Area Guide: Living in North Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, & The Fens
Sasha Scott
created on 10th August 2026
Find the part of Cambridgeshire that feels like home to you…
Historic market towns, riverside communities, traditional Fenland villages, excellent countryside and locations within reach of Cambridge, Peterborough and London… our part of Cambridgeshire offers far more variety than you might expect.
At Ellis Winters, we’ve been helping people move across Huntingdonshire, The Fens and North Cambridgeshire for 25 years. And one thing we’ve learned is that choosing where to live can be every bit as important as choosing the property itself.
A home that would be perfect for someone looking for riverside walks and easy access to Cambridge might be completely different from the one chosen by a family prioritising space and schools, a first-time buyer looking for value for money or someone dreaming of a quieter life surrounded by open Fenland countryside.
That’s why we’ve created our local area guides.
Whether you’re already familiar with this part of Cambridgeshire or considering moving here for the first time, you can use this guide to start exploring.
Why move to this part of Cambridgeshire?
One of the great advantages of living here is choice.
Cambridge may be the county’s best-known destination, but you don’t necessarily have to live in the city to enjoy access to everything the wider region offers.
Move further into Huntingdonshire, Fenland and North Cambridgeshire and you’ll discover historic towns and villages with their own shops, schools, communities and identities – often alongside considerably different property prices.
There are places with mainline railway connections, communities served by the Guided Busway, rural locations surrounded by huge skies and open countryside, and attractive towns built around the River Great Ouse and other local waterways.
For some movers, looking a little further afield can also mean discovering just how much more their property budget could potentially buy.
For people who want character, amenities and convenient access towards Cambridge, St Ives has plenty to offer.
Sitting on the River Great Ouse, the town is known for its historic bridge and chapel, attractive riverside, independent businesses and bustling centre.
The Cambridgeshire Guided Busway provides a useful connection into Cambridge, while the town itself offers schools, supermarkets, leisure facilities, restaurants, cafés and plenty of opportunities for walking, cycling and enjoying the water.
Its varied property market attracts everyone from first-time buyers and professionals to families and downsizers.
Just across the river from Huntingdon is Godmanchester, an historic community that manages to combine a smaller-town feel with excellent access to nearby amenities and transport.
The River Great Ouse, Chinese Bridge and surrounding green spaces give Godmanchester considerable character, while Huntingdon railway station is close by for those needing connections towards London and elsewhere.
Add local schools, modern developments, period properties and countryside on the doorstep, and it’s easy to understand the appeal for families and commuters alike.
Head further into the Fens and March offers a different proposition again.
The Old River Nene runs through the heart of the town, while March’s railway heritage continues today with a station providing useful connections towards Peterborough, Ely and the wider rail network.
March has its own shops, schools, supermarkets, leisure facilities and community life, alongside a broad property market ranging from traditional terraces and bungalows to larger family homes.
For buyers and renters looking for greater value for money than they may find in some other parts of Cambridgeshire, March can be particularly interesting.
If your priorities include community, schools, countryside and getting more for your property budget, Chatteris deserves a closer look.
This traditional Fenland town sits between March, Huntingdon and Ely and provides many of the everyday essentials you need without the scale or pace of a larger town.
There are schools, shops, supermarkets, leisure facilities, parks and an active local community, with the open landscapes of the Fens immediately surrounding the town.
For first-time buyers, growing families, renters and downsizers, Chatteris can offer an appealing combination of practicality and affordability.
One of the most interesting things about the Ramsey area is the choice of lifestyles available within a relatively small area.
Ramsey itself is an historic market town with shops, schools, leisure facilities and everyday amenities. Move out towards Ramsey St Mary’s, Ramsey Heights, Ramsey Mereside and Ramsey Forty Foot, however, and the surroundings become increasingly rural.
Ramsey Heights also sits within the remarkable Great Fen landscape, providing fantastic opportunities for anyone interested in walking, wildlife, cycling and nature.
This makes the wider Ramsey area particularly interesting for buyers who aren’t simply choosing a property… they’re deciding how rural they actually want their new lifestyle to be.
For those who prefer village life without feeling completely cut off, Manea offers an appealing combination of countryside and connectivity.
Surrounded by the open landscapes of the Fens, the village has its own Good-rated primary school and, unusually for a village of its size, its own railway station, with connections towards Ely, March and Peterborough.
Nature lovers also have the RSPB Ouse Washes Nature Reserve nearby, while the surrounding countryside offers plenty of opportunities for walking, cycling and enjoying those famous Fenland skies.
Add property prices below the wider Cambridgeshire average and Manea is well worth considering for families, commuters and anyone searching for more space and a quieter pace of life.
One of the joys of this part of Cambridgeshire is that some of the best places to live aren’t necessarily the largest names on the map.
Across Huntingdonshire and the Fens you’ll find villages and smaller communities offering everything from historic cottages and village pubs to newer family developments and homes surrounded by countryside.
Around St Ives and Huntingdon, that includes sought-after villages and communities such as Fenstanton, Hemingford Grey, Hemingford Abbots, Needingworth, Somersham and Warboys, while further into the Fens you’ll find numerous smaller villages surrounding March, Chatteris and Ramsey.
The right choice often depends on your priorities.
Do you need to commute? Is being within walking distance of a school important? Would you rather have shops on your doorstep or countryside outside your window? Are you looking for character, a newer home, a bigger garden or simply the most space your budget can achieve?
Those are exactly the conversations our local teams have with buyers and renters every day.
Buying, selling or renting across our area
There isn’t one single “Cambridgeshire property market”.
Property values, rental demand, buyer demographics and even the types of homes available can change significantly within a relatively short distance.
A riverside property in St Ives is a very different proposition from a family house in Chatteris, a character home in Godmanchester or a rural property near Ramsey Heights.
That’s why genuine local knowledge matters.
At Ellis Winters, our teams work across St Ives, Huntingdon, Godmanchester, March, Chatteris, Ramsey and the surrounding villages, helping people buy, sell, rent and let homes throughout Huntingdonshire, Fenland and North Cambridgeshire.
We don’t just want to help you find the right property.
We want to help you find the right place to call home.
Explore our individual area guides above to learn more about local property prices, rental costs, schools, transport, amenities and lifestyle; or talk to your nearest Ellis Winters team for friendly, straightforward local advice.
And if you already own a property in the area and you’re considering your next move, contact us to arrange a free, no-obligation sales or rental valuation.
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Sasha is a marketing specialist with 20 years experience. Her career has spanned marketing, counselling, and even funeral care - giving her a uniquely people-centred approach to every brief she takes on. She thrives in roles where she can use the written word and where empathy and clarity matter. Outside of work, she fosters animals (including a skunk and a sphynx!) and volunteers with local charities.
