Sunday 6th September 2026 - work party

 A nice sunny morning and a good number of volunteers. View looking down the main path for a change

We were at the top of the path as that was the location chosen to build a new hibernaculum so that reptiles, insects and anything else can have a warm, dry spot for hibernating in. We chose a spot on the sunny side of the woodland, out of the way of the path. 

First, a hole, 50cm deep had to be dug. The recent rain hadn't sunk in quite as much as I'd hoped and this did turn out to be a bit of a challenge. 

The hole was filled with logs, prunings and material from the compost heap to keep it warm but with open spaces as well. We didn't have clay pipes but we left sloped sides to allow access.

The soil was piled back on top to make a mound with a bit of corrugated tin on top to help keep it dry.

The signs in the woodland had been there a while so Flossie gave them a refresh and they were put back up, with a new one for the hibernaculum. 

The plum tree also got a summer prune with a lot of the dead twigs being removed and some branches thinned. The prunings were added to the hibernaculum!

2nd August 2026 - Work Party

 A lovely morning for a work party but also a busy time of year so only 3 of us this month. 
Still no significant rainfall and the woodland is actually drier than it looks in this photo, on the ground you can see that there has been a large drop of field maple keys and the same has happened with apples as the trees try to protect themselves from the drought. 

Knowing that it would be a small work party, and how hot it has been getting, a short, achievable,  session was planned. The roadside verge was cut and raked, to make it tidier, but also to ensure that any rain we did get would reach the hedge. I also trimmed the taller hedge plants, it almost looks like a hedge now!

Before!

After!

After!

The hedge line just about visible now it has been cleared.

Blackberries are early this year. 

July 2026 - Work Party

 

No June work party as we had the annual plant sale instead. We raised over £500 pounds and sold out so quickly that I didn't take any photos. I came and mowed the paths one weekend just to keep them walkable. 

The two grassy areas, plum bed and next to the main path, we're cut and raked.

The hazel poles used to make the arch to the picnic table were falling apart so they have been removed and the new regrowth tied in to make it self-supporting. 

The footpath along the churchyard, unofficially adopted by the woodland group, was made passable again.

Coffee and cake was enjoyed at the end with lots of interesting discussions. The social part is always enjoyed as much as the manual work!

May 3rd 2026 -Work Party

 It was a bank holiday weekend and I was expecting people to be busy, there wasn't much on the job list so a small group was perfect. It was a lovely bright morning and the wood is filling up now with undergrowth and leaves!

Main path still a bit bare on the ground.

The wood was tidied from the new shelter so that it was useable. The paths and glades were mown and we looked for signs of infection on some oaks which have failed to come into leaf properly. The tree warden is going to see if there is any other reports of diseased oaks locally.

Red  campion 

The fruit bushes were cleared of sticky weed and nettles. 

 Before..

 After! 

Quince blossom

 Cow parsley and ladybird 

There is lots of honeysuckle in flower

Honeysuckle on both sides of the path!

We planted bluebells a few years ago, this is the first time they have been really 

The footpath along the churchyard was also strimmed. 

April 12th 2026 - work party

 A bright, sunny morning in the woodland and lots of volunteers. A week later than usual because it was Easter Sunday a week ago. It is definitely greening up now.

Main pathway looking springlike although the grassy surface has suffered in the wet and might not recover so easily.

The shelter roof was finished off on one side to make it safer. The edge was trimmed and a plank of wood secured to the roof to blank off the sharp edge. More work needs to be done on the other side but we are also hoping that the ivy can grow up and soften it a bit.

A path to the shelter entrance was mown from the main pathway way so that you can now see the way in. We had some discussion about making a new windy, path through the woodland from the glade to shelter but voted against it to preserve the quiet view looking out. 

 

New pathway mown. 

All the other paths were strimmed and mown to define them amd keep them passable for, hopefully, another month. It seems daft,  like we are trying to tidy up a natural environment but it does maintain the different levels of vegetation which is important for species diversity.

Looking towards the glade.

The edge of the verge was also mown to prevent it from flopping into the road. 

The paths were also raked which seems incredibly over the top but there were so many loose sticks, especially around the rookery, and it is much easier underfoot without them. 

The rooks are busy building nests 

The early spring wildflowers are blooming now. 

Primrose 

Garlic mustard/ Jack-by-the-hedge

Dandelion and a tiny bee. Very important flowers for an early source of nectar. 

Wild cherry blossom

A Speckled Wood butterfly on the rapidly growing cow parsley. 

March 2026 - Work Party

 The first Sunday in the month falls on 1st this time so Happy St David's day and the native daffodils are in flower at just the right time.

Native daffodils 

There is a slight lack of photos as I was off site for a while collecting some trees grown by the Suffolk Tree Warden Network to plant near the new shelter to screen it from the path.

The sheets needed cutting to fit around the trees which was a bit fiddly but the roof was put on an screwed down by the end of the session. Here's a few pictures of the process and final building.

The view out from bench

There was some other work going on as well. We have been dividing and spreading the snowdrops bulbs for quite a few years and the display just keeps getting bigger and better. This year was no exception and now the that they have finished flowering, the larger clumps were lifted and divided and next year the snowdrops will be flowering in even more of the wood. 

New  clumps planted.

Dividing the snowdrops 

There has been some carpet stored at the top of the woodland since we used to use it to protect the grass at the Halloween event. We took the opportunity to move it to the entrance so that it can be collected and removed at the upcoming litter pick.

 Some logs that had fallen into the ditch were put back on to the bank so that the water can move unimpeded once more. 

It was good to see some signs of spring, like these newly emerged honeysuckle, leaves. We managed to miss the forecast rain, well done everyone the shelter looks great.