Holme Fen National Nature Reserve

Managed by Natural England, Holme Fen is a thriving nature reserve across 657 acres of landscape. Explore the finest silver birch woodland through a network of paths and discover the famous Holme Post, where you will be 2.75 metres below sea level, the lowest land point in Great Britain.

Holme Fen is home to a variety of wildlife species throughout the year. The meres have islands and shallow banks which encourage birds, dragonflies and marsh plants including over 500 types of fungi, enabling the reserve to be designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

After drainage, an area on the Mere's south western shore was still too wet for farming. This became Holme Fen and survives as one of the only fragments of ancient wild fen. There are still small areas of acid grassland and heath as well as small pieces of raised bog. However, drainage of the adjacent areas meant that this National Nature Reserve itself dried out and became the largest Silver Birch woodland in lowland England. One of the aims of the Great Fen restoration project is to prevent further damage to this habitat by ceasing to drain the surrounding land.