Investing in nature: Tanya's story

For Tanya, Padiham Greenway is an important part of her daily life: it’s a place to walk her dog, spend time in nature and unwind after a busy day.

So, when the River Calder Bridge on the Greenway closed for five years, she felt its loss, alongside other local residents.

We know that green spaces are vital, both as a habitat for wildlife and as a space for people to access nature to support their physical and mental health. For Tanya, this was especially true, and she shared with us the impact of the Greenway’s closure and its eventual re-opening.

Life in Padiham

Tanya was born in Padiham and remembers when Padiham Greenway was a railway line serving the community in a different way. The River Calder Bridge forms part of this route in Lancashire, which was transformed in 2010 into the two-mile walking, wheeling and cycling path that exists today.

When it closed in 2021 due to safety concerns, it severed an important link. She said: “It was a bit gutting when it closed. The whole estate was the same; we chat on the WhatsApp group and people said, 'we can't wait until it opens again'.”

Tanya chose to live close to the Greenway because it provides her with easy access to nature and a chance to decompress at the end of the working day.

She described its impact: “It's calming. You can practise mindfulness. It's a decompression just to walk through it, listen to all those trees, look at those nice wildflowers."

The Greenway also offers a quick route to the park, which Tanya regularly visits with her dog. When the bridge closed, it made the journey longer and less safe: “You'd have to go through the town, up the main road, and cross traffic just to get to the entrance of the park.”

The bigger picture

More than five million people have to walk for more than 10 minutes just to get to a green space, and we know from speaking to people like Tanya that access to nature can have a powerful impact both on individuals and the wider world.

So, Tanya was pleased to be involved in Walk Wheel Cycle Trust’s autumn fundraising appeal, which will raise funds for the development of the National Cycle Network so that more people can connect with nature along these paths.

Improving health one step at a time

Living with rheumatoid arthritis, Tanya relies on accessible places to walk and stay active. The Greenway's flat, traffic-free path is an easy-to-navigate space where she can exercise safely.

She said, following a recent surgery: “Finding somewhere that is relatively flat so that I could walk on the crutches, it improved my mood massively. It was great knowing that I had somewhere to go that was safe and unobstructive.”

When was the last time you saw an owl?

In the UK, nearly 6 out of 10 people live within a mile of the National Cycle Network. It offers not just easy access to the outdoors, but space for nature to thrive too.

Tanya describes seeing wildlife on the route: "There are squirrels and rabbits. I've seen owls as well. I was stood watching one for a good 20 minutes. It was beautiful."

Wild about Padiham

When the bridge reopened – after Walk Wheel Cycle Trust repaired it in partnership with Burnley Council, National Highways and Active Travel England, the Wild About Padiham project encouraged local people to take part in wildlife-friendly improvements and conservation activities. Through this work, we're helping create a richer habitat for pollinators, birds and more.

Projects like Wild About Padiham show how reconnecting people with nature can benefit both communities and wildlife, helping create healthier, happier and more connected places for everyone.

Reflecting on the reopening, Tanya said: "I'm so happy to have this open again. There have been so many more people on the Greenway with prams, bikes and wheelchairs."

If you’d like to help more people like Tanya access nature on the National Cycle Network, please make a gift today.