I recently visited Ben’s Yard just outside Ely – a diversification enterprise that the Stuntney Estate opened in 2023. The aim of the project was to provide a high quality retail and hospitality destination in the countryside to draw people to small local businesses and provide easily accessible walks through the estate to stretch legs and reconnect with nature.

They’ve done an excellent job of it.

Originally the site of a farmyard the design is based on the buildings at Bicester Village. The location is superb with 20k daily passersby on the A142. The owners, Alastair and Victoria Morbey, stipulated design criteria that included:

• being a clean site as far removed from the image of a farmyard as possible
• high-quality design, materials and business tenants
• free access to café and (amazing) play area to appeal to families
• to become a destination

There’s a well surfaced walk of just over 2km that’s not too demanding and wheel friendly, that takes visitors on a meander along wetland habitat, a reservoir (with habitat), wet woodland and through the fields. Along the route you get to this stunning view of Ely Cathedral and it is a great place for a sit down to contemplate the many changes that the landscape has seen and the vast skies of the fenlands.