The Nene Park Trust and the Nene Valley Archaeological Trust have published a series of four heritage trails which feature the history and archaeology between Peterborough and the A1.
Trail 1: The Emperors Trail
The Emperors Trail is a circular walk starting and finishing in Ailsworth. The walk takes approximately 1.5-2 hours. The trail explores the unique heritage and wildlife of the Nene Valley in and around the west of Nene Park, exploring Roman Roads and Victorian railways. In this part of the Nene Valley, the Roman Empire left clear signs of its presence on the landscape. After two thousand years, the line of Ermine Street, the main route north connecting Roman London (Londinium) with York (Eboracum) is still visible. You will walk in the footsteps of Roman Emperors, discover the medieval village of Sutton, then pass under the Victorian-built Nene Valley railway before returning to Ailsworth along the river Nene.
Trail 2: Three Lakes Trail
Three Lakes Trail is a circular walk starting and finishing in Ferry Meadows. The walk takes approximately 50 minutes – 1 hour. The trail explores the unique heritage and wildlife of the Nene Valley in and around Ferry Meadows, exploring settlements from Bronze Age to Iron Age and Roman. Then it looks at changes along the river when boat transport was superseded by rail. It also features the main land use changes in the 1970s from agriculture to mineral extraction, followed by leisure and recreation.
Trail 3: The Botolph Trail
The Botolph Trail is a circular walk starting and finishing in Ferry Meadows. The walk takes approximately 3-3.5 hours. The trail explores the unique heritage and wildlife of the Nene Valley in and around Ferry Meadows, exploring Bronze Age, Roman settlements, Edwardian landscapes and industry along the River Nene. The walk begins by tracing the sites along the banks of the Nene, once used for leisure by the local landowner, the Fitzwilliam family. It then continues to the location of the medieval village of Botolph.
Trail 4: The Artis Trail
The Artis Trail is a circular walk starting and finishing in Castor. The walk takes approximately 1.5 hours. The trail explores the unique heritage of the Nene Valley from the Bronze Age, the Roman period and up to World War II. The walk crosses the line of Ermine Street, the main route connecting the north and south of the Roman province, meanders along the River Nene passing a Bronze Age burial mound, encounters the remains of a Victorian station garden, cuts across the footprint of a sprawling Roman industrial estate and explores the remains of an impressive Roman praetorium building.
The trail leaflets are available to pick up from the Visitor Centre in Ferry Meadows and can be downloaded from the Nene Park Trust website.
Another element arising from this collaboration between NVAT and NPT is the book "The Romans in the Nene Valley" written by Stephen Upex.