Staying on the Rails

By the Session Leader

This return-visit to one of our favourite sites was one for which we were well prepared: Trustees had sent us, ahead of time, a list of the tasks that most needed to be done.

As is well known, fore-warned > fore-armed.  Before we arrived on site, our respected chief had even chosen the task she would most like to work on.  [‘Respected chief’?   
I think he means me!  It is true I sent him a “Bags I do …” email” – Ed.]  In the language of site-wardens, the task spec read:

Remove log pile from end of newly exposed boat rails to open up the original view to the water.  Barrow logs to maintenance area

Little did she know that log-moving would turn out to be one of the bigger tasks.  She was still working on it when time was called. 

This was the view to be opened up:

And these were the piles of logs:

Some of the work was done solo:

“You’ve got a big load there.  You must be strong!”

– “I come to Green Gym!”

But some of the loads needed two people to get them into the barrow, up the slope, and into the main log stack:

The task we had expected to the biggest – given our experience on our previous visit to the site – was #1 on the list:

Remove cut reeds from either side of boardwalk, and barrow to the compost area

In fact this was soon done so quickly that we have no photos to show for it, and have to cheat by showing here a pic from that earlier occasion:

The next task on the list really was another big one:

Clear leaf litter from original slipway and between rails – barrow to compost area

It was not just leaves, but earth, compost, and pieces of broken concrete …

with more to do next time.

Meanwhile, some of the braver volunteers undertook to:

Pull nettles to the side of the maintenance area to open up the sight lines to the boat rails

Dead nettles were added to a rapidly growing compost heap:

Still there was more to do, including these tasks which we had scarcely touched:

Anne Carpmael Rose Garden (picket fence) – remove brambles and thistles, and barrow to compost area

Withymead Garden – cut sycamore seedlings just below ground level, and barrow to compost area

But then, we wouldn’t have been happy if we had run out of work to do.

Meantime, the Trustees have the matter of setting up a new composting system on site to consider.  Needed: area of bare earth, well-drained, in a reasonably sunny spot …