The footbridge is located at Westport Lake, an area of owned and managed in partnership between Staffordshire Wildlife Trust and Stoke City Council.
Westport Lake, created alongside the Trent & Mersey Canal, is Stoke-on-Trent’s largest expanse of water and consists of two lakes, and a nature reserve. It’s one of the best places in the area for bird-watching and walking. It has come a long way since its initial development as a pleasure resort by a local farmer around 1890 then it descended into a wasteland until becoming one of Stoke's first regeneration projects in 1986. (
visit link)
The bridge is on the Mallard Trail and crosses two small pools allowing access from the main lake to the conservation area at the site.
The Mallard Trail is part of the Green Door project in Stoke-on-Trent. The Green Door project is a lottery-funded project aimed at encouraging people to make use of green spaces in the city to improve their health.
The trail includes the woods, conservation area as well as the main lake. The numbered locations around the trail are marked with wooden posts.
Westport Lake is one of the cities Natural Heritage Sites and was designated as a Local Nature Reserve in July 2004.
Westport Lake Nature Reserve is located in a residential area at Longport on the outskirts of Stoke-on-Trent alongside the Trent and Mersey Canal. Until the 1880's the area was farming land with mining from Brownhills Colliery running underneath.
The lake is a legacy of coal mining associated with the area's historic potteries and industrial trade. The lake was formed in 1884 when the workings of the old Brownhills Colliery hit the water table, flooding the tunnels and ground above.
In 1890 it was developed into a pleasure resort by a local farmer, it then descended into a wasteland.
The site was opened by Prime Minister Ted Heath in 1972, a prime example of turning an industrial wasteland into a pleasant centre for open-air recreation within an urban community, and has proven to be one of the city’s most popular and enduring regeneration projects.
Westport Lake is well known for its water birds and the area is popular with bird spotters, walkers and anglers.
The site, one of the most visited sites in the city, features two lakes and a number of smaller pools, grassland, scrub, woodland, a nature conservation area and a children's play area. (
visit link)
(
visit link)
(
visit link)