent enjoying the water and surrounding scenery.
Just to the east, Woodston Reach provides a quieter, more secluded experience. This peaceful woodland area is perfect for those looking to escape the busier paths and enjoy tranquil walks immersed in nature, while still being connected to the wider Park network.
Car park entry times
Orton Mere, Woodston Reach and the adjoining car park are open to pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles at all times.
See our Orton Mere & Woodston Reach FAQs for information about parking, accessibility and more.
Car Park
Lakes
Walks / Trails
Discover Vibrant Artwork
Just a short walk from the Orton Mere car park, head over the bridge towards Thorpe Meadows to reach the underpass beneath the Nene Parkway bridge. Here, talented local artists have brought the walls to life with vibrant graffiti artwork. The space also comes alive a few times a year with UNDER, a large outdoor music and dance festival.
Step aboard the Nene Valley Railway
Orton Mere is home to a Nene Valley Railway Station, where you can step back in time aboard a heritage steam or diesel train. It’s a wonderful way to explore Nene Park and the surrounding area, with scenic views all along the route. Orton Mere Station is the perfect spot to hop on the train or enjoy a visit during your journey through the Park.
Take a seat at Woodston Reach
To encourage visitors to explore this quieter part of Nene Park, volunteers and staff cleared an area at Woodston Reach in 2019, surrounded by impressive ash and hawthorn trees. The result is Woodston Rest, a welcoming spot to sit and admire the trees, but all it needed was somewhere to rest! Thanks to Alistair from Quercus Woodcraft, a stunning bespoke bench was carved from Nene Park’s own oak and sycamore. Decorated with carved images of native wildlife, the bench invites visitors to relax in style and enjoy this sunny, peaceful corner of the Park.
FAQs
Address:
Orton Mere, Oundle Road, Peterborough PE2 7DZ
By road:
Orton Mere is located on the A605 Oundle Road, west of the Nene Parkway.
By public transport:
There is a bus stop on Oundle Road at the entrance to Orton Mere. For up to date public transport information please visit the Traveline website.
By Nene Railway:
Nene Valley Railway runs between Wansford and Peterborough, with two stations in Nene Park at Ferry Meadows and Orton Mere. To see timetables and to find out more visit www.nvr.org.uk.
By boat:
There is a landing stage at Orton Sluice please consult the Environment Agency website for details.
By bike:
Orton Mere is well connected to both the city, Ferry Meadows and the wider Nene Park via a traffic-free cycle route. A section of this route forms part of National Cycle Route number 63. Maps are available from the Ferry Meadows Visitor Centre.
On foot:
Orton Mere is linked to the city centre, the surrounding area and other areas of Nene Park via a network of footpaths. Maps are available from the Ferry Meadows Visitor Centre.
Address:
Woodston Reach, Oundle Road, Peterborough PE2 7DA
By road:
Woodston Reach is located immediately east of the Nene Parkway and is accessed by a footpath from Orton Mere underneath the Parkway. Orton Mere is located on the A605 Oundle Road, west of the Nene Parkway. Parking is available at the Orton Mere car park.
By public transport:
There is a bus stop on Oundle Road at the entrance to Orton Mere. Woodston Reach is located immediately east of Orton Mere and is accessed by a footpath running past the Nene Valley Railway Station. For up to date public transport information please visit the Traveline website.
By Nene Railway:
Nene Valley Railway runs between Wansford and Peterborough, with two stations in Nene Park at Ferry Meadows and Orton Mere. To see timetables and to find out more visit www.nvr.org.uk.
By boat:
There is a landing stage at Orton Sluice please consult the Environment
Agency website for details.
By bike:
Woodston Reach is well connected to both the city, Ferry Meadows and the wider Nene Park via a traffic-free cycle route. Maps are available from the Ferry Meadows Visitor Centre.
On foot:
Woodston Reach is linked to the city centre, the surrounding area and other areas of Nene Park via a network of footpaths. Located immediately east of Orton Mere it is accessed by a footpath running past the Nene Valley Railway Station. Maps are available from the Ferry Meadows Visitor Centre.
Park here for access to both Orton Mere and Woodston Reach.
Parking charges are in place at Orton Mere and apply all day, every day. Please enter your registration number into a payment machine on arrival to confirm and pay for your parking session.
The payment machines are card payment only and the machines are ticketless. All instructions can be found on the signage and payment machines in the car park.
Parking charges are in place at Orton Mere and apply all day, every day.
Up to 10 minutes – free
Up to 1 hour – £2.40
Up to 2 hours – £3.60
Up to 24 hours – £5.20
Annual Parking Membership
An annual parking membership offers a cost effective alternative to regular visitors. The cost of an annual parking membership is just £65 (which equates to just £1.25 a week!) and will give members access to both the Orton Mere car park and the Thorpe Meadows car park. Memberships can be purchased directly at www.sabaparking.co.uk/nene-park-car-parks.
Parking members will also receive other benefits to use across Nene Park such as 10% discount on retail purchases at the Ferry Meadows Visitor Centre plus 10% discount on retail purchases and activities at Nene Outdoors Watersports and Activity Centre.
Visitors also have the option of purchasing the Ferry Meadows PLUS parking membership to combine parking at Orton Mere and Thorpe Meadows with the Ferry Meadows parking membership for just £130 per year.
Key information / access highlights:
- Accessible parking
- Some firm, surfaced paths
Full accessibility guide coming soon.
Orton Mere itself doesn’t have a café or toilets, but the nearest facilities are just a 1.7 km walk along the rowing lake to Thorpe Meadows.
Thorpe Meadows Café offers delicious freshly brewed coffee, tea, matcha and speciality drinks, plus house-made brownies, cookies, toasties, sandwiches, cakes and more. Currently open daily 8am – 5pm.
Three unisex toilets and an additional accessible toilet with baby change facilities are located behind the Thorpe Meadows Café. These are available during the café open hours.
The nearest play area is a 1.7 km walk along the rowing lake to Thorpe Meadows. For more options, Ferry Meadows has three exciting play areas, just a 2.2 km walk away.