Boundary House Fen - Saturday 26th October 2024

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Blog by Eleanor, photos by Sally, Julio and Eleanor 

We met, as usual, in the Greenkeepers' Compound for our session at Boundary House Fen, which is part of Frilford Golf Course. We set off to the fen, carrying our tools. Rod d'Ayala was there to meet us and give us our instructions. There was a lot of reed to cut and rake up. Due to the mild, wet weather and lack of frost so far, the reeds and other vegetation have continued to grow.

The fen at the start of the session

Receiving instructions from Rod

The scythers set to work and the rakers prepared to rake up the reeds and carry them to the place which Rod had designated. This is to make sure that the fen remains wet and only Rod is the keeper of the knowledge of how this should be done.

Working on the fen

Rod said he wanted the cut reeds to be rolled into tight sausages in the drag sheets, and Julio and Rhian proved to be experts at this.

Rolling the tight sausage

Carrying the tight sausage

Loading and stacking

Tea break

Then, after tea break it was back to work with plenty more to do.


Sally and Adrian scything in the top corner.

At about quarter past twelve it was time to stop cutting and rake the cut reeds into heaps.


The fen at the end of the session

We had achieved a lot, but there was still plenty more to do.
Here are some photos of the fauna and fungi:

Candlesnuff fungus


Harvest mouse nest


Fungus on a log


European garden spider on a jacket

Snail on Kevin's cap

We also saw a vole - a field or bank vole, but it scuttled away into the undergrowth too fast to be photographed.

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