This stretch of footpath is a short cut from the top of the hill down to the bottom, and is a handy alternative route, I often use it. It can be a bit of a battle through the brambles, and you risk getting your eyes poked out with the over hanging branches. It is in desperate need of a makeover. I'm not sure who's job it is to tidy the public rights of ways, but I reckon the best thing I can do is just get on with the job.
This big green mound of bush needs chopping back, I love my loppers :-)
The blooming brambles were clinging to my trousers as I dragged the cut branches out of the way, and chucked them down the bank. 
Oooh, look what I found. Anyone interested in a little sideline? Stick these plastic bags through letterboxes, and go back three days later to pick up your swag. 
Three hours later the job is done. All neat and tidy. Sadly no time for a bike ride now. 
Just need to go back with a saw, those two branches were too thick for the loppers. I left the broken tree covered in ivy, it makes a nice archway to walk under and it isn't low enough to bash your head on. 
I shall keep my eye on it because it might need a trim up in the spring. There is another path at the other end of the village which needs the same treatment, I'll get onto it asap. 
You have done a great job Ilona, your neighbourhood are very lucky to have someone that cares.
ReplyDeleteJille x
I used to live in a cottage which had a public footpath running along one of the boundaries. It's the duty of whoever owns the land to ensure that passage is possible, but that frankly doesn't mean much. In my case I shared that duty with a neighbour but a bit of a strim once a year sorted it out. Tbh when public footpaths go within a few feet of your front door, as mine did, I wasn't too keen on making it so attractive that hordes of townie walkers (and their dogs and children) would use it every Sunday or weekday summer's evening. After all, no-one paid me for picking up their empty juice boxes or crisp bags - and their dogs occasionally chased my hens. Mean of me maybe, but I valued my organic free range eggs too much. :O)
ReplyDeleteThat's a fair comment Jane, I would get a bit peeved as well. I find almost as much litter on the countryside footpaths as I do in the street. It is very annoying.
ReplyDeleteThank you Jille. I try my best.
ReplyDeleteKeeping a right of way clear is often in the best interest of the owner of the land it crosses. Sometimes you find landowners who surreptitiously remove direction signs to make it difficult for anyone to follow a path, hoping that it will discourage people from using it. They then get upset that walkers are straying from the right of way onto their land.
ReplyDeleteKeeping a pathway clear and obvious makes perfect sense to me.
You've made a great job of chopping back and clearing - much safer all round.
ReplyDeleteI'd be contacting the charity and reporting what some 'kind' worker has done - they can probably track back to who's responsible. (I mean who's irresponsible!)
Hi Ilona, I totally agree with Rose about contacting the charity re. dumped plastic bags. Probably someone was paid to distribute them, dumped them, and got paid for doing nothing. That kind of thing makes my blood boil. The charity may be able to trace the culprit whose duty it was to distribute the bags in your area if you tell them exactly where they were located. You did a great job there.
ReplyDeleteYou're right Cyberkim. I have got a bit lost, when a footpath suddenly disappears, and had to stumble around to try and pick it up again.
ReplyDeleteRose and Anna thank you,I have emailed the charity with the photo, and location, it's up to them what they do about it. I shall go back and remove them and dump them in the proper place, that's if they don't want them back. We haven't got a charity shop round here of that name.
Are you a volunteer ranger Meanqueen? I am a Liaison Ranger for Sustrans. Are there any Sustrans routes in your area? If you're not already you could be an official litter picker upper! I've just been out today with my bike and had to pick up some litter although my role today was to look at certain thing and try to positively grid reference them.
ReplyDeleteIf you want any info, look at the Sustrans Website (although you probably know about it.
That looks like a really nice arch on one of your photos.
Hi Anne Marie. I am not a volunteer ranger, though I have been asked by the Barton Waters Edge visitor centre. I prefer to do my volunteering when I see something that needs doing, and when I want to spend the time putting it right. I don't want any commitments because I am hopeless at fitting in with a team.
ReplyDeleteI volunteered to pick litter in my village because I was fed up of seeing the mess lying around. It is my way of saying I won't tolerate living in a tip. I was a bit nervous about what people would think, a dotty woman picking up rubbish, but so far I have had only positive comments.
Yes, I have heard of Sustrans, we have cycle routes around here and can get maps from the council web site. It is a good scheme, I love to see families out on their bikes in the summer.