Treat for wildflower meadow fans as Colemere boardwalk is completed
As visitors flock to a county beauty spot as a result of relaxed lockdown restrictions they will find a new way to enjoy one of Shropshire's most picturesque settings.
Colemere Countryside Heritage Site, near Ellesmere, has a new replacement boardwalk – which allows people to cross a spectacular wildflower meadow.
The boardwalk, which replaces an older version, means people can walk over the wetter areas of Yell Field, and makes it more accessible for those with young children, push chairs or wheelchairs.
Site ranger Lee Fraser said they were pleased to see the new walkway in place.
He said: "It will make it a lot better, especially in the wet conditions. There were a lot of people avoiding the area because they could not walk across the field and this will change that."
Due to its important botanical interest, Colemere is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It has also seen a huge influx in visitors in recent weeks since lockdown restrictions were eased.
It is the only site in the whole of England with the presence of the Least Water Lily, which is believed to have been on the site since the last Ice Age.
Speaking last month when the boardwalk was revealed Lezley Picton, Shropshire Council Cabinet member for culture, leisure, waste and communications, said: “We’re blessed in Shropshire to have beautiful countryside in all of the county, and Colemere is a stunning advert for it.
"The boardwalk offers visitors the opportunity to safely explore the wetter parts of the site with the bonus of remaining dry! It’s great to see it now fully restored for people to enjoy.”
The restoration of the boardwalk was completed by Shropshire Council’s countryside maintenance team, with parks improvement funding from central government.
