Ock Path Tesco end - Saturday 8th June 2024

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Blog by Eleanor, photos by Kevin and Eleanor                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Only eight Green Gymmers turned up for this session, where the tasks were to cut back nettles and overhanging branches, and to search for and uproot Himalayan balsam, an invasive plant, which grows along waterways. As usual on this site, there was litter picking to be done, as people buy food and drink at Tesco, eat it and throw packets, cans and bottles down as they go.

A new volunteer, Alec, all the way from the U.S.A. via Didcot, had come to help us. Carolyn and I set off to do litter picking and Kevin took Alec on a tour of the site. The others set about cutting back overhanging branches and vegetation and searching for Himalayan Balsam. We had worked hard at eradicating this over the years and there was much less than before, mostly hidden by nettles. 

Sadly, we saw a dead mouse (or shrew, a bit big for a shrew, probably) by the bridge.


Where the path carries on to New Cut Mill, there are "dragons' teeth" tank traps on the edge of the wooded area, left over from the Second World War. The river runs West to East here and it was thought, in the event of an invasion, the enemy would advance from the South. Farther along the path, you can catch sight of an old pill box at a distance to the left.


Carolyn and I found a surprising amount of litter, much of it concealed by nettles, among it an empty back bacon pack, an odd snack item. Near the exit of the path, a number of snails had taken up residence on an official looking green box.

Just before tea break it started to rain, but fortunately it didn't last long so we were able to have our break in the dry, sitting on a convenient fallen tree trunk.


After the break we carried on with our tasks.

Graham ventures into the jungle


Cutting back

Rosie pulling up Himalayan Balsam

Barbara working on the other side of the ditch

At 12.30 we packed up and made our way back to the car park with the tools. We had done a good morning's work with a small number.


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