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Another fantastic turn-out, with two new recruits on duty, started badly in heavy rain but mercifully the weather improved greatly before work commenced in earnest and remained warm and dry well into the afternoon. |
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Most of the volunteers got stuck in to dragging weed from the cut upstream from Clydach Mond Lock. Hard work but rewarding and soon huge piles of weed were draining on the bank, ready for adding to our compost heap next week. We received many generous comments from people walking this busy part of the towpath. |
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Andy and Gareth retrieved a kid’s bike from the lock chamber. It was in fairly good condition, so could be restored and hopefully returned to its owner. |
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Gill, Toby and Yun Yun cleared dirt that had encroached upon the towpath. |
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Good topsoil was added to the garden in the Hidden Lock site and was soon put to good use by Kath, John and Martin. |
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Martin writes “I think I can identify these. They are the caterpillars of a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly which have hatched from eggs laid on our nettle patch in the wild life garden in the Buried Lock site. Kath took the photo. She was taking a photo of an Acanthus next to the nettles when we spotted lots of nettle leaves crawling with the caterpillars. Very exciting. They just might be Peacock butterfly caterpillars but Kath’s butterfly expert friend says Small Tortoiseshell, so he should know. Liz and I have had nettles in our garden for three years and never seen one caterpillar so this is a real breakthrough.” |
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Mike and John A, our litter-pickers extraordinaire, are pictured here chatting to Gordon. |
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Bob and John G spent the morning creating better moorings for our large work-boat. Sorry guys for the lack of an action shot! |
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Time for tea and cake! The close-ups are of our newest recruits, Vanessa and Vicky, and of Gill, who we serenaded with a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday”. |
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A grand day was had by one and all, in very pleasant weather. We will be back next week to clear the piles of weed and carry on with the good work. |
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