The footpath into Meades Water Gardens has had an environmentally-friendly upgrade, thanks to Chesham Town Council and funding from both the Green Recovery Challenge Fund and the Chess Smarter Water Catchment.
A wooden boardwalk was first installed here in 2009, widening the path sufficiently to enable access for pushchairs and wheelchairs, while protecting the river bank from erosion. After 14 years of service in this shady and damp spot, the boardwalk had started to fail and was becoming slippery. Thanks to the grant funding, the Town Council was able to install a replacement boardwalk made from recycled plastic. The plastic is significantly more durable than wood and has a non-slip, grippy surface making it safer for users for decades to come. Even better, the material used is known as "end-of life plastic", as it is material that has reached its recycling limit and would ordinarily end up in landfill.
This section of footpath was closed off to the public for a couple of weeks while the work was undertaken. Buckinghamshire Council’s Rights of Way team contributed to this project by covering the cost of this official footpath closure in recognition of the valuable improvement the work would make to this popular right of way.
Meades Water Gardens is a popular space where people can enjoy nature in the heart of Chesham, including spotting kingfishers and little egrets along the stretch of the River Chess that flows through it.
Spring is a wonderful time to walk along the River Chess and enjoy the nature all around, so why not take a trip to the gardens and try out the new boardwalk for yourself!