Stow Cum Quy: Trails and Historic Buildings

Stow Cum Quy combines trails through Quy Fen and along the Quy Water with historic buildings and a shared local history. You can focus your stay on walking routes, explore the area’s architectural history, or plan your visit around a guided tour or event. When looking for a holiday cottage, it helps to first consider which of these interests you want to shape your trip. The options also differ in how you plan: the Fen Edge Trail has a starting point at the church, while tours at Quy Hall require advance booking.

Quy Fen and its shared history

Quy Fen is open to the public. Footpaths and bridleways lead there from Stow cum Quy, Horningsea and Fen Ditton. These three villages are also part of the area’s history: in 1652, Quy Fen was transferred to them jointly and in equal shares for the recreation of their parishioners. A visit therefore brings together today’s public access and the area’s historical purpose as a shared resource. If you want to include not only walking routes but also the area’s history in your trip, this connection offers a specific local point of interest.

The Fen Edge Trail along the Quy Water

The Fen Edge Trail runs along the Quy Water and follows the long-distance Harcamlow Way. The walk starts at Stow cum Quy church. This gives the route a named starting point in the village and a course shaped by the waterway and long-distance trail. It differs from the several footpaths and bridleways that lead to Quy Fen from three villages: this is a specific walk with its own starting point and route. If the trail is important to your plans, check the route conditions before setting out, as they can change.

Church, country house and watermill

The Parish Church of St Mary is a Grade II* listed building. Quy Hall is a country house that probably dates from the late 15th to the 18th century and was remodelled in 1868–1870. Small-group tours are offered there; advance booking is required. Dates and availability may vary. Quy Water Mill is an early 19th-century watermill. Its waterwheel is still in place. The three buildings offer different historical points of interest: the church’s listed status, the Hall’s long history and later remodelling, and the mill’s surviving waterwheel.

Events and travel planning

The Cambridge Country Show and the Ancient Oak Medieval Fayre are held at Quy Park. If you want to plan your trip around one of these events, check the dates in advance; they may vary. Stow-cum-Quy is also on the B1102 towards Anglesey Abbey and Burwell, another point of reference for travel planning. When choosing where to stay, you can weigh up the different planning considerations: would you like to focus on trails and scenery, visit a historic building on a tour that requires advance booking, or plan your trip around an event at Quy Park? This helps you tailor your search for a holiday cottage to your actual interests, without treating different experiences as interchangeable.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Melbourn, Bar Hill, Boxworth, Duxford, Cambridge, Swaffham Bulbeck, Wisbech, Sawtry.

For the main travel overview: Cambridgeshire.