Peterborough has places everybody recommends.

Then there are the places you mostly drive through on the way somewhere else.

This one's about the second group.

Werrington, Stanground and Eye aren't going to compete with major visitor attractions for a full day out.

That's not really the point.

They're places where it's worth slowing down, having a wander and discovering that the bit of Peterborough you thought you knew from the main road looks rather different once you're actually walking around it.

So, if you fancy exploring somewhere local without making a major expedition of it, here are three places worth a second look.

Werrington: find the old village hiding inside the suburb

Say Werrington and plenty of people will picture housing estates, shops and the roads they use to get from one side of north Peterborough to another.

But Werrington Village has a different feel.

The older core includes historic housing, churches, pubs and shops, giving you glimpses of the settlement that existed long before modern Peterborough expanded around it.

That's what makes it interesting for a wander.

You don't need an itinerary.

Walk through the older streets, look at the buildings and stop somewhere for a drink or something to eat if you fancy extending the visit.

There's also evidence that Werrington's local character matters to people living there.

A Neighbourhood Plan a community-led planning document that helps guide future development in a particular area was adopted by Peterborough City Council in March 2025 after receiving strong support in a local referendum.

You don't need to have the slightest interest in planning policy to enjoy Werrington.

But it does tell you something about the area's identity.

People don't generally spend years producing neighbourhood plans for places they feel absolutely nothing about.

Go if: you like old village centres, local architecture and discovering the history underneath modern Peterborough.

Stanground: get off the main road

Stanground suffers from a problem shared by quite a few places.

Lots of people know the road through it.

Fewer actually stop.

The former village has an older core around its church and established streets, but there are also green and recreational spaces nearby.

These include Stanground Wash, alongside wildlife areas such as the Stanground Newt Ponds, as well as local recreation facilities.

That means you can make this more than a walk around some old buildings.

Explore the historic side, add some outdoor space and suddenly Stanground starts looking less like somewhere between A and B and more like somewhere worth spending an hour or two.

It's not a polished visitor attraction.

There isn't somebody at the entrance handing you a map and pointing towards the gift shop.

Good.

Sometimes it's nice to explore a bit of your own city without being told precisely where you're supposed to stand.

Go if: you've driven through Stanground hundreds of times and have never actually stopped to look around.

Eye: leave the city feeling behind for a while

Head east and Eye gives you another version of Peterborough.

It's close enough to the city to be an easy local trip, but its village setting provides a useful change from central Peterborough.

This isn't somewhere we'd pretend requires an eight-hour sightseeing itinerary.

Instead, think slow local wander.

Look around the village, notice the older buildings and streets and use it as a starting point for exploring the surrounding area.

Places like Eye are particularly good when you want to get out of the house but don't necessarily want an “activity”.

No booking.

No start time.

No person in the group repeatedly asking how much longer you've got left.

Just somewhere different to walk around for a while.

And that's something we perhaps overlook when planning local days out.

Not every trip needs climbing walls, paddleboards or an admission ticket.

Sometimes changing the scenery is enough.

Go if: you want a quieter village wander without travelling far from Peterborough.

The point isn't to spend all day there

That's important.

We're not claiming Werrington, Stanground or Eye are Peterborough's answer to a weekend in York.

They're small local outings.

And that's precisely why they're useful.

Werrington gives you an older village atmosphere surrounded by modern Peterborough.

Stanground rewards getting away from the road you normally drive along.

Eye gives you a quick change of scenery and a more village-like setting.

Pick one.

Give yourself an hour or two.

Have a wander.

Find somewhere for coffee, lunch or a drink if you want to make more of it.

Worst case?

You've gone for a walk somewhere different.

Best case?

You discover a part of Peterborough you've spent years driving past without really noticing.

Which part of Peterborough are we overlooking?

This is where we'd particularly like local knowledge.

Which Peterborough village, neighbourhood or overlooked corner deserves a proper wander?

Maybe there's a footpath, old street, tiny park, independent café, pub, unusual building or view that people outside the immediate area rarely notice.

Tell us the place and what we should look for when we get there.

The best suggestions could become our next “Peterborough Worth a Second Look” guide.