Events-2016

 

Friends of the Railway Path

Promoting and developing the

Coate to Marlborough Railway Path

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2016 EVENTS

Hedgelaying involves several different jobs: clearing brambles, pruning the hedge plants, laying them, banging in stakes, threading the binders and (of course) tidying up and removing thorns from the path. It’s a real team effort, and you can see both what you have contributed and also what everyone else has achieved.

 

We have now completed laying the 200m hedge (which we began in 2013). My thanks to everyone who has contributed over the years. The stretch we have been working on now looks so much better, and as you come round the corner from the curly wurly bridge over the motorway you can see across the fields instead of being met with a dank brambly tunnel.

 

24th January - Friends of the Path Workday

 

The work party of 12 arrived (some of us by bike) on a warm January day (the day after New York had experienced near-record snowfall). Once again, the Woodland Trust had generously agreed to donate materials from their Stratton Wood.

 

 

We’re getting there! And on this occasion, we found a common frog: the first one I have seen at that site. The morning’s work will help conserve the diverse flora of the site, and the fauna that relies on it – especially the butterflies and moths.

 

In the afternoon, we cleared low overhanging trees on the stretch just south of Chiseldon Firs. This has made it easier for cyclists and riders to pass.

 

My thanks to the team for their cheerful work during the day, and for the really useful results.

Friday 5th February - ESRC Workday

 

On Friday 5th February, a group from the Economic and Social research Council spent a day on the path. In the morning, we worked on the grassland in the cutting near Whitefield Farm. Over the past few years, several work parties have cleared a lot of invading scrub: but we have been a bit reticent about digging out large roots, to try and avoid too much damage to the steep slope. This time round, there were some larger plants to remove, and also some regrowth from earlier cutting.

 

 

 

 

Friends of the Railway Path workday

Saturday 20th February

 

We made a good (if wet!) start on a fresh stretch of hedge last Saturday. Nine of us dealt with about 15 yards of hedge before being driven off by the weather. And in spite of this it was – as usual – enjoyable to do. The pictures below show before – during – and after shots. The stretch is well used by many walkers and cyclists coming from Coate Water, and we hope they all notice the work as it progresses towards the motorway. We’re now at the end of the hedge laying season, but we’ll be back here again next winter.

We had another enjoyable day in the open air, on the Railway Path between Marlborough and Ogbourne St Andrew. We have removed branches and small trees to make the path wider along a half mile or so section. Pictures below show us starting out, hard at it, and in the distance down a slightly wider path.

 

Nick also started erecting some “permissive path” signs which Sustrans requested: and refurbished some noticeboards which we can use.

 

Thanks to all the team.

 

We had a successful day, along the mile between Chiseldon Firs and Whitefield Farm.

 

We cleared overhanging trees to allow more height; nettles and brambles to allow more width and to allow some signs to be seen again!

 

The Path was being well-used. We met about 30 cyclists, 2 horse riders and half a dozen runners and walkers. Among the cyclists were groups of children, and a family of four recently moved to the area who were out discovering the surroundings of their new home. One of the walkers makes a trip regularly from Southampton to walk in and around the Downs.

 

It was great to see so many people out enjoying themselves!

 

Friends of the Path Workday

17th September 2016