This winter, rather than hedge-laying, we are clearing and coppicing the hedges between bridges and 84 and 85, in preparation for further channel restoration. The ‘hedge’ here has not been laid for so long that it is all too large to be laid again, This is one of the problems that has made it increasingly hard in recent years to find suitable hedge for laying,
December started with two bonfires to dispose of brash that had been cut at the end of the November work parry. As the cutting and felling proceeded towards Crickheath, a third fire was added to reduce wasted motion. Anything big enough to be kept for firewood was transported back to the compound using a power-barrow which rarely stopped. A quantity of ash was logged and split and taken the Cross Keys in Llanymynech as a small token of our appreciation of the landlord’s hospitality and generosity. The bulk of the wood was carefully stacked at the rear of our compound from where it was all stolen before the next work party.
January’s work party was preceded by two visits to site by commercial contractors who had been engaged to clear a line of large willow trees from the offside bank. The January work party removed further trees.
