Dennis the Menace defeats us.

The plan was for a crack squad of dedicated bog snorkellers to venture once more into the swamp that is Area X on Sunday, to further rebuke the spreading scrub and open the place up some more, thus satisfying the fervent wishes of the folk at Natural England. Keen-eyed readers might remember that the working party held two weeks ago was intended to be the last of the current cutting season, but enthusiastic team leaders will not be denied, and plans were laid. However, we all know that the best laid plans can go pear-shaped, and this wild winter has another storm in store. With Dennis predicted to be the bringer of havoc and danger, caution prevailed and the crack squad was stood down. Here is Team Leader Kevin’s message:

“Dear Volunteers

The working party on Sunday 16th February has been cancelled due to the impending wild weather. We do not think it would be either safe or enjoyable and we value your participation in future working parties.

Sadly, there are no more working parties planned until later in the year; however, I am sure you will receive a call in due course to help eradicate the Himalayan Balsam. Until then, on behalf of NWT and the team leaders, thank you once again for all your support and hard work.

Kevin”

An altogether lovelier gathering of the Volunteers occurred on 6^th February, when 18 of us formed a convoy to Cley Marshes, where the warden George Baldock took us on a guided tour of this premier wildlife haven. As well as doing a wonderful and demanding job at Cley, George also has the honour of looking after Southrepps Commons, and had invited us along for a spot of non work-related pleasure. And pleasure it was: after a chilly start the sun shone throughout, making us quite warm in all our layers of clothing.

We did a circuit of the original site (there was no time to look at the new section linking it with Salthouse marshes), walking eastwards as far as the East Bank, then down to the beach and back to the road via the beach car park.

We stopped several times for George to explain about how each part is managed, and I think it is fair to say that all of us, including those who knew the place well, gained new knowledge.

And we saw plenty of wildlife along the way, including good numbers of one of your correspondent’s favourite ducks (Wigeon), plenty of Brent Geese, and a very confiding female Stonechat, which gave us excellent views as it perched (out of mobile phone camera range) on top of a selection of gorse bushes. Not to mention starfish.

Here are some more photos from that visit:

Now we have dealt with Valentine’s Day (one of the entirely artificial dates given out as the start of Spring), I think we can say that the season has begun to turn. As Spring turns slowly into Autumn (not my phrase, but Bob Dylan’s), the Commons will again return to life, and all the shades of green imaginable will be on show together once more, beautifully setting off the Cotton Grass, Orchids and the almost 400 other plants so far discovered here. If you don’t already visit regularly, why not make this is the year to start?

And finally for now, on the way back from the last working party, a group of doughty volunteers were snapped having spotted a hole, which they are still looking into.

Return of the Bog Snorkellers

There were no distinguished guests at our working party today, but we still had 18 celebrities: the regular volunteers who turned out in very un-promising grey and drizzly weather. It had rained heavily overnight, after what passes for a dry spell in this wet winter, so the ground was back to being a quagmire.

The cut reeds that had been left awaiting our attention a fortnight ago had become as sodden as the ground, and therefore heavy and unwieldy to pitchfork onto the sheets.

Nonetheless, we all seemed to have fun, due I think to that sense of camaraderie that comes from almost drowning together in liquid mud. No falls were reported this time, although your correspondent was close to tipping over face first into the goo as he bent over a sheet. It would have been hilarious to some, but fortunately my almost Olympic-standard sense of balance thwarted their twisted amusement. At the time, I was at the dump site, in the company of the crack winching team. Here we see the long piece of string connecting sheet to winch. So far away were those sheets that we had to make rare use of an extension rope too – very exciting, to winchers at least!

After we had endured some rain, we cheered ourselves up in the usual way - we had some tea (or coffee, for the more on trend people, tea apparently being out of fashion). Here we see John pensively leaning on his pitchfork, casting a wistful glance at the gathering group.

It struck the said John that the piles of material dumped over the last couple of working parties give a graphic representation of the amount of effort required:

By the end of the session, a wide-open vista, cleared of rotting vegetation, had emerged. Spring is not far off, and in no time at all the reeds will have re-grown. This particular area won’t be cut again for another four years.

It’s funny what you learn when you are up to your necks in muck: Noel confessed that his washing machine is called Bert, and Bert gets a lot of hard work to get through:

The splendid number of volunteers we are blessed with lately allows us to carry out more than one task in a session, and this time a group returned to the Bog Snorkelling paradise known so affectionately as Area X, in order to knock back more of the scrub there. Here are some intrepid volunteers trudging off to that benighted spot.

Julie now takes up the story:

Here is what we faced:

 We set to sawing and lopping the branches - and worse still, the brambles.

Everything was stacked and woven together to form a ‘hedge’ for wildlife to utilise. (John has Scottish heritage, and is clearly considering a spot of caber tossing!)

Kevin said to take a picture of John slashing but I think it looks more like he’s playing hockey!!!

Then it was time to pack up and head off back, leaving lots more to do next time…

Here is Margaret’s message of thanks:

Once again, an enormous thank you to all who turned out today. It started off all mizzley and ended up dry and grey.

The reed that had been left was very wet and heavy and not easy to work with but the clearance is fantastic. The winch team has certainly perfected their art. Make the most of the sight as you will not see it again for four years. Thanks to Ken for replacing the broken board and also to the X rated team who were slashing away in area X.

Kevin has the bit between his teeth as is keen to hold another working party in area X in two weeks’ time. There is absolutely no expectation for people to turn up as I think we have said that this, if not the one before, was the last working party of the season... oops!

The main reason for continuing is that it will clear a good area for dumping next winter’s reeds and it is a job easier done now than later.

Thank you.

I can now go and watch the rugby with a clear conscience. (Shame that didn’t go as well as the working party -Ed)

Margaret