This summer, a new outdoor adventure in the form of a spectacular 68-metre stepping-stones attraction has opened in the North West. Hailed as ‘Europe’s longest continuous stepping stones’, families can take on the brand-new adventure at WWT Martin Mere, a wetland centre based in Burscough, just over an hour’s drive from Manchester.
WWT Martin Mere is now home to Europe’s longest continuous set of 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 project took around four months to build, which included draining the water, desilting, building a pathway using stone, and then placing the stepping stones before raising the water levels again. All of the work was completed by the in-house facilities team with the support of volunteers.
Things to do at WWT Martin Mere
Wet meadow, bug hunting area and walking routes
The stepping stones form part of WWT Martin Mere’s recently created wet meadow and self-guided bug hunting area, which opened in summer 2025. Visitors can pick up an identification chart and discover the 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.
Dragonfly Festival
The attraction opens just in time for the school summer holidays and the return of WWT Martin Mere’s popular Dragonfly Festival, running from 18 July to 31 August.
Packed with family-friendly activities, the festival will give visitors the chance to:
- Go pond dipping and discover underwater wildlife.
- Hunt for giant dragonfly sculptures around the reserve.
- Learn dragonfly-inspired dance moves at lively bubble parties.
- Get hands-on with interactive dragonfly science shows packed with fascinating facts.
How to visit the stepping stones at WWT Martin Mere
The stepping stones, alongside the Dragonfly Festival activities, are included as part of admission tickets or WWT membership, and are open each day from 9:30am until 6pm during the summer.
Tickets booked online include a 10% saving, with adult prices starting from £17.10, children aged 3 to 17 years costing from £11.12 and family ticket prices costing from £48.11. Children under three years old and carers can enter WWT Martin Mere for free. To find out more about WWT Martin Mere and buy advanced tickets here.
Find WWT Martin Mere at Fish Lane, Burscough, Lancashire, L40 0TA.
