Riverside Boardwalk at The Dingle Local Nature Reserve

A Natural Fit

When Isle of Anglesey County Council needed to replace an ageing timber boardwalk at The Dingle (Nant y Pandy) Local Nature Reserve in Llangefni, they turned to Millboard decking. The result is a durable, low maintenance, 1km walkway that blends naturally into a sensitive ancient woodland and river environment, and one that has become a standout project for everyone involved.

The Dingle sits just minutes from Llangefni town centre, and for local people it’s a much-loved place to step outside and connect with nature. That’s exactly what Millboard is about: helping people live life outside, in spaces that are built to last.

Background | A reserve that matters

background | A reserve that matters

The Dingle, known in Welsh as Nant y Pandy, meaning Brook of the Fulling Mill, is a 10-hectare wooded valley in Llangefni, Anglesey. Bisected by the River Cefni, this ancient woodland gorge sits close to the town centre, making it one of the most accessible and well-used green spaces on the island. It attracts both local residents and visitors drawn by its wildlife, history, and character.

The reserve supports a remarkable range of species. Sessile oak, ash and wild cherry dominate much of the woodland, with bluebells creating a spectacular spring display. The wetter areas are home to frogs, newts and adders, while kingfishers, dippers, grey wagtails and ravens are among the birds regularly spotted along the river corridor. Eight of the sixteen bat species found in Britain have been recorded here at dusk. Most significantly, red squirrels, one of the UK’s most protected native mammals, have been reintroduced to the reserve and are flourishing.

At the heart of the reserve, a boardwalk winds along the course of the Cefni, providing public access through parts of the site that would otherwise be impassable. The original structure, constructed from timber, had reached the end of its serviceable life. Ongoing maintenance demands, visible deterioration, and regular vandalism damage were placing increasing pressure on the council’s resources. A replacement was needed, one built for the long term.

the chalenge | durability in a demanding environment

Riverside and wetland boardwalks face some of the harshest conditions any decking product can encounter. Constant moisture, UV exposure, foot traffic, and the potential for vandalism can all take a toll. Timber, however well treated, requires regular inspection, repair, and eventually replacement, cycles that can carry both cost and operational disruption.

The council was clear about what it needed: a boardwalk solution that would be resilient and durable, require minimal maintenance, and sit sympathetically within the natural woodland setting. Aesthetics mattered too, as the reserve’s character depended on the new structure feeling like it belonged there.

The Solution | millboard weathered oak decking and plas-pro railing

Before committing to a full replacement, the council took a considered approach. Trial sections of Millboard decking were installed in different parts of the existing timber boardwalk, allowing the team to assess performance and gather feedback from visitors before making a final decision.

The response was clear. Visitors noticed the difference immediately, with many commenting favourably on the new sections and asking whether the whole boardwalk would be completed in the same material. The trial also confirmed what the management team had hoped: less rotting, less damage, and noticeably less vandalism compared to the timber sections around it.

The product selected for the full installation was Millboard’s Weathered Oak decking range in Vintage. This choice was deliberate. Weathered Oak is well suited to natural and conservation settings, hand-moulded from antique oak masters, its weathered wood grain look and hand-coloured tonal qualities blending perfectly with woodland surroundings. As the site manager described it, the finished product has the look of an old railway sleeper oak boardwalk, and it feels as though it has always been there.

“It looks like it’s always been there and blends in well with the environment. It looks really good.”

The boardwalk’s handrails and balustrade were specified using Millboard’s Plas-Pro – a product normally used as subframe, that works equally well in a variety of other uses such as this. Engineered from a durable, low-maintenance, recycled plastic, Plas-Pro is designed to withstand exactly the kind of demanding, moisture-rich environment found at The Dingle. Unlike painted or treated timber rails, it will not rot, warp, splinter or require periodic repainting, making it a practical and cost-effective choice for a public access route in a sensitive natural setting. The system’s clean, unobtrusive profile complements the Weathered Oak decking, contributing to an overall installation that sits naturally within its woodland surroundings.

installation & collaboration

The project involved close collaboration between Isle of Anglesey County Council, a structural engineer, and the installing contractors. Millboard’s team supported throughout, responding promptly to queries and providing technical guidance as required, a level of service that was specifically noted by the project team.

The result was a smooth installation process and a finished boardwalk that met both the functional and visual expectations of all parties involved. The council was happy with the outcome, the site management team was happy, and the project has since been recognised as a landmark scheme, described by those involved as “quite an iconic project.“

Results | Less maintenance, more confidence

The operational benefits have been immediate and tangible. Before the Millboard decking installation, the team faced a predictable cycle of weekend damage: broken handrails, split decking, fallen timber on Monday mornings, and last-minute Friday call-outs to keep the boardwalk safe for visitors. That pattern has ended.

The site manager’s experience since installation speaks for itself: arriving to find the boardwalk exactly as it was left, requiring only a quick sweep. No reactive repairs. No replacement components. No vandalism damage to address. The structure is simply standing up to everything asked of it.

“Now we can come in, and we know it’s spot on. All that’s needed is a quick sweep. There’s no damage.”

From a budget and resource perspective, this shift from reactive repairs to effectively minimal maintenance is significant, particularly for a local authority managing a reserve close to a town centre with high public footfall.

why millboard decking

This project illustrates several of the core reasons that specifiers and councils select Millboard resin mineral composite decking for sensitive and high-use outdoor environments:

• Exceptional durability even in wet and exposed conditions, as the product performs where timber would struggle to sustain.
• Improved resistance to vandalism, as the composite structure is highly resistant the kind of surface damage that can make timber vulnerable.
• Natural aesthetics, with Weathered Oak decking specifically designed for environments where blending well with natural surroundings is important.
• Low ongoing maintenance, freeing up management resource for other priorities on site.
• Technical support through close collaboration with the Millboard team throughout specification, installation and beyond.

a lasting investment in a valued landscape

The Dingle is a community asset, a place where people connect with nature, where red squirrels find refuge, and where the ancient woodland and riverside character of Anglesey can be experienced just minutes from a town centre. The boardwalk is not incidental to that experience; it is integral to it. Millboard’s resin mineral composite decking has given the council and the reserve’s management team the confidence that this infrastructure will continue to serve the public well, without the cycle of repair and replacement that characterised its timber predecessor.

Millboard is proud to have supplied the product for this project and to have supported its delivery. It is the kind of outcome, ecologically sensitive, practically robust, and publicly valued, that represents what good specification looks like.

“Millboard have been fantastic throughout. They’re very quick responding to our inquiries and finding answers to our questions. They’ve been brilliant.”