Nightingale’s Bridge and Hilly Fields

 A group of seven volunteers assembled at Nightingale’s Bridge on an overcast afternoon which fortunately did not result in any significant rain. We first tackled a big clump on top of the river bank along Hilly Fields just upstream from the bridge. To access we had to climb through the wooden fence and then negotiate the fairly narrow bank but we managed to clear all but a few plants which were too close to a wasp’s nest for comfort.

We then split into two groups with one going across the river and upstream towards Parsonage Bridge while the other worked along the edge of Hilly Fields clearing small clumps amongst the bushes and then the area in the corner of Hilly Fields where the plants were fairly large but the quantity was not too bad compared to previous years.

Some of us then joined the group on the other side of the river and finished clearing up to the edge of Bridge House grounds. This side of the river seems a lot worse than it has for a few years.

Glebelands July 2024

There was a lot of balsam flowering along Meadow Mead and Glebelands and a lot more on the riverbank just downstream from Bridge House. We split into two groups to tackle each area. In Meadow Mead and Glebelands we concentrated on those areas which would be more difficult to reach with a brush cutter which is scheduled to be used in a couple of days. We were able to clear most of the ones which required access via the river bed or scrambling through the undergrowth.

The riverbank along Meadow Mead is becoming more overgrown with fallen branches, willows, blackthorn and brambles. However it’s still possible to access with a bit of scrambling either from the river bed or from Meadow Mead.

The river level was fairly low but care was needed if wearing wellies as there were a few areas above knee deep.

Clump below Church Road bridge 

After clearing 

On the riverbank along Meadow Mead

Black Rocks to Cogmill- July 2024

 We’ve been a bit late starting with balsam clearing this year partly due to the wet spring which led to muddy paths and high water levels in May. As a result the balsam is growing strongly in many places.

A group of six of us walked upstream to Black Rocks where two stayed to clear what at first sight looked like a smallish quantity but turned into a large number mainly along the edge of the river downstream.

The rest of the group continued up to the small islands which had been partially cleared a few days ago. After finishing clearing that area we moved further upstream where a lot of balsam was growing amongst the undergrowth. Some barbed wire had to be negotiated to get to all of it but we  managed to clear a lot before heading back downstream. Again we had to negotiate some barbed wire to access some areas on the east bank where we cleared a lot including on the field edge though a lot still remains. 

Black Rocks to Cogmill June 2023

There hasn’t been much rain for the past few weeks so the river level is fairly low making wading relatively easy. We walked up to the little islands between Black Rocks and Cogmill and cleared a lot of balsam from the islands and from the opposite bank. Fresh barbed wire prevented us from reaching more balsam along the edge of the fields.

Before

After

The balsam is getting to be quite tall and the first flowers are starting to appear.

On the way back we found a few isolated plants along the path and at the corner of the recently cleared area downstream from Black Rocks, we found a large clump in the undergrowth which we managed to clear.

Black Rocks June 2023

At first sight there seemed to be very little balsam at Black Rocks but when we explored further we found rather a lot in the undergrowth and particularly under fallen trees. Many plants were very small which reinforces the impression that the balsam is appearing a little late this year.

Meadow Mead June 2023

Although there wasn’t a great deal of balsam immediately visible we decided to have a look in the undergrowth on the riverbank along Meadow Mead. The corner near Parsonage Bridge is normally quite bad but only had a few dozen plants scattered amongst the nettles. At the grassy area in the middle, there were very few plants.

We cut some paths into the undergrowth towards Church Road bridge. Again we only found a few dozen balsam along the banks.

We finished by heading back along Glebelands. Frampton Nature Group had cleared balsam along here just over a week ago but we managed to find and clear a few more among the nettles.

 

Survey 2023

Late April/early May was quite cool and wet with high water levels which seems to have killed off some early seedlings of Himalayan Balsam.

Spring blossom and high water levels at Meadow Mead 

Seedlings in mid April

Casual observation during May along the Frome suggested that balsam was not reappearing in large quantities and this was borne out by my survey on 2 June. Although a few plants were visible at various places from Nightingale’s Bridge to Cogmill there were no very big clumps obviously visible. Even at the corner of Hilly Fields which normally has a lot of balsam there was little sign of it among the nettles.

At Black Rocks there’s a freshly fallen branch which makes access to balsam along the river edge more difficult. Upstream from Black Rocks, there seems to be a number of balsam growing on the far bank.