Bridge To The Country
The Colne Valley Regional Park covers 43 square miles and contains sites of recreation and biodiversity interest all the way from Staines in the south, to Rickmansworth in the north. Many people are unfamiliar with where the Colne Valley starts and finishes and often people don’t know they’ve entered the park.
For this project four sites were improved as gateways, to help connect people to the Colne Valley Regional Park . One at Batchworth Canal Centre in the north, at Langley Park in the west, at Denham Country Park in the east and at Lammas Recreation Ground in the south. These sites were improved with new interpretation and signage that will help orientate people around the specific site and around the Regional Park as a whole.
Other improvements were also done, including new improvements to encourage biodiversity such as: habitat work and bird boxes as well as footpath improvements to increase accessibility. We hope this project will really help people understand and appreciate this amazing resource and help them feel connected to the Colne Valley Regional Park.
Below you will see some of the great work that was achieved during this project.
Orientate yourself in the Colne Valley Regional Park and get ideas for exploring locally.
A newly installed sign at Batchworth Lock Canal Centre.
What We’ve Achieved
There are now new signs and improvements at each of the four gateways to the park: North, South, East and West.
Batchworth Lock Canal Centre is the Northern Gateway to the Colne Valley Regional Park.
The new interpretation panel highlights the Batchworth Lock Canal Centre ,the Rickmansworth Aquadrome and Grand Union Canal. It also orientates the reader within the wider Colne Valley Regional Park.
For a bit of family fun pick up a free copy at the Batchworth Lock Canal Centre Activity sheet at the Centre or the Colne Valley Visitor Centre at Denham Country Park. The activity sheet will help you explore the Lock area and the Rickmansworth Aquadrome.
Listen to the messages on the recently installed audio post in the Batchworth Lock Canal Centre garden. You can hear about the history of the canals in this area.
Langley Country Park is the Western Gateway to the Colne Valley Regional Park
Langley Country Park has a new Gateway Sign. Recently installed in the main carpark, here you can refer to maps to learn where you are in the Colne Valley Regional Park and discover where you can go in Langley Country Park.
New trails in the Temple Garden and Path improvements
1K and 2K trails have been installed. Both starting in the Temple Garden follow the 1K waymarks for a walk that weaves through the rhododendrons of the Garden, but if you prefer to venture a bit further a 2K waymark trail will take you through the Temple Gardens, down the vista and up Verney’s Walk.
Much needed improvement to some of the paths at Langley Park Country Park were also included in the Bridges to the Country project. Hopefully, vistors to the park will have a much smoother experience.
Denham Country Park is the Eastern Gateway to the Colne Valley Regional Park
Denham Country Park has a new Gateway Sign. Recently installed next to the hub, here you can refer to maps to learn where you are in the Colne Valley Regional Park and discover where you can go in Denham Country Park.
If you are visiting Denham Country Park from the Grand Union Canal, you will find a newly installed post pointing you to the Colne Valley Park Visitor Centre based at Denham Country Park.
A new brass rubbing trail has also been installed for everyone to enjoy.
Come along to our newly refurbished Colne Valley Regional Park Visitor Centre to learn about walks, places to visit and what’s going on.
Lammas Recreational Ground is the Southern Gateway to the Colne Valley Regional Park
Lammas Recreational Ground has an information board. Learn about the variety of trees and wildlife which grace this park, which also has number of play facilities to be enjoyed.
Rest a while at the audio bench where you can listen to the history of Lammas Recreational Ground and the Colne Valley Regional Park.
