March: A Market Town in the Cambridgeshire Fens

March was once an island rising above the surrounding wetlands. Drainage transformed those wetlands into the farmland seen today, but the town still sits in a landscape shaped by water. Beyond its built-up streets, the ground is low and open, with long views across fields, drainage channels and big skies. That setting is central to understanding March. It is neither a rural village nor a city suburb, but a town serving the farms and smaller communities around it. Its shops, market and everyday services give it a practical role in this part of Cambridgeshire. The scenery can feel unusually spacious, though anyone expecting wooded hills or varied terrain will find a very different kind of countryside here.

The Old River Nene passes through central March, with bridges, moorings and paths bringing the water close to the shopping streets. Broad Street is part of the town’s working center rather than a preserved historic quarter. A walk here shows how the river and ordinary town life sit alongside each other: boats on the water, traffic crossing the bridges and local businesses nearby. There are older buildings to seek out, but March is best approached as a place with layers rather than a single showpiece center. March Museum tells the local story through everyday objects and Fenland history. Farther from the main shopping streets, St Wendreda’s Church has a striking roof filled with carved wooden angels. Together, these places give more insight into the town than a quick stop by the river alone.

Railway history is another part of March’s identity. The town became an important rail junction, and its station and nearby railway land remain reminders of that past. Today, trains on the Ely–Peterborough line make March relatively straightforward to reach without a car, although exploring the wider Fenland countryside is easier with one. A visit is usually unhurried. The center is compact enough for a walk that takes in the river, museum and local shops, while West End Park provides a green space close to town. March does not have the scale or range of attractions of Cambridge or Ely. Its appeal is more specific: it gives a grounded view of a working Fenland town, where the landscape, waterways and railway have all left a clear mark.