The initial clearance work in Baddies Wood has been progressing very well over the past few weeks, and the trackbed has slowly but surely been re-emerging after nearly 77 years. The primary purpose for this work is to make the trackbed safer to work in for the volunteers and contractors, and also for any visitors and VIP's who will be walking the trackbed with us in the near future.

The results of the work can appear quite stark. However, the work has been carried out as sensitively as possible. Tree stumps and logs have been stacked in wood piles next to the trackbed which will be colonised by invertebrates and fungy, and wild flowers such as bluebells, wild primrose, red campion and species of dead nettle have all been avoided, and dense areas of brambles which may harbour ground nesting birds such as Pheasant and Woodcock have been checked first before being cleared. It is hoped that clearing the brambles next to the trackbed will encourage the wild flowers to recolonise these areas, and this will be encouraged in the coming years as we develop our Woodland Management scheme as a wider part of the restoration project. Indeed, further up in the hillside in Baddies Wood can be seen beautiful carpets of bluebells, and we hope to see these spread and flourish once again....