Car Hire Peterborough

While Peterborough has been a settlement dating back centuries, it’s also considered to be a ‘New Town’. In the 1960s, the government began to expand Peterborough as an overspill city for London.

This led to the addition of new roads and parkways, giving Peterborough an excellent and efficient road network. Congestion is limited to peak rush hour times, and the numerous parkways that serve the city make navigation relatively simple.

A ring road circles Peterborough, made up of the Frank Perkins Parkway, Fletton Parkway, Nene Parkway and the A47. From these parkways, you can skirt the centre, venture into the heart of city or join the nearby A roads for the surrounding towns and cities.

The main route in and out of Peterborough for most visitors is the A1 and A1(M), which connects London with the north of England. The pretty university city of Cambridge is to the south-east and can be easily reached via the A1(M), before merging on the A14. The A47 runs west of the city towards Leicester and north-east to King’s Lynn, Norwich and the coastal resort of Great Yarmouth.

Driving in England is largely similar to driving at home, with most rules of the road being the same. However, the main difference is speed limits, which is displayed in miles per hour. The top speed limit in built-up areas is 30mph (48km/m), which goes up to 60mph (97km/h) on single carriageways and 70mph (112km/h) on motorways.

In the centre ofPeterborough you’ll find a generous number of car parks, both long and short-stay, with many close to the main attractions, such as the cathedral.

You might expect a ‘New Town’ to not have much to offer in terms of attractions and places to visit, but Peterborough’s long history means there’s no shortage of stuff to do here, while the university contributes to a lively nightlife. Even better, head out of Peterborough in your hire car and you’ll be spoiled for choice.

The Norman legacy

Peterborough’s cathedral is a real stunner, one of the best in the country. It sits on the site of an Anglo-Saxon church, dating from around 655AD. At the time, the site was known as Medeshamstede – founded by its abbot and later bishop of Mercia, Seaxwulf.

Later razed to the ground, the current church is a 12^th-century Norman edifice, combining Romanesque and Gothic touches, with various additions and subtractions over the centuries.

Both the interior and exterior hold remarkable details, including the grave of Catherine of Aragon, former wife of Henry VIII, and the tomb of Mary, Queen of Scots. Many relics and stained-glass elements were destroyed during the English Civil War, later being restored and rebuilt.

You can learn more about the area and the cathedral at the Peterborough Museum, home to various artefacts that help illuminate the story of the grand church. There’s more to see outside of this too, including cells from a prisoner of war camp, Roman pottery, Jurassic-era marine fossils and an extensive art collection.

The banks of the Nene

The River Nene has played a big part in Peterborough’s development, cutting through the heart of the city and winding along some of its pleasant outdoor recreational areas.

A short drive away is Elton Hall, built in the 1400s and family home to the noble Proby family since the 17th. The River Nene runs through some of the 3,800-acre estate, while the surrounding gardens include an orangery, knot garden and superb herb and rose plantings.

The house is open to the public from late May through to September, and visitors will be greeted by a grand main staircase, large library, a medieval tower and more, giving you a whistle-stop tour of the different architectural styles on show, with more than a fair share of dramatic Gothic influences. 

Also nearby, Nene Park is a glorious piece of countryside, incorporating Overton Lake and Ferry Meadows Country Park. Here you’ll find ample places to walk and cycle, as well as areas for water-sports, a sculpture park and quaint villages dotted around. Kids will love the playground and miniature train which they can climb aboard.

Down on the farm

With kids in tow, make your way to Sacrewell Farm. While it’s a functioning heritage farm, it’s also a visitor centre with plenty of animals for the children to meet. It’s home to Shetland ponies and donkeys, chickens and cows, which the little ones can feed before taking a tractor ride. Add in alpacas, a pygmy goat and peacocks and you’ve got a veritable menagerie.

There’s also an 18^th-century watermill on the site, which has been recently renovated, as well as an indoor soft play area should the weather not be playing ball. You can stock up on fresh produce too – the shop and café are full of products from local suppliers.

Whether its business or pleasure that brings you to the picturesque Cambridgeshire county, get around with ease with a Hertz hire car in Peterborough.