The Conqueror's Trail

Follow the footsteps of a king... into the last battlefield of the Norman Conquest.

 

The Conqueror's Trail is a 25 mile (40Km) heritage walking route from Cambridge Castle Mound to Ely Cathedral, telling the story and tracing the route that William the Conqueror is believed to have taken during his final campaign against Hereward the Wake and the defenders of the Isle of Ely in October 1071.

 

Developed by the WakeHereward Project after five years of research and annual commemorative walks, the trail invites walkers to experience one of the most dramatic landscapes in English history. It is more than simply a long-distance hike; it is a journey through the story of England's last great resistance to the Norman Conquest.

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Beginning at Castle Mound in Cambridge, where William established one of his earliest castles after the conquest, the route heads north across the ancient Fen-edge, passing historic churches, medieval villages, forgotten landscape features and places connected with the campaign before reaching the great Fenland approaches to Ely.

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Among the highlights are Belsars Hill, the ancient Aldreth Causeway, and the long limestone ridge that once formed one of the few dry approaches through the vast marshes of the medieval Fens. Here, where solid ground narrowed into causeways surrounded by water, reed beds and bog, the invading Norman army entered a landscape unlike any other in England.

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The trail culminates at the magnificent Ely Cathedral, standing upon the former Isle of Ely, where Hereward and his followers made their final stand against the most powerful army in Northern Europe.

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Whether you are a walker, historian, photographer, student or simply someone with a love of England's heritage, the Conqueror's Trail offers a unique opportunity to explore history where it happened. Every mile tells part of the story.

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Walk History

 

Since 2020 members of the WakeHereward Project have completed the route each October, retracing the campaign across the Fenlands while refining the trail through historical research, fieldwork and landscape study. Those walks have helped shape the route you can enjoy today.

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Download the Trail

The complete route is available to download free of charge as:

• GPX Navigation File

• Ordnance Survey Maps

• Route Guide

• Points of Historical Interest

Walk it in a single day as a rewarding challenge, or divide it into shorter sections and discover the remarkable history of Hereward Country at your own pace.

Walk the Trail. Discover the Landscape. Experience the Story.

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