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.