A record of several journeys into the jungles of our local paths during the month.

Most exciting thing that happened was the phone call received after clearing paths along Mike Nott’s garden panelling.  We cut back a very overhanging barrier of honeysuckle (I think) that severely impeded progress along the right of way.  Mike, in good humour to be fair, but harried from behind I was made to understand, wanted to know why we had cut it back, it not being the end of the month of August n’all.  After this date it seems, vegetation can be tackled with vengeance and no fear of retribution and imprisonment from jobsworths at DEFRA.   I suggested that the 16th August wasn’t too distant from the end of the month so maybe punishment would be withheld.  I asked him if it was his spaniel that had rushed out and bitten us and what did he think about that (it was and it didn’t). Anyway he praised the PONS for the work they do.

Mike Nott’s Area FP740 cleared

Apart from that little task, good progress was made around Quarry Farm , near Mel Farmers and the path off Pudford Lane between Hollins Lane and B4297

Quarry Farm Area FP555. 556 (all round the quarry) cleared

On

Mel Farmer’s Area, FP704 and 705 cleared

Tuesday 18th Ian, Simon and self cleared paths around Aldens and David Harrisons–those not done a month ago then Ben went out on 20th and 21st to clear off some stiles–thanks Ben.  He worked his way down Pudford Lane, also along the road towards the Masons (not sure how long that took) and up Easinghope Lane area too , excellent thanks.  Thanks too to Alan Gosling who checked out a couple of machines this month.

Aldens and David Harrisons Area FP 640 and 641 parts cleared and 620

Given that many could not be with us today there was a good turn out of eight on a mission to deal a fatal blow to the massive growth on paths between Ross’s Lane and Brook Court. So massive that the route through the ‘new’ spinney on Trevor Sanders land was scarcely traceable. With teams operating in three places excellent progress was made on all of the routes in this quarter of the parish, indeed all routes were cleared and hopefully this will last to the end of the season. Thanks to Ben, Tom, Tim, Charlotte, Colin, John C, Mike and of course to Jan with coffee and wow, cake. The walk behinds tho are showing signs of all the very hard work so some in depth maintenance is needed, immediately in the case of one of them. A good day to be out, warm but what wonderful weather.
Routes cleared:622, 628, 638, 640, 631, 637, 632, 634, 646, 633

Off for coffee

28th June is late in the year to start clearance of Martley’s paths, very late; a few turned out and were soon lost in a welter of nettles, brambles and burdock. At least we made a start and a difference too–the up river path from Ham Bridge–hadn’t been cleared in around 100 years,Simon says he remembers doing it, is now open; many styles too.

Riverside Path Before

River Side Path After, Simon

One of Ben’s at Trevor Sanders Farm

Doing

Alan–Done

Mothering Sunday, 15th March 15 or Mothers’ Day is it these modern days? Good turn out and much done including The Nubbins, a job that has been on the list for years probably near a decade, so big sense of achievement when completed. We cleaned up the steps at the bottom, moved the path on to its correct line and replaced steps at base of steep hill, installed a stubby waymark post at the top of the hill to provide a sight line for those coming from the field above and cut steps in the rock/earth from the top down on the steepest part. They will be eroded but we made the effort. Later, replaced a broken signpost on Ankerdine and strengthened a stile and replaced its step right down in the South of the parish near Wants Green. Good stuff–thanks all who attended.

Ben and me, inspecting a list of problems from Jon White our Area Officer and doing a bit of part time signing in the rain (geddid?); map below showing our route then pics of the worker.

Route taken with Signing Points

Pics from Sundays work party when we installed, renewed, fixed up around 10 signposts plus some waymarking. Map reading courses available to needy people (if you write this then you will get a chance to say how history happened).  Must be a lol somewhere.  Thanks to all who came along, only about 3 SPs left in stock to do.  Ben and I will check out other reported problems this week hopefully.  Next meet 15th March

Ian passed me a folder of PONS stuff and it proved interesting, well a little, so I thought that I would put them in the blog as a little bit of our history.

Here is a list of PONS members from December 1992:

of the above, four are still active members and Audrey too.

This is the list from 1995: so in this list Ben has appeared so it makes 5 still active.

Here, now is a letter from Keith (Trumper) our first footpath officer and founder of the PONS group, to Ian Pennell dated 12 Jan 1996 suggesting it was time to find a new ‘leader’ but as he refers to the County’s new scheme (the Parish Paths Partnership P3) and the Parish Council, he means a new footpath officer.

For the record, the PONS is still going strong, Feb 2015, full credit to Keith and the founder members.  The group remains very active and well represented; here are the current members:

Jon Pearsall, Tom Pearsall, John Corbett, Tim Nott (and sometimes his family members), Ian Pennell, Ben Cartwright, Simon Honeybourne, Alasdair Maxwell-Stewart, Tony Lewington, Mike Install, Rob and Ross Day, Carl Armstrong, Andy Palmer.  We hope and believe that Keith would be proud, we know Audrey (Keith’s wife), now moved to the village centre, is.

Following on the apology from the Chief Exec. of MHDC, HERE is a letter from Kevin Oliver, Countryside Access Manager, on behalf of Mr Ian Bamforth, Head of Service at Worcestershire County Council.

In the middle of the fields behind Eddie Williams farm, a muddy stream, cow trodden and giant puff balls the girls used for footie practice.  Over growth of brambles, oozing marsh, less than pure water and broken down fences.  The causeway and fences to prevent cattle roaming on to it and damaging it, was installed by County years ago–I guess around 15.  By 2015 just about all of the posts used had rotted off at the base, causing the fence to lean alarmingly, on the point of collapsing completely.

As usual our leader (taskmaster?) JP had a plan.  This plan was criticised, often, we just wouldn’t have done it that way and told him. As is the way with gang masters, we received no rations, commendation or other sustenance and bent to our respective tasks diligently with heads down. Some had escaped the chains to do the dainty task of erecting signs in the area to guide people along the Martley Circular Walk, the leaflet for which would benefit from a little more clarity in places.

After several unrefreshed hours continuous work the coffee angel, Janet appeared–thanks–gulp, gone, back to work.

Here are the pics and thank you to the youngsters for sticking it out, being cheerful and helping us on the day.  Better say thanks too to JP otherwise he will be mardy; we enjoyed the work, great plan, thank goodness you do all the organizing, especially of the untalented team you have to use.

JP has erected very useful map boards on the Martley Circular, at the furthest out point and where some choose to start this beautiful circular ramble. Black arrow marks the spot.