On a previous visit it was looking like the boardwalk was becoming a little overgrown with the reeds collapsing over it making it difficult to negotiate especially if it rains (!) or if it’s a dewy morning.

I decided that it would be possible to restore access simply by trimming the vegetation and pushing the tall reeds backwards. I took a selection of tools with me including a long handled slasher, a slashing hook and bass broom. Slashing didn’t really work as the vegetation was too thick but using the broom head to bend the stems back worked much better than I expected! Although the photos don’t do it justice, the completed job is a great improvement than before.

I used my shears to cut back a lot of brambles and nettles that were growing near the path entrance, as there is nothing worse than being scratched and stung before you start your walk.
I also took the opportunity to cut down a couple of young willows growing at the edge of the boardwalk in the reed bed and trimmed a few others that were encroaching. I’ll check it again next week but think it will be fine until we organise a proper work party once autumn is here, maybe in October.
For nature notes there wasn’t much to report. A few robins and blackbirds and an Emperor dragonfly that buzzed up and down as I hacked at the reeds was about all. The brambles are full of fruit and will attract interest soon I’m sure.

I talked to a few visitors who were grateful for the work I was doing and the ratio of dogs to humans was about 3:1