A group of community-spirited local residents have spent several months restoring a busy footpath in Berrow.
A dozen locals have restored the public footpath, known locally as the ‘sandy way nature trail’, which runs alongside Burnham and Berrow golf course.
“The path often floods, becoming submerged during very wet weather, and we were concerned that it had become overgrown and very muddy, a hazard for walkers,” says local resident Mike Schollar, pictured below with Rob Abrahams.
“We started up a small working party, meeting each week for a couple of hours cutting back overhanging brambles and vegetation and then building up the pathway with sand.”
“We first started on the area where Somerset Council had removed the old Boardwalk. As other volunteers joined us we then worked along other parts of this footpath.”
“We also did similar work on and around the existing Boardwalk on the Public Footpath which runs across the golf course from the Co-op Store to the beach.”
Public Footpath AX32/31 runs from the entrance to the Golf Club through to the Greenkeepers’ compound near the Berrow Co-op Store.
The paths are open to walkers, but are not suitable for bicycles or horse riders.
Somerset Council previously said it plans to replace the wooden walkways on the paths during 2025.
Mike adds: “Our work is a temporary solution to make the paths usable again, awaiting the council completing the work.”
As part of the work, this impressive bench has also appeared over the new year, made from recycled pallets and fallen branches.
