4 /5 Keith Hainge: The River Chess runs through Meades Water Garden. You can enter it via Duck Alley which starts by Town Bridge on Germain St in the old part of town. Here you walk with buildings to your left & the river on your right. Good spot to see a Grey Wagtail if you are lucky or a tiny Wren in the trees & old wall bordering The Chess. Then you emerge into the gardens with its mature trees & 2 wooden bridges over the river. The path splits to take you either side of the river but you must soon find it merge into one again.
Now you can either exit onto busy Red Lion St. ( note a small folly nr the pavement ) or pass behind the BP Garage & cross a recently restored Bridge with a small island of allotments wedged between the bridge , the garage & Amersham Rd.
Here you are by the busy Roundabout where Amy Lane & Amersham Rd & Moor Rd meet.
Some years ago the gardens were restored with work done to clean the passage of The Chess & although years of comparative drought have often left the river dry & the whole gardens looking very sad this Winters & Spring rains have the river flowing beautifully & in fact flooding the sides.
In Spring it is very colourful with flag iris , Marsh Marigold , Wild Garlic , Bluebells , Daffodils & Stitchwort.
Ducks & Songbirds to be seen & heard - once I saws Kingfisher.
Pleasant spot to sit on one of the benches.


