The Snake and the Somme

Tue, 10 May 2005 10:16:31 GMT

I hadn't been back along the footpath through Snake Woodland, which had been badly damaged by floods in 2002 for over a year, but this evening I went back with the family for a walk, thinking it must have been fixed up by now. How wrong could I be, it's even worse:

Apologies for the poor quality of the photo, but it was so dark and gloomy under the trees that's the best I could do. Now I don't expect there to be no muddy patches at all, but this is a wayposted path close to a main road, so it's reasonable to expect that not all visitors are going to be equipped to deal with conditions more akin to those of the trenches of the Somme. Apart from a few desultory patches of gravel that have been put down near the entrance, virtually nothing has been done to the path, despite it being three years since the floods. What's even worse is that there is no clear signage at the entrance that the bridge across Lady Clough is still in severe danger of collapsing into the river, and you are 30 minutes round the walk before you get to the bridge.

The sign is rather amusing:

Warning Foot-path closed
Bridge due for repair

It's a miracle it is still standing - "due for repair" when? Forestry Commission, this is unforgivable - as it is now three years after the damage there really is no excuse for the repairs not being completed. Bah.

Alan's Ramblings - snake woodland tag

The Snake and the Somme