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Hitchcopse Pit - Saturday 7th January 2026

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 Blog by Eleanor, photos by Julio and David Hitchcopse Pit was a new site for us to work on. It is a former sand quarry and now is a habitat for flora and fauna that like this environment. Some of us had visited in the Summer, when it is very popular with walkers and families. It is in the Cothill area, but a long trek from where we usually park for Cothill Fen, so Adrian, our leader, had obtained permission to park at Hitchcopse Farm. From there we set off across the fields (some very waterlogged) to the site. We were very pleased to welcome two new members, Scarlet and Izaak, who brought the average age of the group down by some years! Briefing in the farm car park Walking across the fields Heading towards the dead oak Crossing the electric fence Climbing over the barbed wire First view of the area adjacent to the pit Our task was to cut back the silver birch growing on the slopes and in the pit itself and to use the cut material to make a dead hedge barrier to prevent people fro...
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Riding for the Disabled, Southmoor - Saturday, 31st January 2026

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Blog by Eleanor, photos by Sally and Julio It was almost a year since our last session at Riding for the Disabled and that had been on a terribly wet day, so this time we were luckier with the weather. We would be working in two separate areas. One task was to clear one of the ditches. This would enable more water to drain away and prevent the paddock from flooding. The other task was to plant bulbs along the footpath leading to the woodland area behind the buildings. The riding centre was planning to develop this path so eventually horses could be led along it with their riders. Sue, of the riding centre gave us our tasks. Briefing in the yard The riding centre seen from the new footpath The ditch clearers set off to begin their task. The ditch before We had brought waders, but fortunately the ditch could mostly be cleared from the bank.   Jim and Rhian set to work Kevin clearing the ditch with a crome (rake with curvy tines) Rhian taking cleared stuff to the heap Meanwhile, the b...
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Lincombe Lane Field, Boars Hill - Saturday, 24th January 2026

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Blog by Sally.  Photos by Henry, Julio, Michele and Sally On Saturday, 24 January, we went to a new site for us at Lincombe Lane, Boars Hill, which was bought by Oxford Preservation Trust in three lots between 1937 and 1940 from Abingdon Rural District Council and comprises a field of unimproved grassland, heath and wet flush which slopes to a wooded valley fen - a local wildlife site.  On a clear day, it offers views of Didcot and the Berkshire Downs to the south and of Princes Risborough and the Chilterns to the east, so quite a lovely spot to find ourselves on an unexpectedly fine winter's day, as the forecast earlier in the week had promised rain. The field is grazed by horses, and these had been fenced in so we could work safely.  18 volunteers turned out, including Matt, one of the OPT volunteers and we worked under the direction of Rod d'Ayala, the consultant ecologist to OPT.  We had car shared where possible and once we had all assembled, we made our way dow...
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