Banks End
Wyton
Huntingdon
Cambridgeshire
PE28 2AA
01480 412715
Website - www.wytonlakes.com
Email - loupeter@supanet.com
Open - April 1st to October 19th (2014)
Current fees - Caravans & motorhomes including 2 occupants - £19.00 per night
Tent and 2 people - £16.00 Awnings/gazebos/pup tents - £2.00 each per night Dogs - £1.00 each Extra car - £2.00 Extra person (over 18 only) - £2.00 Visitors car with occupants - £5.00 per day
You don't have to be a fisherman (or woman) to enjoy the calm and tranquil surroundings of this lovely adults-only fishing site near Huntingdon - if you're looking for peace and quiet then Wyton Lakes has it in bucket loads. Situated three miles from Huntingdon on the A1123 the site is set in over 12 acres of private land, with three fishing lakes, a good dog walk right round the perimeter, and a 200 metre frontage along the Great Ouse river where you can fish or just sit and watch the world go by at a very slow pace. The owners, Louise and Peter, are extremely friendly and helpful and you'll very often see one or the other riding round the site on a bike.
Reception is about 20yds from the entrance and next door to it is the toilet and shower block - this incorporates disabled facilities, has free hot showers and hairdryers, and is spotlessly clean at all times. At the end of the block is a chemical disposal point and an indoor dishwashing area where there's a library of books and magazines to borrow, a good selection of tourist information leaflets and a free-to-use freezer for your ice blocks. Calor gas is also stocked and can be purchased during reception opening hours, and Sunday papers can be pre-ordered when you book in. Well behaved dogs are welcomed, though as with all sites they must be kept on a lead; unfortunately though, certain breeds of dog aren't accepted. And for those who can't bear to be parted from a computer the site has WiFi internet supplied by Caravan Connect.
The caravan and motorhome pitches are set in four very pleasant areas - Bankside, Lakeside, Waterside and Woodside - are mainly hard standing and all have fresh water taps and hook-up points. The Bankside, Lakeside and Waterside pitches are, as their names suggest, right beside the lakes so you can fish next to your own unit - just don't have too many beers at night or you'll roll out of bed and straight into the water the following morning! There's also a good-sized grass camping area for tents with one section being close to one of the lakes. For those who like wildlife there are ducks and waterhens on the lakes and families of rabbits can often be seen scampering about in the grass.
The fishing lakes are well stocked with carp, bream, tench, perch, roach and rudd, and there is no closed season when the site is open. Fishing is from 7.30am until dusk and costs £5.00 per day for residents, on either the lakes or the river bank, or you can get a 7-day ticket for £30.00; residents' visitors can fish by arrangement from 8.30am at a cost of £8.00 per day. Now as I've no interest at all in sitting for hours on end dangling maggots on the end of a line I couldn't say whether the fishing is good or bad, but the many photos on the wall in reception suggest that there's some big fish to be had.
Directly across the road from the site is a large garden centre which sells everything from fresh bread to wellies; it's well worth a look round but if you go in the coffee shop be warned - it's expensive! Next door to the site on one side is Hartford Marina where there's a nice pub/restaurant which does good food at reasonable prices, but if you don't fancy staying in one place for your meal you can book a trip on The Captain's Table, a narrowboat which cruises up and down the river while you dine. Almost next door to the site on the other side, and down a long farm track, is Daylock Marine, a small private boatyard with a lovely little riverside cafe which does a very good all-day breakfast and a decent Sunday lunch.
The National Trust property of Houghton Mill is only about a mile away from the site and on certain days you can watch milling demonstrations there. On the far side of the mill is a lovely riverside area where you can sit and watch the boats going through the adjacent locks. The lovely riverside town of St. Ives is three miles away and is well worth a visit, especially on bank holidays when there's a huge open market on. About a mile up the road from the site, going towards Huntingdon, there's a big Tesco supermarket and petrol station, and on the outskirts of the town centre you'll find a big riverside car park and Purvis Marine, where you can hire a boat by the hour or the day for a leisurely cruise along the river. Crossing the nearby bridge will take you into Godmanchester where there's a lovely riverside park, and a couple of miles from there is Wood Green Animal Shelter. It's a lovely place and for animal lovers it's definitely well worth a visit - just try not fall in love with everything you see!
I think there may only be one minor downside to the Wyton Lakes site for some people and that's the traffic noise from the main road running past the entrance. Anyone on a pitch nearest the gates would no doubt notice it but when you get further into the site the noise fades to a distant hum and it isn't enough to be disturbing - in fact after a while the tranquility of the site takes over and you cease to hear it. All in all this peaceful and relaxing site is an absolute gem, and if you don't have kids it's a great place to unwind and recharge your batteries.
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