The Poppy Hill Lakes area now has a fantastic wooden bird sculpture as well as a brand new public footpath for everyone to enjoy.
The Henlow footpath was officially opened on Friday, April 25, when the specially commissioned sculpture was also unveiled.
Central Beds Council worked with Henlow Parish Council and a local angling club to reach an agreement on the location of the paths.
The work was funded by the parish council and Central Beds, which also commissioned the sculpture by the local chainsaw carver Andy Barton.
The new footpath means that there is a new river crossing into Henlow’s Millennium Meadows and an existing bridleway has been moved which will help link Langford and Henlow.
Local ward member Cllr Richard Wenham said: “It has been one of my key objectives when elected to improve public access around Poppy Hill Lakes. I am delighted that after many years we now have the new bridge, footpath and bridleway, opening up many new walks for residents to enjoy.”
Poppy Hill Lakes are situated on the parish boundary of Henlow and Langford alongside the River Ivel. They are a series of flooded sand and gravel pits which are now used as fishing lakes.
The new footpath route runs between the new bridleway on the Haul Road and the Henlow Millennium Meadows. It passes along a causeway between the southernmost fishing lakes which are owned by the Letchworth Garden City Angling Association Ltd. to the new footbridge over the River Ivel. The new footpath will form the basis of several circular walks.