October 2026 work party report

October 1-4

Blessed by kind weather, more outstanding progress on multiple fronts.

With the high volunteer numbers that have now become something of a norm, it is not unusual to report progress on multiple fronts. The October work party felt particularly varied with activity spanning a channel length of more than ½ kilometre, including: tree-felling, disposal of arisings, willow-bashing, wash wall construction, blocking and rip rap, bund construction, concrete-chute modifications, sowing wild-flower seed, and more. A prep day before the main Friday start was included to ensure we maximised the benefit of strong volunteer numbers. Once again, we were joined on Friday by five volunteers from local business Aico who seemed to enjoy themselves. We are grateful to them.

The top priorities were completing the channel in Phase 2, completing the wash wall blocks through Schoolhouse Bridge and tree-felling in Phase 3. Anything else would be a bonus. All went to plan like clockwork. For the channel, the final lengths of permanent liners had been laid last time and blocks laid in the channel bed. This time, a number of fiddly jobs were required to finish off: laying blocks up the sides, manually placing riprap and soil covering, then creating and covering a bund. This will act as the temporary end of Phase 2 till the sections through Schoolhouse Bridge to Malthouse Bridge are completed and the connection made. Phase 2 will be rewatered over winter ready for water testing next year. The bund and it’s covering is temporary – the liners are pegged around the top but do not require full covering with blocks.

Wash wall activity started on Friday with compacted backfill behind the half-height wall built last time. A further three courses were laid on Saturday into Sunday morning and then level built up on the channel side of the wall. This will allow concrete pour to be completed (next week) from power-barrows rather than pumping – a considerable cost saving. Much of the material placed in the channel will be used for back-fill behind the newly completed courses next time, after which coping stones will be placed on top of the wall and the towpath reinstated.

So now to report on clearance in Phase 3 where progress was simply incredible. A number of trees remained in the channel which needed to be felled. Burning of still significant quantities of brash remaining from last time was done on Thursday to clear the site ready for felling. This generated further large quantities of arisings which were split into brash for burning and firewood for volunteers and locals alike, with plenty for everyone.

That just left a multitude of stumps, large and small, and we entered “bonus territory”. Starting on Saturday, the site had been completely cleared of stumps by Sunday afternoon, bar one (a big one!) and a good start made on burning these. The site has been transformed. Thankfully, a number of trees above water level could be retained on the off-side bank. Further progress this year in Phase 3 will be in the lap of the weather gods as this section traditionally gets wet over winter.

There was even time for some volunteers to venture into Waen Wen on Sunday to continue removing willow whips that had appeared since last year’s felling. This turned out to be a very popular job (for some!). All in all, a fantastically productive work party with something for everyone, as the following picture proves.