Hinksey Heights - Saturday 31st May 2025

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 Blog by Eleanor, photos by Sally and Eleanor

There was a change to the original tasks at Hinksey Heights Golf Course and Nature Trail. We were supposed to fill in the gaps in the hedges so that walkers would keep to the footpath, but the hedging material had not arrived. Instead, we were asked to clear brambles from one area at the side of the access road, to clear encroaching vegetation from the sides of the trail and to clean the signage and interpretation boards and reposition them in the ground if necessary.

There were eleven of us that morning. Roger and Jim volunteered to do the bramble clearing while the rest of us, after walking up the trail to the picnic benches by the pond, had the less strenuous other tasks.

There were many walkers (and some runners) out along the trail on this warm, sunny morning. one embarrassed dog walker had let their dog go in the pond. This is very bad news as flea powder on dogs kills aquatic life. Some people apply flea powder regularly to their pets. This is totally unnecessary unless your pet actually has fleas!

Simon digging a hole for the sign board post






Jan cutting around the interpretation board

View of Oxford from Hinksey Heights




We gathered for our tea break on the picnic benches. It was  Graham's birthday so we had a cake to share.

Tea break by the pond



It was very pleasant sitting in the sunshine, with dragonflies and butterflies to watch. We had finished our tasks, so we made our way slowly back to the car park, cleaning a few remaining signs on the way.

Cardinal beetle





Flower beetle on dog rose
Bees and butterflies aren't the only pollinators


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