The usual suspects turned up promptly on February 1st and were pleased to note that in addition to the quick hedge the Bishops Knoll flats had planted several  good size apple trees on their side of the fence. In contrast to the past few weeks the weather was warm and dry.

The main task of the day was clearing leaves and gravelling our various steps

Plane tree steps

Here Bev and Martyn used the two bags of gravel to complete gravelling the top steps. We had sorted out the  bottom  steps back in July and these are now finished!

The completed Plane Tree steps

One surprise was to find that contractors have been at work at work clearing the Laurel by the Bridleway wall! Peter Weeks will be sorry this was not left for him to do but we really did not know this was on the cards!

At least we can now investigate the railings in this area!

Oak Tree Steps

Meanwhile just below the  new seat Richard and David were completing their magnum opus with a curve of  three more steps each a  metre  in width.

The Richard and David’s completed  steps below the new seat

Middle steps 

Back on the middle steps John and Chris were doing sterling work which included inserting  three new steps and rebuilding the bottom step. We now need more gravel to finish the Lookout steps  and the Primrose steps

Chris and John at work on the Middle steps

That still leaves the Lookout steps and the Primrose steps for next month. Talking of primroses we were surprised to see the first of these are now in flower!

One of the first Primroses                                          George at work

Other members of the Working party

George is now Mr Hammerite and having given the railway arch gate a second coat he moved his attention to the end of the Pergola  where the new safety rail has been installed to stop children running down the slope and falling over the wall into the bee hive area!  So this new walk is finally open!

**Finished end railing

That just leaves Jay and Brian who were finishing off last months levelling and clearing in the bee hive area where we are now ready to transplant some of the grafted trees from Brians tree nursery next month.

Site nearly ready for transplanting grafted trees from Brian’s nursery 

NEXT WORKING PARTY  March 7^th

Thank you to Chris for sending this in