I now have mowed, lawn quality paths six to ten feet wide to and around the ponds as a result of nearly two years of work on them, first clearing, then smoothing, chopping roots, digging out stumps, filling, etc. The paths extend a distance of about 1,300 feet from the edge of my lawn. They are nice to walk on, even in the dark, with no fear of tripping on obstacles, etc. Two years ago, the area was an overgrown, brushy, impassible mess.
Have others done similar projects?