Bottisham Lode was navigated throughout the 19th century, and although the flood gates at its mouth were replaced in 2001, it carries a "No unauthorised vessels" notice.

It runs through Wicken Fen, one of the oldest nature reserves in England, as the National Trust bought their first part of it in 1899.

Research by the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments published in 1972 confirmed the work of Major Gordon Fowler of the Fenland Research Committee that the Cambridgeshire lodes were of Roman origin; they were excavated to provide navigation to a series of villages to the east of the River Cam, and probably also drainage of the surrounding fenland.

It is almost straight, running between embankments, and included a staunch (a primitive lock with a single gate), of which the chamber survives.

[4] The Swaffham and Bottisham Drainage Commissioners were responsible for the lode from 1767, and were empowered to build staunches and collect tolls.

Initially the industry thrived further to the south, but noticing the profits that farmers were making, the commissioners decided to renovate the lode.

In 1871, they applied to the South Level Board for permission to scour the channel as it was in a bad state, and they noted that "parties in charge of Barges throw off the lock doors to enable them to get up the Lode."

[7] There is a pumping station and a set of mitred flood doors at the entrance to the lode, which were replaced in 2001,[8] but a "No unauthorised vessels" notice was displayed on the gates in 2008.

Use of the lode declined rapidly once the railways arrived in the area,[10] and only the first 2 miles (3.2 km) to Slade Farm are currently navigable, as shallow water and low bridges prevent access beyond this point.

[12] From Reach, a defensive rampart and ditch, called Devil's Dyke, ran for a further 7.5 miles (12.1 km) in a straight line to Ditton Green.

[13] It was built in the Anglo-Saxon period, and is listed as a Scheduled Ancient Monument, while the chalk grasslands which it contains have resulted in it being a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

The coasters stopped when Denver Sluice was built on the River Great Ouse, but smaller vessels continued to trade in agricultural produce, timber and a type of building material called clunch, which were exported through Kings Lynn, while incoming trade included building materials, stone, salts, wines and spirits.

Trade declined rapidly after railways reached the area in the 1850s, but some carriers continued to operate, with the last load of 525 tonnes of clunch being shipped in the early 1930s, and some peat being carried for a few years after that.

In 2007 the Environment Agency considered options for lowering the level of Reach Load and possibly some of the other lodes, as a way to reduce the maintenance of the banks.

The report concluded that maintaining them at their present level was still the best solution, and a policy of strengthening the embankments was adopted as the way to limit the risk of major repairs being needed in the future.

Fertilizer was produced from coprolites, ancient fossilised dung extracted from the newly drained fens, using a process which had been developed by a man who lived locally.

[17] Production of fertilizer at the site ceased in 1962, and the brickworks, which made up to 10 million bricks a year, finally closed in 1971.

It is also quite deep, and the 2007 Strategy Study considered the option of reconstructing it at a lower level, but did not recommend this action.

[20] Wicken Fen is one of the oldest nature reserves in England, as the National Trust bought their first part of it in 1899.

The National Trust Warden's office includes a display which tells the history of the Fen and how it has been managed.