On Monday 28th September former trustee Jim Thompson and I were delighted to be joined by members of the Hampshire Monday Group. These are a group of volunteers who meet every Monday to do clearance and maintenance mainly in the South Downs National Park.
Now that the bird nesting season is over The Watercress Way Trustees have started our autumn programme of route and habitat improvement. If you are interested in helping us with clearance work or any other form of volunteering, then please contact us at info@thewatercressway.org.uk.
With brush cutters and rakes we spent a very productive day clearing the growth along the Martyr Worthy mile path and around the benches.
Our aim is to assist Hampshire County Council in keeping the path along the old railway line clear and to improve the biodiversity by removing dog wood, clematis and brambles. Despite the very dry summer a lot of growth had taken place since our last visit in the Spring.
We opened out the clearings by the benches and information board near Couch Green. There are now uninterrupted views across the Hampshire countryside. The ramped path at Bridgets Lane onto the line was cleared to enable better access.
A big thank you from the Watercress Way trustees to Russell Cleaver and his enthusiastic group of volunteers in the Hampshire Monday Group.
Mike
Secretary
