Europe's longest stepping stones attraction opens to families for summer

Wigan families of all ages are being invited to take a short trip to a brand-new adventure this summer as WWT Martin Mere, based in Burscough, unveils Europe's longest continuous stepping stones.

Stretching an impressive 68 metres across the water, the attraction features 143 stepping stones, creating a one-of-a-kind outdoor experience where visitors can immerse themselves in the beauty of wetlands.

The stepping stones offer a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in nature while enjoying an exciting adventure.

The stepping stones form part of WWT Martin Mere's recently created wet meadow and self-guided bug hunting area, which opened last summer, where visitors can pick up an identification chart and discover the fascinating miniature wildlife that calls wetlands home, from colourful insects to fascinating pond creatures. After crossing the stepping stones, visitors can continue exploring via two unique walking routes through the wet meadow: a dry path winding through vibrant wildflowers, or a wet route along the sunken walkway for those wanting an even closer encounter with wetland habitats. WWT (Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust) Martin Mere Wetland Centre, Wetland Charity is a protected wetland nature reserve and visitor center in Lancashire which opened in 1975.

Harriet Koppel on what is thought to be Europe’s longest stretch of stepping stones, the newest attraction at WWT Martin Mere, Burscough.placeholder image
Harriet Koppel on what is thought to be Europe’s longest stretch of stepping stones, the newest attraction at WWT Martin Mere, Burscough.

The trust have introduced 600 acres of wetlands, including new attractions such as the Pond Zone, Wet Play area and Canoe Safari.

Visitors can also discover some of the most eye-catching water birds from around the world including impressive flocks of Greater and Chilean flamingos, Hawaiian geese, Southern screamers, common cranes and black swans.

Martin Mere marketing officer Harriet Koppel said: "The stepping stones are Europe's, if not the world's, longest stretch of continuous stepping stones. The next set of stepping stones that competes with ours is in Japan, but they are not a continuous stretch of stepping stones, so technically, we are the longest in the world!"

The attraction opens in time for the school summer holidays and the return of WWT Martin Mere's popular Dragonfly Festival, running to August 31 making it the perfect opportunity for families to explore together.

Martin Mere is open everyday from 9.30am until 6pm during the summer.

To grab your tickets for this seriously impressive experience, head to: https://tickets.wwt.org.uk/event-tickets/28295/?catID=27788&branches.branchID=335

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