Attraction to open 'Europe's longest stepping stones'

9 hours ago

Lynette HorsburghNorth West

News image — An artist's impression of how the new stepping stones will eventually look

WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre handout An artist's impression of how the stepping stones at a lake in Martin Mere Wetland Centre will look when it is complete. It shows dozens of stepping stones across a lake with trees lining the banks of the water. — An artist's impression of how the new stepping stones will eventually look

A nature reserve is set to unveil what it believes could be the longest continuous stepping stones in Europe.

Martin Mere Wetland Centre in Burscough, Lancashire, has started work on installing the stones - spanning 67m (220ft) - across one of the attraction's lakes.

The centre, known for its flamingos and otters, said the stepping stones would form part of its wet meadow and self-guided bug hunting interactive space area which opened last summer.

Martin Mere said it was inspired to create the "new standout attraction" because its existing stepping stones near the Chilean flamingos were popular with selfie-taking visitors.

Families can already explore winding paths through wildflower meadows, swish through the sunken walkway and pick up identification charts to discover the rich variety of miniature wildlife hiding among logs, plants and purpose-built pond in the interactive space.

Martin Mere said the stepping stones would elevate this experience further, allowing visitors to see the wetland from a "fresh and exciting perspective".

WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre Workmen in orange overalls are working on laying stepping stones in a lake at a nature reserve. A digger is seen in the background. — Work has started on the project and it is expected to be finished this summer

Works have already begun with the pathway in place, and the first stepping stones being placed.

Once complete, the water levels will be raised so that all but the stepping stones will be submerged under the water.

Victoria Fellowes, visitor experience manager at WWT Martin Mere, said the stepping stones would be a "truly memorable way to explore our wetlands".

"Families have been coming for generations to walk along our existing stepping stones by our Chilean flamingos," she said.

"We've seen how many people use the stones and take their photos. Now, we want to make this experience even better by creating a new set of what we believe are the longest stepping stones in Europe."

WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre A workman walks on a pathway laid in a lake at a nature reserve which will become stepping stones. A long green pipe lines the pathway. Trees line the lake. — Martin Mere believes the new stepping stones will be the longest in Europe

Martin Mere, which opened in 1975, has more than 2,000 different species of birds, mammals, insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles and mini-beasts living in and around the mere.

It has more than 70 species from around the world in its living collection, including flamingos, storks, otters, cranes, and many ducks, swans and geese.

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