Hello Conservation Volunteers
On a glorious sunny autumn morning it was something a little different for our latest work morning where we were working in Endcliffe Woods which is classed as an ancient woodland.
Across from the stepping stones in Endcliffe Park there is a stone edged path meandering up to the top of the woods, although you wouldn't know it was there as it has long been covered up with soil and leaves. Our task for the morning was to restore and redefine this path, so along with Ranger Matt who brought along the biggest leaf blower that was in the council's store, and with teams sorted we set to work.
Starting at the top of the hill Matt set off first with the leaf blower to remove the leaves and some soil so we could at least see where the stone lined edge was, and thus allowed the teams to spread out cutting away on the stone edges, removing brambles, cutting down holly, laurel, and anything which was either covering the path or too close to it.
There is a stone lined surface at the bottom of the path and we had hoped it might go all the way up to the top which either isn't the case or it is so deep down under the years of soil on top it was too much to dig away, and with the tree roots now underneath and crossing the path it would potentially cause damage to the trees if it was removed so the compacted soil on top was left untouched.
Further up the hill the stone edges took a sharp right turn towards what is now a dead end at the fence at the edge of the woods. There was some debate about whether this was an ancient path where workers would walk down from their homes a few hundred years ago and across the stepping stones to work in the grinding workshops etc., however the meandering nature of the path seemed more landscaped for pleasure. Later investigation by Matt proved the path did not exist before 1896 and the stepping stones were only installed about 120 years ago around the same time as the bandstand. This is most definitely a landscaped woodland walk continuing on from the stepping stones with access at the top cut off when the land was sold off in the 1950s where the flats now stand.
At the end of the morning the path had been cleared all the way to the top and another similar path in the middle of the woods uncovered although this needs some more work.
We had been joined for the morning by Olivia who is an MA Journalism student at Sheffield University who was aiming to do an uplifting story on what people in Sheffield do to support their local community, and having read about us on the notice board in Endcliffe Park thought we would make ideal subjects! Throughout the morning Olivia was taking photos and conducting video interviews with our volunteers, finishing with myself which was a little difficult as I was distracted by a spider descending from the end of her nose, Little Miss Muffet like, but like all good journalists she continued in the face of adversity. (It would make a good "what happened next" at the ad break on "You've been framed"!)
A big thank you to everybody who came along not forgetting of course Mandy for her melting moment biscuits which apparently were a last minute bake on the morning as the rice crispy cakes didn't work out being too crumbly!
And to finish on a happy note, Mandy's lost loppers were eventually traced and are hopefully now reunited with her.
The next work morning is on Tuesday 26th November. An email will be sent out nearer the time with details.
Lyndon
A Selection of photos from the work morning
Ranger Matt with the leaf blower
Yellow hi-vis from top to bottom......
Path turning sharply to the right towards the fence
Peter cutting down the remainder of a holly bush
The finished path
