Willow hurdles ‘R us. We, the Maintenance Team, are now completely obsessed with their production and installation along the banks of the Swansea Canal.Scouts are sent out far and wide to search for new goat willow plantations in the Tawe hinterland and vast sums change hands to secure the harvesting rights. Gordon returns from his forays, bringing us fresh van loads of faggot bundles which we untie, our hands shaking with excitement. We now have two of Gordon’s patented hand made jigs in full production and Michelle, Gill and Alan work incessantly with the whips and pegs to perfect their skills.

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On the canal bank close to Clydach Lock, Gareth and Carl hammer the stakes in to the deep silt and the finished hurdles are floated across the canal to them by Alan using his own complex system of winch, pulley and grappling iron.

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