Whats happened to the veg pledge!

To say I'm disgusted may be a bit of an overstatement but the state of the Staffs & Worc towpaths are terrible. When we first arrived at Stafford boat club the first thing both of us noticed was the lack of vegetation removal along bank side. The club members cleared all the foliage along the rally site themselves, using strimmers, rakes, wheelbarrows and a lot of hard graph because they saw not a hair nor hide of C&RT's grass crew contractors this year. Ive got some photos of 1 year ago and now for you to compare.

Approaching Meadow bridge about a mile from Stafford Boat club.  June 7th 2013. Still able to walk the towpath.

photo on 13th June 2014

Photo on 7th June 2013. Lovely kept towpath opposite Stafford Boat club site.

Taken last Friday on the uncleared bit. That is Jade in there somewhere.

Deptmore Lock in June 2013 (Carole and Alan's wedding)

Look at the towpath below the lock. All nicely cut

And look at it now!!!! Must get photo of the lock side when we come back. Even the bollards cant be seen! An accident waiting to happen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not sure why C&RT are leaving this towpath like this. Is it lack of funding now they are a charity? Ian reckons the contractors have been told to only mow the visitor mooring sites and leave the rest. Trouble is, it can only get worse and BW did promise extra funding to cope with the overgrowth back in 2005. Dennis watched a young couple trying to wheel their buggy along the path. That poor child must have been constantly whipped by the undergrowth.

You may have gathered by now that we are on the move once again. After the final night at the clubhouse and having just missed last orders at 11pm, Ian and I were invited by Carole and Alan to partake of a wee dram on their boat Marmaduke. Two more glasses of red wine for me, a Becks for Carol and a Rum (or 2) for Ian and Alan, we departed very merry at 12.30am. It's a wonder we made it back to FS! Amazed we had no hangover this morning and after taking down the bunting, winding in the entrance and reversing back to the diesel point to fill the tank (took about 150 litres and at 83p a ltr Ian's wallet is now empty) we set off with Icing and traveled all of 1 mile and 1 lock to another very overgrown towpath. This time nettles were the main problem and with Ian wearing his short shorts its a wonder he didn't sting his assets. Out came the scissors and a good ten minutes later we had a reasonable area on the towpath to get on and off.

Bunting being removed

Mooring for tonight.

Last shot of the Buzzard that has kept me clicking away on the camera.

And a heron in the field opposite this mooring.