5 of us went down to Burpham to carry out further repairs to the boardwalk in the wetland nature reserve, largely with retrieved and scavenged but serviceable materials. We met up with GBC just after lunch, who provided us with some more wood and screws to use, and another roll of bags for ragwort. He had a walk around with us and was very pleased with what we’d done. He and we had observed how much the willow and alder had grown recently, and an autumn cull is in the pipeline for other volunteer groups and us to do.
Lunchtime entertainment was provided by a long hire boat taking 3 attempts to get round the bend going upstream to Stoke Lock, and three kids in the water just downstream from where the weir stream rejoins, and only just up from the large outlet pipe down from the lock – not ideal for bathing (bit like the Seine?)- we were slightly surprised to see them standing up in the middle, water only just over waist high.
On the way back, we managed to grab, cut up and pull out a biggish clump of buddleia that had lodged itself by the chains alongside the walkway at the side of the YMCA building. It must have been in the water for a while, as it was rather slimy and smelly, but we hadn’t seen it on the outward journey, so it may have already got caught up and dragged by another boat. Anyway, all clear now, or it will be when M and crew offload it from the boat tomorrow!
Cheers all
A
You can find out more about our Swingbridge Community Boats here.
