CANAL Boat Diaries presenter Robbie Cumming is to officially open the upgraded canal towpath from Wendover to Halton.
The ribbon cutting ceremony will take place at 1pm on Friday, June 28 at the entrance from the towpath to Walnut Tree Meadow, and a host of other activities are planned to take place from 10am to 3pm on the day, which is free to all for a celebratory walk.
Wendover Canal Trust chairman Clive Johnson said: “We are very grateful that Robbie has taken the time out of his busy schedule to come along and formally open this important towpath.
“It will be an incredibly useful route for everyone who wants to enjoy the ambience of a canal side whether its people out for a gentle stroll, ramblers, joggers, cyclists or birdwatchers. We want the day to be a community celebration and everyone is invited.”
Robbie Cumming, who is a patron of WCT, said: “I’m delighted to be able to officially open this towpath. Any developments that can enhance canals and their surroundings are close to my heart. This is a very picturesque part of the country with the Chiltern Hills as a backdrop and I know that already the towpath is much used.”
Opening day events and activities will include Morris dancing by Cracklewick Morris and talks on the various heritage sites along the towpath by WCT representatives. In addition, schoolchildren from Wendover Church of England Junior School will be able to enjoy a Teddy Bear’s picnic – thanks to EKFB – who will also be providing a nature trail worksheet and giving out ‘passports’ for children to complete on the day, reflecting their experiences.
There’ll be talks on geology and the environment by experts from EKFB for pupils from John Colet school who’ll also be given a quiz by their geography teacher.
Kayakers and paddleboarders from Chiltern Canoe Club will be on the water during the day along the stretch of the canal.
The event has been organised by Wendover Canal Trust, John Colet School, Wendover News, Wendover and Halton Parish Councils and EKFB and sponsored by Fairhive Homes and the Rothen Group.
Funded by five organisations, the footpath upgrading took six months to complete, cost £750,000 and runs for 1.7 miles. It is part of the Wendover Canal Trust’s (WCT’s) and Canal & River Trust’s wider ambition to see the entire seven-mile Wendover to Grand Union canal towpath upgraded.
Undertaken by Rothen Group and Kier plc, the work has hugely improved the former muddy towpath, and for the first time made it accessible to the entire community all year round.
The funders were HS2 Chiltern AONB Review Group, Wendover Parish Council, Lionel Abel-Smith Trust, Wendover Community Board and Halton Parish Council.
WCT volunteers also contributed by erecting new walls and railings at Wharf Road and new signage between Wendover and Halton. These were jointly funded by EKFB (a partnership of four leading civil engineering and construction companies involved with HS2) and Wendover Parish Council.
In total 28 local, regional and national organisations supported the campaign to upgrade the towpath. These included all the schools in Wendover, the Chiltern Society, Chiltern Conservation Board, Inland Waterways Association, Sustrans and Chiltern Railways.
PHOTO: WENDOVER CANAL TRUST
