Our Second Year

September 2012 – August 2013

On 14th September, 2012, the Friends of Poets’ Walk completed their first year of volunteer working parties.  We thought that it would be appropriate to record our second year in pictures and a few words, in order to show progress month by month and record the changing seasons …

August 2013

The viewing area above the Salthouse woodland steps and zigzag path scythed and raked at the end of August to further promote good grassland and wild flowers next year

Overhanging branches cut back and weeds and debris cleared to improve access along the formal path between Salthouse carpark and the south side of Church Hill

Hack’s Way, the old footpath between Old Church Road and Church Hill, cleared of overhanging brambles, encroaching nettles and rubbish

There is a good crop of blackberries on the Church Hill big bramble patch this year.

The rapid spread into grassland of a large and vigorous blackberry patch on Church Hill is kept in check by scything. The main patch provides valuable shelter for wildlife.

Buddleia (a non native) has been left to grow beside the newly restored Church Hill path as its flowers are much loved by butterflies .

July 2013

Ragwort pulling for the second year in succession to control the population on Wain’s Hill and Church Hill. Volunteers seen here on Wain’s Hill.

Raking and removing arisings after scything to restore good grassland and widen access from Church Hill to the Salthouse woodland steps and the zigzag path

The area near the iron cross bollard above Church Hill zigzag cleared of invasive rose-bay willowherb, creeping thistle and goosegrass by scything

The Church Hill zigzag path tidied, and colourful with plants in the sunshine

The coast path tidied between the sugar lookout and the cemetery

Wain’s Hill north-east corner – a sheltered  site with a beautiful view.  Rank grass and nettles are scythed and spread out to dry before raking off. Scrub was cleared last year.

1st July – the ‘June cut’ of the Wain’s Hill ramparts is finished!

June 2013

Members of the Clevedon Woodcutters for Wildlife weeding the approach path to Church Hill from Salthouse Road, on behalf of the Friends of Poets’ Walk

Clevedon Woodcutters for Wildlife reopening Hack’s Way (the path from Old Church Road to the south-east end of Church Hill) – a huge crop of nettles and litter

The ‘June cut’ scything of the Wain’s Hill ramparts nearing completion

New fencing erected by North Somerset Council along the coast path to fill gaps above the cliff. In the autumn volunteers will be able to restore views opposite the seats.

Volunteers from Clevedon Woodcutters for Wildlife reconstructing woodland steps on Church Hill to connect with a newly restored informal path across the hillside

Removing ‘arisings’ to allow sunlight to promote new growth and reduce soil fertility

Scything continues on Wain’s Hill in order to restore good grassland on the ramparts

Feral raspberries scythed and raked off from the southern edge of the Church Hill plateau

Weeding the newly restored old path across Church Hill southern slope

Wain’s Hill informal path (behind cemetery allotments) reopened by clearing nettles etc.

Wain’s Hill – a patch of nettles is left unscythed to allow caterpillars to feed undisturbed

Small Tortoiseshell butterfly caterpillars feeding on nettles on Wain’s Hill ramparts

May 2013

Bramble control on Church Hill: grubbing out roots and raking after scything regrowth

Trimming over-exhuberant cow parsley in late May to improve path access

The path above Marine Lake cleared and seats tidied

Scything Wain’s Hill ramparts to control nettles, raspberries and other invasive species

Wain’s Hill pillbox area – hand pulling wild turnip and nettles before scything

Wain’s Hill – the north east corner scythed to control nettles and restore good grassland

The Salthouse steps above the marine lake cleared of weeds  – before and after

Edges cleared of mud and weeds on Church Hill coast path

An old seat on the coast path tidied. The wooden planking is long gone.

Removing young ragwort and other ‘undesirables’ in Church Hill woodland

The Church Hill woodland area extended by removing old brash

The Church Hill woodland ground flora flourishes in the increased sunlight after clearing. The contour of the old path can clearly be seen just below the hill top.

An apple tree in full blossom can now be seen thanks to restoring the old path across the southern slope of Church Hill.

April 2013

Woodland behind Salthouse Court, Church Hill – previously introduced daffodils and forget-me-nots flourish again once scrub has been cleared away.

Grubbing out bramble roots in woodland on Church Hill to prevent recolonisation

Removing mud, ‘weeds’ and detritus from the edge of the coastal path markedly improves access and reduces dog fouling.

Wain’s Hill ramparts – reducing stumps, grubbing out bramble roots and raking debris

The cemetery rock face along the coast path is being cleared of non-native and invasive plant species. The round leaved plant here is Navelwort (Umbilicus rupestris), a native.

March 2013

An Easter Sunday stroll. This newly reopened path across the southern slope of Church Hill was originally made in 1923 and now offers easy access through woodland to the hill top.

Tidying Wain’s Hill rampart slope: removing bramble roots, trimming off new shoots from old tree stumps, raking and litter picking

The coastal path as seen from the badger bridge on Church Hill after clearing away accumulated mud, weeds and overhanging brambles

The natural rock face along the coast path below the cemetery cleared of invasive species to allow desirable native plants to flourish (compare with photo below)

Invasive bramble and ivy need to be removed from the natural rock face along the coast path below the cemetery (photo before clearing)

Cutting back bramble encroaching on the grassland of Church Hill. Much of it will be left as habitat and shelter, while rabbits seem to enjoy what we cleared last year.

February 2013

The coastal path on Wain’s Hill is cleared of mud and weeds and the hedge trimmed to improve access and to enhance views over the Bristol Channel

Cut material is used to make habitat piles – here with Holm oak and wild damson

Removing non-native Holm oak on Church Hill

Uncovering  seat remnants while restoring an old trail on Church Hill. In the 1950s this seat was still surrounded by grass on all sides and provided a wonderful view over the whole of lower Clevedon.

The restored view of the Pier from Church Hill

See us also on Clevedon News video

The old track from the top of the zigzag, now cleared, leads up onto Church Hill

Work progresses – clearing the zigzag area to further improve the view of the Pier

Restoring the view to the Pier from the top of Church Hill zigzag path

Uncovering the upper end of  the zigzag path on Church Hill.The old iron cross bollard (centre of photograph) marks the top end of the zigzag.

Path clearing continues up to Wain’s Hill and hedges are trimmed to restore views.

January 2013

Uncovering an old trail on Church Hill

Path clearing continues towards Wain’s Hill. The Glebe field on the left.

There must be more steps under here! Or perhaps a viewing platform?

left – Uncovering more old steps on Church Hill

right – The same steps in October 2012

The tidying of the coastal path behind Church Hill and the cemetery is complete – for now!

Just a little more scrub to be cleared. The secondary woodland will remain as habitat.

Clearing bramble and elder on Wain’s Hill rampart slope (spot the volunteer!)

December 2012

Church Hill Community Tree Planting area: clearing scrub to reveal an old path

Church Hill Community Tree Planting area: cutting out sycamore; leaving ash

Church Hill Community Tree Planting area: top of the hill opened up

Church Hill Community Tree Planting Area: lower slope scythed and weeded

November 2012

                      Scrub clearance continues on Wain’s Hill – towards the north

Wain’s Hilll ramparts – all re-growth brushcut and raked

Brushcutting re-growth on Wain’s Hill ramparts

Poets’ Walk benches and paths cleaned up

Scrub clearance on Wain’s Hill ramparts

Scrub control on Church Hill

Footpath clearing – Week One

Before – looking towards Marine Lake

Week two, good progress – three people for 2 hours with lots of positive comments from people enjoying their afternoon walk

October 2012

Church Hill zigzag path tidied up

Clearing above the Church Hill zigzag path

Raking off scythed grass on Church Hill

Raking and removing cut grass and weeds on Wain’s Hill after scything

The ‘Pillbox’ on Wain’s Hill cleared of nettles

September 2012

Clearing the footpath by St Andrew’s Church looking towards the Glebe

The Green Gate to St Andrew’s Church – before clearing

The Green Gate – after clearing

Footpath looking towards Salt House Field

Footpath

Hard at work clearing

The natural archway – improved access