From the Staffordshire Moors to the Humber Estuary, a source-to-sea walking path alongside the River Trent is taking big steps towards completion thanks to a £68,194 donation from the Tarmac Landfill Communities Fund.
A further 43 miles, between Rugeley and Shardlow, has now been added to the existing 154-mile pathway, which leads from Nottinghamshire to Lincolnshire. The extension into Derbyshire and Staffordshire, including circular walks, means the Trent Valley Way is now closer to the source of the River Trent, in the Staffordshire Moors.
Ruth Needham, Trent Rivers Trust’s senior catchment manager, said: “We are 100% committed to taking forward the Trent Valley Way; so many people already use and enjoy it as a walking route.
“It’s all good news for us to properly open this section, then to pave the way for us to complete this source-to-sea walking path in the near future.”
Following the Tarmac Landfill Communities Fund donation towards the Transforming the Trent Valley project, the Trent Rivers Trust has also been able to put in place 60 waymarker posts with discs, repair and upgrade stiles and replace bridges, boardwalks and fences. The trust has also purchased ten interpretation installations, which will be installed soon.
Ian Adcock, quarry manager at Tarmac’s nearby Swarkestone Quarry, said: “I am very pleased with the progress the Trent Rivers Trust has been able to achieve, thanks to our donation. The 43 miles is a grand addition to the existing pathway, and I look forward to the day when they succeed with their goal of reaching the Staffordshire Moors.
“We, at Tarmac, are proud that our contribution has made a real difference to the Trent Valley Way initiative so far, and its continual developments, and hope that the local communities can enjoy the progression also.”
Matt Easter, CEO at Trent Rivers Trust, said: “This new section of the Trent Valley Way is not only a welcome contribution to our Trent-wide walking network, but comes at a time where a growing body of evidence backs the connection between blue spaces and wellbeing benefits. Providing improved access to the Trent relieves pressure from the region’s popular beauty spots without compromising on wellbeing or experience.”
