| September 2003
EDITORIAL COMMENT ~
Steve Jones
I recently had the opportunity to look at the work being carried out by the
'Dig Deep consortium in Sidney Wood and, as we have come to expect it is being
carried out to a high standard. It is very satisfying for me personally that we
continue to make steady progress in restoring the canal along this lovely stretch. I
then called in at Loxwood to look at our showpiece stretch confidently expecting to
see very low water levels, but no, the Onslow pound was full and although down about
10 inches the Brewhurst pound was still clearly navigable. What a super job Peter
Wilding does here in juggling water levels, especially with so many visitors every
day, some just admiring the canal but often with the trip boats operating.
A Busy Time for Keeping up Appearances ~ Brian Crossley.
After some initial scrub clearance in the winter of 1998, the group gave the
Tickners Heath road crossing its first mow in the following spring. We installed a
small bench seat in May. By March 2000 the area was looking good enough to merit one
of our little PR signs. "This site is maintained by volunteers from the Wey & Arun
Canal Trust".
Then in September of that year, disaster struck! We discovered a major breach under
the towpath. Winston Harwood advertised for donations of clay and sensibly these
were dumped as close as possible, unfortunately ruining much of the lawn we had
established. Winston's group did a magnificent job repairing the breach, and in
March 2002 we were able to level and re-seed the area.
Early this year, much of the restored lawn was again covered with pyramids of clay,
this time needed for raising the nearby dam and towpath. One of the summer work
camps did the work, leaving the site very tidy. However, inevitably, there is a
large bare scar. We have it on good authority that no further work involving
disturbing the grass is planned, so at our first meeting in September, we shall once
again be levelling, raking and seeding. All in the days work for 'Keeping up
Appearances'.
Our September meetings will be on Mondays 1,15. If you're pretty resilient and think
you might be able to spare one or two days a month, please give me a call.
MWWP 'Winter' Programme Starts in Heat Wave ~ Colin Gibbs.
The Mid Week Working Party (MWWP) commenced their 'winter' programme of bank and
towpath clearance at the beginning of August in temperatures of 90degrees; which
along with holidays probably caused the low turnout! We had hoped to complete the
section at Run Common; which we were unable to work on at the beginning of the year,
because of high water levels. At the same time we attacked the bits we completed
last year. The thinking here being the more you attack brambles, the less likely
they are to re-grow. We'll see. Due to the high temperatures, some of the brushwood
will need to be burnt up next time we visit.
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