Celebrity guest opens newly upgraded Wendover canal towpath

Date: 08th July 2024

The upgraded Wendover canal towpath officially opened on Friday, 28 June, with a ribbon cutting ceremony and a host of community activities.

Many local residents turned out to celebrate, from paddleboarders to cyclists, dog walkers to school children. Canal Boat Diaries’ Robbie Cumming cut the ribbon and then joined Chilterns CEO Dr Elaine King for a walk along the new path.

Throughout the day over 200 students from John Colet school walked along the towpath, and primary school children from Wendover C of E Junior School enjoyed a teddy bear’s picnic. Walnut Tree Meadow, adjacent to the towpath, was a hive of activity, with Cracklewick Morris Dancers entertaining the crowd among the numerous information stands.

The 1.7 mile stretch of upgraded path between Wendover and Halton is wider and now suitable for wheelchairs, mobility scooters, bicycles and pushchairs; making it accessible for all.

The £750,000 project was spearheaded by Wendover Canal Trust, funded by contributions from Chilterns National Landscape, Wendover Parish Council, Wendover and Villages Community Board, the Lionel Abel-Smith Trust and Halton Parish Council, and supported by the Canal and River Trust.

Wendover Canal Trust hopes to continue upgrading the towpath until the entire seven-mile stretch of canal is completed.