I went for another ramble deep into the marsh today, from the water works westwards along the northern fence line and round to the banks of the canal. This is normally higher drier ground.
It’s only possible at the moment because it’s extremely dry and the vegetation hasn’t grown. During the wet season it’s inaccessible and in summer it’s really hard work with the lush growth of sedges reeds and nettles.
I was in for a lovely surprise. An undisturbed marsh, flooded from the canal.
There’s a continual flow of water, just a trickle but it’s enough!
and with a tiny bit of work this could quickly become a much bigger marsh, just by holding some of the water back.
All that’s needed is to raise the level of this outlet with some soil, simple and potentially very effective!
Further west still is another source of water. This is the main flow into the old stream. It was repaired a few years ago but water flows around the repair!
As you can see it’s in a deep channel, this is where the old river flowed before the canal was dug, which effectively stole the water. Now there’s a meagre little pipe to keep the channel sweet
There are some beautiful old Crack willows, the branches of which are now reaching out to the ground. They’ll soon spread.
There are lots of willow seedlings and signs of deer nibbling them. There haven’t been any cattle here for a while so the area will soon be recolonised by trees.
This would all be a very dry landscape without the canal water trying to get back into its original course.
There’s a reason why it so rarely visited, it doesn’t go anywhere. Once you’ve explored it it you have to go back to the start to get out!
Rural Reading 