Before we start today’s episode – we’ve had several people asking after Ricky’s and Jonny’s (and the bees) welfare. Let’s make clear that the bonus episode was pure wimsy and a product of Ricky’s and Jonny’s addled brains. Quite often when they are out prowling, they sing a little ditty – the bonus episode was an example of such nonsense.
Rest assured that no bees or prowlers were involved or injured in the production of the bonus episode – so we’re sorry if you were misled.
Now, let’s get away from wimsy and get back to real life…
Prowling here, Prowling there, Prowling, Prowling everywhere. This week (19th June) Ricky and Jonny went exploring the outer reaches of the universe (for universe, read parish) and found their way past Waggs Plot and almost to the level crossing. Quite a journey for a couple of old PRoWlers.
Footpath 54 – This is the path adjacent to Axe Farm and eventually pops out in Tytherleigh.
Neither Ricky nor Jonny knew this path very well. Both had walked it in times past but not for a long while. The path is accessed by a well signposted gate from the road which heads northwest through the first field, then almost due north through the next field with the meandering River Kit on the left. The path then changes to the next parish so it’s out of the PRoWler’s area.
When they arrived, they stopped at the farmhouse, introduced themselves and asked if it was OK to park the prowler-mobile in the farmyard. Of course, the answer was “Yes”, but was tempered with a quizzical look… Who are these strange guys?
Anyway, Ricky and Jonny parked up and trekked to the gate. They both concluded that this is not a well-trodden route. The grass in the first field showed no signs of walkers. At the end of the field, the field gate was broken with a post out of the ground and although there was a way marker on the other gate post, it was buried deep under bramble and weed. That was the easy bit, a bit of trimming and strimming put the way marker back in view. However…
To get into the next field was a bit tricky because of the broken and closed gate. They did manage to squeeze past where the post was missing but were immediately met with an electric fence. There were no animals in sight, so they guessed the fence wasn’t live. Carefully stepping over, they tried to work out where to aim for as no further way markers or gates were obvious.
They chose to head due north following the map and came to a boundary marked by 2 lines of electric fence. As this was the edge of the parish, they decided to retreat and formulate a plan to communicate with the next parish’s P3 warden and come up with ideas on how make this path more accessible.
Time for tea before heading back to Footpath 60. They do like a sup of tea.
Footpath 60 – Runs diagonally northeast from behind the school towards Knights Lane, popping out next to Pendle. This is one of the shortest paths in the parish.
The PRoWlers had received numerous reports about an almost impassable gate between the 2 fields that this path crosses. Here’s a photo of what it looked like sent in by one of our parishioners when they reported it (thank you!).
They parked their prowler-mobile in a friendly neighbour’s drive opposite the path entrance on Knights Lane – Thank you Cate and Lillian.
This was a very satisfying fix and reminded Ricky and Jonny what pleasure there is to be had wielding tools in the wild. Maybe they’ll come up with a word for that feeling – let’s wait and see.
Anyway, they both spent a sweaty (too much information!) couple of hours doing what they do. Typically, Ricky left the loppers (and the saw!) in the truck so had to walk back to fetch them. “When will he learn?” mused Jonny to himself – “Serves him right.”
Much of the overgrowth was hogweed and some of the stalks were several inches (that’s lots of millimetres) in diameter – hence the loppers and saw. Hogweed is an irritant, so care must be taken when cutting not to get the sap in your eyes or on your skin.
Here’s a snap of how it turned out.
They tidied up and went back to the truck. Where next?
Footpath 69 – This path heads due south off the track to Dennings Down Farm off Smallridge Lane.
Ricky and Jonny headed out towards Denning Down Farm. They had received a report that there was a gate that was difficult to open on the path a couple of hundred yards from the starting point.
The gate turned out to be one of a pair probably used as an animal holding area. When they arrived the gate in question was tied open. When they tried to close the gate, it was obvious that it wouldn’t close as the gate fouled the post-mounted hasp. They both ummm’d and arrr’d about what to do.
Because it was a metal gate and post, the only real option was to try and adjust the gate at the hinge end. This time, however, they were defeated as they didn’t have the heavy spanners etc. to do the job.
So this was one that had to go on the follow-up schedule. They re-tied the gate in the open position (as they found it) and added “big spanners” to the shopping list.
Time for a cuppa and a biscuit in the sunshine. Jonny remarked “What a lovely place to sit and enjoy a cup of tea and a choccy biscuit with a friend.” Ricky concurred. They thought this a good time to rehearse a sketch they were working on together for the summer Cabaret. Thankfully, no one was around to hear them as heaven knows what they would have thought!
Back to the prowler-mobile and the short trip home.
Keep an eye out for the next episode of PRoWlers’ Progress. They’ll probably pop up every week or so during the summer – you lucky lucky people!
Oh! And before we go – remember the Countryside Code. If you open a gate to pass through, ALWAYS ALWAYS close it after you. Even though there may not be livestock immediately visible, they may be hiding in the hedges just waiting for an opportunity to leap out and escape, possibly onto a lane or road.
If you find a gate difficult to open or close, you can send a note to the PRoWlers at
p3@allsaints-pc.gov.uk.
(Ideally include the footpath/bridleway number, a photo and the What3Words location so the PRoWlers know where to visit.)
And… K-e-e-p P-r-o-w-l-i-n-g. See you soon.
