Upcoming Events

Sunday 20th May - Friends of the Path workday

The next Friends of the Railway Path workday is on Sunday, 20th May. Please email me if you expect to be able to attend (but feel free to come along even if you haven’t!).

We will meet at 10.00 at the Barnfield Road access point to the path near Elcot Lane, Marlborough: grid reference SU 202 691 (CLICK for map).

The outline work plan is:

• At the Barnfield access point:
  • Fit new arm to the Millennium Mile Post at: re-paint all arms (if anyone would like to bring paint and equipment: please let me know if you’d like to do this)
  • Fit No Parking signs just outside the gate (to discourage parking on the verge)
  • Rake over damaged verge to regrade and scarify; replant with grass / wildflower seed
• At Poulton Down bridge:
  • Remove remaining ivy on trees at high risk (on the NE side of bridge)
  • Cut back sprouting on felled stumps either side of the bridge, the prevent re-growth. Cover selected stumps with black plastic and tie down as an experiment to prevent further re-growth.
  • Clear round and sweep off mysterious rune-like artwork on the path just to the NW
• Between A4 bridge and Poulton Down:
  • Litter pick and tidy, especially under bridges
  • Remove overhanging branches and new brambles at eye height
  • Sweep off the loose material built up on the ramp just on south side of the A4.

Please wear suitable outdoor clothing and stout footwear, and bring:

• Lunch and a drink
• Gardening gloves if you have some (the heavier the better for many of these jobs, as many of the path side bushes are thorny)
• Any hand tools which you think you would like to use. We will have a stock of tools for use on the day.

Work Parties

We plan to run volunteer workdays to help with specific improvements. These will include clearing vegetation and leaf fall. Let us know if you would like to help.

Workdays in 2012 will be held as follows:

• 19-Feb Chiseldon to Gypsy lane Bridleway clearance and hedgerow planting
• 20-May Marlborough - Poulton Farm Ivy cutting, general tidy
• 14-Oct Og.St George - Og. St Andrew Bridleway clearance, grassland creation and tree planting
• 18-Nov Coate Water to Chiseldon Hedge laying, general tidy

Details of the workplan and meeting points for each day will be available shortly beforehand.

Ideas

If you have ideas about what we should do, what events we should organise, or where we could get help, please let us know.

Past Events

Workday 19th February 2012.

We had a good turn out and achieved a huge amount along the 1.7 miles of track between the Ridgeway crossing south of Chiseldon and Gipsy Lane.

Open Meeting, Cally Memorial Hall, Chiseldon. 25th January 2012.

Lots of ideas were shared by the 26 people that came to the meeting including walkers, cyclings and horse riders.

First Work Day. 6th November 2011.

Worked on the Path between Curly Wurly Bridge over the M4 and Chiseldon.

Launch Exhibition. 22nd October 2011.

Over a hundred people came to the launch exhibition at the Marlborough Town Hall. There were many fans of the path and lots of information about history and different ways to enjoy the path.

Fresh Air Miles Ride. 10th September 2011.

31 riders came along to celebrate the launch of the Friends of the Railway Path and commemorate the 50th anniversary of the last passenger train to use the line. Our ages ranged from about 8 to 70, and we came from as far afield as Devizes and Faringdon (from where 8 cyclists made the journey across). The weather was cool (ideal for cycling) and the heavy rain held off until we were inside the pub for lunch.