Back at Bridge 8 for another busy session. Although dry and warm, the forecast was for rain over the next few days so we decided to postpone the lime mortar work and concentrate on bank reinforcement.

Lance and Rowan mixed the concrete, Chris M, Phil and Martin filled the bags and Bob the Boat, now known as Bob the Barrow, trundled them down the towpath. Duncan, Paul and Andy unloaded the bags that Duncan then lowered down to Alan T to put in place. Alan was working alone in the morning as his usual partner in crime – Mike F – was attending a top-level Zoom meeting to discuss options for fund raising. A vital task, of course, but Alan had to work extra hard to keep up with the busy mixers.

Tea was taken with wonderful cakes and savouries baked by Chris G. As usual, there was plenty of time to chat especially with Mike C who joined us after a busy morning of litter picking.

Once refuelling the vols was done, the mixers were soon hard at it again, after a brief pause to refuel the beast.

Alan T cut back some overhanging branches that were impeding his access. Martin and David tidied away the brash.

Alan was then able to lay more bags up to, under and beyond one of the ancient wood beams, probably original, used to tie the wall to the bank. Mike F joined us and, together with Duncan, laid one final layer of bags to the section completed last week. This means that next week we will be able to complete the job by bevelling the earth bank down to the new repair. The final photo shows the splendid result of our effort over the last few weeks.

All the while, Anna and Cerys got in the way as much as possible and distracted Paul for some urgent tummy tickling.

And finally, after tea Chris M and Sharon stopped off at the Swansea Canal Centre to bash an enormous bank of Himalayan balsam. Phew!

That’s it folks. Another week of hard labour producing massive dividends. Well done everyone.