As part of the recent campaign to audit the millenium mileposts there was a request to repaint them, where necessary.
Maldwyn has taken this task in hand for the milepost we passed in Vicars Wood on NCR6 a few weeks ago and made it look very splendid indeed.
Well done to Maldwyn and his friend.
....It was lovely out in the woods today, but perhaps better to stay at home?
I will explain all later in these notes, as well as how we really enjoyed our summer work day picnic in the middle of Sherwood Forest. But first things first. ......
Our August work day was an "away day", outside our own region as we travelled over to Vicar Water country park at Clipstone, to lend a hand to Maldwyn and checking out a section of NCR 6 that he looks after. A couple of years ago we helped check the route down to Newstead Abbey, but this time the plan was to cycle the 10 miles up to Clumber Park, clearing vegetation and checking signage. Surely 10 miles and back wouldn't take too long?
It has now become quite common practice to start our work days with a coffee, and the lovely cafe at the car park provided us with far too comfortable a start; getting started on Sustrans work was accordingly delayed. No sooner had we got going than Maldwyn pointed to signs in the car park that needed cleaning. He and David S gave us a masterclass in how to complete this important task whilst the rest of us chatted to one of the many people strolling past.
We had no sooner left the car park and passed through the country park than the secateurs, loppers and shears were out of the bags and put into eager use. This pattern continued with short stretches of riding and long periods of cutting back the sprawling vegetation, which was encroaching the path with a vengeance. A number of cyclists passed us in both directions, but the overhanging branches of trees and brambles meant we all had to weave our way along the path to avoid them. The more we cleared the more there was we could do and so we decided quite early on that we would only have time to do the most severest problem areas.
At one important junction some serious cutting back had to be done to release the signpost from its tight weave of brambles and nettles that were obscuring the information from most cyclists' view. As we completed this task Peter and Maldwyn became engaged with a motorist, the outcome of which was that she invited us to her house for tea. Tricia told us she was an erstwhile Sustrans Ranger, but no longer carried out any volunteering activities (even clearing an important sign that she must pass by most days!!) She was thrilled to hear of the work we were doing, but explained that her spare time would be spent in Cyprus as soon as she could get there. Anyway, it would have been "rude" not to accept her very kind offer and so we followed her up the road and sat outside the folly that her home at "the Archway house" certainly was.
By 1:30 we weren't even half way to Clumber Park and we had already decided to concentrate on just the worst excesses. We were massively behind schedule but it was time for lunch and we found a nice picnic spot, deep in the woods to eat our sandwiches.
Progress after lunch started well, but we were soon bought to a very sudden halt when we found a post, displaying direction signs at a critical junction, had been completely knocked over and was lying flat on the ground. Not sure how it could have happened but there was nothing we could do to repair it with the equipment we carry. This was not the only distraction however for, striding up behind us came a naturist hiker with a full pack on his back, but not much else at all. Maldwyn explained to us that RSPB has given approval for naturists within the forest and they are now turning up all over the place. Not sure that I totally understand the connection, but hey-ho. However no one was prepared to ask him why he walked around with a cycling helmet strapped to his pack! Having found an alternative solution to the damaged post issue we moved (very) swiftly on.
Finally we entered the grounds of Clumber Park and reached our destination in the tea garden by 3:30pm. After 4 1/2 hours we had covered just over 10 miles, but worked very hard in clearing the track of its vegetation excesses. There was time to have tea before setting off on the return journey back to Vicar Water. Amazingly we flew back in under an hour and although there are a couple of areas where we could perhaps spend longer, for know I think we were all very pleased with the very visible difference we had made to quite a lengthy section of track that is used a lot by riders of all abilities.
Another great day out volunteering. Thanks everyone. Next workday scheduled for Monday 6 September but I will be away. Anyone want to lead an event: doesn't have to be that date if something else preferable?
