Visit Ely

Self-Guided Tours

Within easy travelling distance of London, Counties of East Anglia and Lincolnshire, Ely has a treasure trove of heritage, art, shopping facilities and bustling markets on offer for our independent explorers. Visitors can either use the MP3 downloads or print a version of the Eel Trail to explore the wealth of the City at their leisure. The tours offer full accessibility for all mobility levels and recommended time for both tours is 1 ½ hour. Copies of the Eel trail are also available at Ely Tourist Information Centre.

Nature lovers and bird watchers will marvel at the variety of wildlife and flora during a self guided trail around the riverside area and Roswell Pits. Strong shoeware is recommended for this trail. Not suitable for mobility scooters and pushchairs.

More details on these tours can be found below:

Tourist Tracks

Looking for a guided walking tour of Ely and the cathedral? Don't want to join a group or wrestle with a guide book? Then download an official MP3 walking tour from Tourist Tracks, and let your iPod or MP3 player be your guide. Two tours cost just £5.00.

Ely Eel Trail

In addition to Ely's rich history, charm and beauty it is also a place that prides itself in hosting a vast range of events aimed at residents and visitors alike. Ely is very proud of its connection with eels and it is thought that the name Ely is derived from the Isle of Eels when Ely was surrounded by water and marshland.

What makes this trail special is that the story of a life of an eel has been very cleverly portrayed in five pieces of public art by Elizabeth Jane Grosse. The trail starts at Oliver Cromwell's House, which also houses the City's Tourist Information Centre. This is a very fitting start as not only can the trail map be picked up from here but Mrs Cromwell regularly used eels in her cooking and copies of her eel recipes are available from the Kitchen in the House. The trail then takes you into the heart of the city centre passed many points of interest which the trail map clearly points out. The continues down towards the beautiful Riverside.

The final part of the walk takes you across to Ely's Cherry Hill Park where an impressive eel hive made from willow has been planted. Eels were commonly caught using hives made of willow which was an original industry on the River Ouse as far back as pre-Norman times. As you walk around the trail to admire these wonderful pieces that link the heritage of Ely so well you need not fear that you will lose your way. The trail is marked by 70 way markers set in the ground with pictures of eels engraved into brass.

For further information about the Eel trail and other events in Ely and the district call Ely's Tourist Information Centre on 01353 662062.

The Ely Tales

Alternatively you can follow the Ely Tales route. The Ely Tales provide a new and different way to learn about the historical city of Ely. The Ely Tales Trail follows the same route as the Eel Trail but tells the story of Ely through the eyes of the people who would have lived and worked in the times. Explore the stories of the stone mason, the eel catcher, the pilgrim, the Anglo Saxon and many other characters.

The Eel Trail and Ely Tales leaflet are available from Ely Tourist Information Centre (£0.50 per copy).

Ely River walk Self Guided Tour : Roswell Pits

The Roswell Pits form part of a large wetland complex running deep into the heart of Ely. Visitors can marvel at the reflection of the cathedral in the lake on a calm day, when the only waves are generated by passing wildfowl. Or explore along the footpath and find the reed beds, with an excellent chance of seeing the azure blur of kingfishers darting beneath Cuckoo Bridge.

The site also has hidden interest for the fossil enthusiast. Thorough searches of the site have yielded skeletal remains of turtles, crocodiles and dinosaurs. There are scattered flowers such as bee orchid, but the site is most important to the birds and for its unique place in the landscape.

For more information on Self-Guided Tours please contact the Tourist Information Centre or complete our online enquiry form.