The usual pre-session briefing..
and then straight into it..!
Team East finally breaks through to Team West.
Getting those stumps down as low as possible.
The post tea break chat.
A good job that some wore their wellies..
Part of the new pathway.
"This will be the last branch that I cut...honestly.."
"Oh well...maybe just one more..."
The new pathway gives wonderful new views across the pond.
These last few shots show what we managed to achieve...
truly astounding.
Birchmore Pond is one of those venues that we have been visiting for many a year but seldom more than one visit every one or two years. Although, over time, great progress had been made at cutting our way around the edge of the pond, we never really managed to get on top of things. Today, all that changed...! At the pre-session briefing, Mark suggested that we cut a new access route through from the car parking area to the pond - which just happened to run through the huge bramble patch that we had NEVER previously tackled (nice one Mark!). We split into Team East and Team West and, not unlike with the boring of the Channel Tunnel, attacked the problem from opposing sides. Initially this is a bit "hit or miss" (literally!) but as the teams get closer, you can adjust direction by voice and finally by sight before the final break through is achieved - that "Doctor Livingstone" moment! Once we had access, the pond side area was cleared of bramble and over hanging branches thereby opening up a whole new aspect to this lovely pond. Other GGmers were involved with cutting back willow along the northern edge and giving the whole area a general tidy up. I can remember writing the blog for this venue before and finishing with...."please can we go back soon to continue the work - SOON" so, Mark, I will do a "Hint Hint" again...😀
As can be seen from the group shots above, we had an excellent turnout and the weather was glorious for early January (even thought the black ice alarm on the car went off as I left home to go there!)
Many thanks to Terry for taking the excellent photographs.
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