Many people, myself included, take much pleasure from simple summer sights and sounds. From fields of yellow to swifts screaming overhead, it is not difficult to spot something that will make you smile. Last weekend, my husband and I witnessed a special happening in our pond… A freshly emerged dragonfly, our first one as the pond is but 1 year old, resting on an iris leaf. I took a photo and have spent the last week showing it to everyone, and now I share it with you! On the underside of the leaf, you can see the dragonfly’s exoskeleton. This would’ve been it’s skin for the last year when it was a pond predator. Quite a transformation.
I also happen to enjoy wild flower ID. I am no expert at it, nor could I tell you any impressive Latin names. I like the common names, and how they came about. Lords and Ladies is a favourite of mine. It was renamed by the Victorians as it’s previous name was somewhat descriptive of its phallic appearance and deemed far too rude! Many flowers also have a name which will tell you what it was used for. For example, butterbur with its extraordinarily large leaves was used to wrap butter, broom was used as a broom, scabious to treat scabies, stitchwort for stitches. Some plants have many names, depending on where in the country you are. For example cleavers, or is it goosegrass, or sticky willy, maybe grip grass, or robin-run-in-the-hedge, or catchweed, or bedstraw…
Whilst we are thinking about marvelous natural world, let’s give a big welcome to our newest Community Adoption Group, Butterfly Conservation Warwickshire. This group have been managing the site at Fenny Compton on the Oxford Canal for its selection of butterflies for a number of years, and it’s great to have them taking the next step with us. Some of the group were also CAATS assessed (Competency Assessment And Training Scheme) on mowers so that they can keep scrub encroachment at bay. Whilst conducting the CAATS, CRT’s Volunteer Coordinator John Highmore and Ecologist Penny Foster spotted this beautiful (& well camouflaged) grass snake:
If you don’t know Fenny Compton, it is a very lush site which extends out from the canal. It is sometimes referred to as Fenny Compton tunnel as it once was, through relatively shallow hills, later opened out and replaced by a cutting. There is also a brick kiln on site which made bricks for the canal until 1917.
Recently, Butterfly Conservation Warwickshire & CRT have created banks planted with kidney vetch here. This is an important food source for the fantastically named grizzled skipper butterfly, which is attracted to the plants’ delicate yellow flowers. The new habitat will provide perfect conditions for the grizzled skipper, helping to boost its numbers.
Bench of the month must go to IWA Chiltern branch! Have a look at this stunner:
Created in 3 days next to Lock 39 on the Marsworth flight, this bench is worth 5 minutes rest of anyone’s time! It replaces a similar circular bench that had become decrepit. So the group ‘grasped the nettle’ and designed, made and installed a superior version. Well done all, it looks absolutely fantastic. Have a look here for the before, during and after photos.
IWA Northampton had grand plans to paint a lock and conduct a litter pick from a canoe, then it rained all day! Not ones to let the grass grow under their feet, they still made the best of the day and litter picked a long stretch of the Northampton Arm towpath, finding 15 bags of rubbish. Luckily their other task party this month was dry and they managed to paint another two locks. It’s no mean feat when you have 17 locks! Well done all.
Also out and about, green-fingered Braunston Canal Society had a successful day gardening in the Stop House garden and tidying up the Island at the turn.
And Whilton & Buckby Locks Association…
“managed to gather a group of five together this morning, including a new gent, who described his experience as ‘a lovely way to spend the day’ (well part of it anyway) – and he wants to come again. The four chaps got all the lock painted, plus the bollards and footbridge and I de-weeded the steps and area in front of the little hut. The Webb family also got out to strim and tidy the Nature Reserve and tidy around Lock 8.”
Thank you BCS & WBLA, your areas are looking really well cared for now.
Tis the season to be weeding and painting… Unless you are CRT’s Area Supervisor who was spotted in Rickmansworth with his ‘catch of the day’, getting his hands dirty at Batchworth Lock with a broken and sunk dinghy blocking the gates. Thanks for the evidence Mark Saxon!
There have been two successful lock paints over on the Oxford Canal this month thanks to Banbury Canal Partnership. Heyford Common Lock and Slat Mill Lock near Cropredy are both are quite remote so the group got a good lot of walking done those days as well! Both set in very picturesque locations, the locks have come up roses.
Also out on the Oxford Canal was the Bicester & Kidlington Rambling Association‘s sub-group, Blitz & Klean. This group helps keep the paths upon which they ramble, clear of over grown vegetation. Fortunately for us, that brings them onto the towpath where they too have been improving the Heyford Area. The Oxford Canal is looking better and better thanks to these two regular groups!
On a windy Wednesday, Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership were as busy as a bee, smartening up the top lock area for the summer season. They also weeded the ash box at lock 15 and planted it up, and cleared the woodland walk of encroaching brambles.
Buckingham Canal Society have blossomed with a busy month of three task parties between the watered Cosgrove Lock and the dry canal arm to the A5 (after which the land is not CRT’s). With numbers heightened thanks to some willing Santander employees at the start of the month, Cosgrove Lock was painted to look resplendent for Cosgrove Festival (which was a huge success). Their two other task parties took place by the A5, clearing the very overgrown bed of the canal, removing small saplings and tidying up the towpath. This is important work for the upcoming re-watering of this section of the Buckingham Arm. Numbers were again swelled by willing volunteers from Vinci Technology in Leighton Buzzard, who enjoyed their time with BCS so much last year, they came back for more!
Many of our volunteers are also keen boaters and whilst they cruise they keep their eyes peeled for the unusual… Watford VLK’s Brenda and Dick managed to capture this superb photo of Britain’s rarest mammal on the Ashby Canal, the water vole:
Not content with just turning up at other groups’ festivals, the South East Waterway are also organising some of our own open days to exhibit our not-so-well-known wonders. Starting off with Weston Turville Reservoir near Aylesbury which was constructed in 1797 to supply water to an arm of the Grand Union Canal – and over the years a good many wetland plants have grown up around the edges. The open water is leased to local sailing & angling clubs, and Beds, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) manages the surrounding land, a marshy fen and extensive reeds beds. Earlier in the year, re-cycled material was sourced to relay the circular walk around the site which was in a pretty poor state. With the help of Aylesbury Sailing Club, BBOWT, local residents and some community payback, the path is now a pleasure to walk. Our Open Day had CRT and BBOWT stands, with the sailing and angling clubs offering free taster sessions. In just a few hours on a hot, sunny Saturday, this little-known site had over 100 visitors!
Our next Open Day is at Tringford Pumping Station on Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th August. A great opportunity for everyone to learn about the history of the pumping station and its future plans. The historical and working Tringford Pumping Station is being opened and visitors will be able to have tours. A rare chance not to be missed. There will be a regular shuttle bus going from Startops car park over to the pumping station. There will also be Tring Anglers taster fishing sessions, and Friends of Tring Reservoirs will be taking wildlife walks.
Is water your thing? We have something special for you if it is! How about a free go at Paddleboarding? Hosted by Chiltern Canoe Club at afore mentioned Weston Turville Reservoir on Friday 14th August 5pm-7pm. Email Joe.Sammon@canalrivertrust.org.uk to book or click here for the Flyer.
Corporate task days are an important aspect of volunteering with CRT. There are two routes to become a corporate volunteer group. There are one-offs, whereby the company donates a rate per head to come and help. This generates important funds for CRT as well as covering the planning, materials and supervision costs. Personally, I find these groups great fun to be out with. They always bring loads of enthusiasm and get stuck right in! This month we had a company called CGI (who provide CRT’s computer software) out in Milton Keynes. They painted 2 footbridges with cast iron railings which had recently been identified as a priority by our Engineer. They now look fantastic and fresh as a daisy!
Other corporate groups fall into our new Corporate Adoption Scheme, whereby the company signs up for regular task days in an area, much like our Community Adoption Scheme. ESRI in Aylesbury are one of CRT’s first, and their successful task days have featured in the last 3 blogs. July saw them out on their 4th day, and painting a spectacular FOUR sets of lock gates on the Aylesbury Arm! These gates, all within a 1 mile stretch, have been replaced in the last 3 years, but never painted. And now the whole area looks so much brighter and more inviting. The group had plenty of thankful canal users as they painted. An excellent day, thank you all. Thanks also to Jamie and Sam from the local Customer Ops team who got stuck in to help supervise.
I think you’ll lilac this next quote. It is so nice when members of the public take the time to write to us to let us know how great they think our volunteers are, and that they are inspiring others to join us.
“We have been on canal holidays for the past 15 years and have seen many changes. Our latest trip this year highlighted what a good job is being done since the formation of CRT. We spoke to several volunteers who showed great enthusiasm which has made us think about what we can do to help as we are both retired. We will have a think and contact you in due course, in the meanwhile Well Done to all”
Iris my case and will now make like a tree and leave.
South East Waterway Volunteering Blog 