Dry- ish

 Bit more water in Pond & puddles very much in evidence after 6mm yesterday. 1 runner 4 walkers, next to no litter. Animals in RCM looked ok but far off

Sunday 30th August

​Few more visitors today, apart from the odd downpour, not much rain so more people had ventured out. Paths have been strimmed again, can’t believe how fast things are growing at the moment. Barely any litter today and no issues . 

Saturday 29th August

​The rain meant it was pretty much empty today, saw a few runners who had decided to brace the weather but not really anyone else. No issues, new grazing livestock sign up . 

Sunday 30th August

 A few walkers, one runner, Charlotte strimming.

Thursday 27th - all OK

Late morning, quiet. Couple of lads set for a day’s fishing but very polite, and headed off to the playing field side. Not much litter, couple of unreachable cans in the pond … fascinating stuff …

26th August

All quiet. Few runners who were charming and stopped for a chat. Sadly rather a lot of rubbish in the thickets behind the bench 

Pulled most of it into a pile . Still more behind a fallen trees. Didn't have a big enough bag so could only remove a little.  Will try to return later today with bag and gloves! Think I spotted a syringe further over. Will leave that for someone who has right kit.

anyone remember dew?

 quite a bit on various vegetation!
Charlotte's path clearance noted and looks good. Surprisingly little litter considering festival. No spare sausages. Only 3 walkers. One nice lady had picked up a beer bottle which I was happy to take from her.

did a bit of vegetation snipping, mainly brambles at face height

Saturday 23rd August

​Pretty busy day with the music quite loud . I trimmed the paths so they hopefully are less crazy overgrown . Bumped into some lads coming to fish but they were fine and polite. No issues, signs still up . 

Sunday 23 August

Quite a few walkers and some runners.  The new track around the edge of the recreation ground has been approved so that may provide an alternative place for the strava-louts to terrorise walkers.

A new pathway to the river has appeared on the west bank in SPM at w3w arranger.working.proclaims

Thursday 20th August - Gate repair required.

A little litter, a couple of visitors on runners. The latch on the gate to the recreation ground is not quite aligned. You can close the latch with a bit of force but then it is difficult to undo. So gate is left swinging open. 

Someone may have had a go at the new no swimming sign at the North end but it's still ok. 

Otherwise all good. 

Wednesday 19th August

Very quiet this morming. Met a couple of people - main topic of conversation being the rain! Disturbed a young roe deer under the large sallow tree in NE corner whilst picking up discarded drink cans. It stood up and walked two paces but no further. Seemed okay but didn't want to frighten it.

Another music event this weekend on the old Rec rugby field. You have to walk round the outside of the fence as usual to reach the entrance bridge.

Cool but humid

 Swan family around

Someone told me about the fire.

Heard a deer in reeds at NML

Otherwise peaceful & quiet

Sunday 16th August

Busy with walkers and a couple of runners. 

Several metres of fire damage on the river bank by the sluice w3w: stupidly.sweep.headlight

Came across a teenager and child with a fishing rod.  Had a chat.  Response: "wasn't doing anything, we are just walking with a fishing rod, you are using the wrong tone (that old favourite), you are scared of me because I am a big man" (he was neither) etc etc.  

Circled back and found them on the river bank, rod over the water.  Asked them to leave, more ranting: "haven't you got anything better to do, you are aggressive, you are fucking old (that old??), we are coming back later".....and so on.  Walked them to the NW bridge and they stood on the other side shouting.  I waited around and a nice couple came and stood with me.  

Phoned Charlotte and the boys ran off.  Charlotte came over and we did another round.  Dave arrived for the afternoon litter pick and we left him in charge.

Saturday 16th August

​All ok, not super busy. There has clearly been a fire near the two sluices but I couldn’t find the source of it. It’s not very big luckily . Sorting NML on Sunday . 

Friday 14th August

​Quite busy today, and very warm again. Had a couple of swimmers but all very polite when asked to stop. Have removed the tree limb that had fallen across the rec bridge. More signs to go up tomorrow . 

13th August - All good

 A few joggers, no litter, so all good.

12th August

All quiet . Some children enjoying swim in usual spot. Tiny bit of litter . Otherwise all well.

 Normal for a Monday morning. Fewer walkers but nice chat with one.

No litter, verly little birdsong. No change in water levels

 Went out for a bonus visit just to count butterflies on the last day for it. 7 large whites. There may have been other species but not visible to me. Litter free. Quite a few walkers and swimmers, no surprise. No litter. Snipped a few more brambles en route.

Sunday 9th August

Lots of litter in NML, which I cleared up and hung on the fence to pick up later and...forgot.  Andy is right, NML is becoming impassable, particularly in the middle and some nasty nettles up by Fisherman's Gate.

Lots of walkers

Saturday 8th August

​pretty quiet today, mega warm yet again but no issues. The grazing animal signs have been taken so I will make sure new ones go up. We are still waiting on some no entry signs for the top of the loop but they will go up soon too. 

Saturday 8th August

A tsunami of litter at the Durngate bench, and plenty at the mosaic near the veteran willow, where the swimmers had discarded their wet clothes. Two of them had toileted under the trees. Drug paraphernalia, including spoon, at the mushroom.

Apart from this, a lovely morning!

This lovely young stoat crossed my path in SPM yesterday, when I was doing FPP. 

Friday 7th August

​Pretty quiet , minimal litter and no issues. A few smoking in the glade but left after I arrived.  No issues which was nice. Quiet afternoon, despite the warm sunny weather. 

Thursday 6th All Good

Early start, lots of runners today and one prayer lady. A little bit of litter otherwise all good. Swans and cygnets by the path but not fussed today. 

The path across NML to the fisherman's is getting very difficult to navigate. I got lost a couple of times. 

Wednesday 5th August

 Very quiet this morning. The reeds get taller while the pond gets smaller!  Chatted to a young family having a picnic and a German lady who had just arrived in the UK and was realising it was just as dry here as back home in Germany.

Picked up a small amount of litter at the usual places. Had a good look round for the missing signs by entrance to NML but no luck.

I presume the broken latch on the rugby field bridge is on your never ending list of jobs Sam!

 Quiet. 2 regular runners & some walkers. A lady saying morning prayer by the pond. A bit of litter. Floral tribute on Colebrand's bench

Sunday 2 August

 Quite a few walkers, no runners.  No litter!

Saturday 1st August

Lovely to be back after my Scotland trip, where I found incredible flowers on the west coast headlands. A full bag of litter from all the usual spots, and two dogs to clear up after. Otherwise a lovely morning, and I admired the strimming. Lovely to see the hemp agrimony, purple loosestrife and fleabane out.