Abingdon Green Gym Blog

Blog by Eleanor, photos by Julio and Margaret We had a really good turnout for our work party at Matthew Arnold Field - eighteen volunteers in all.  Official plaque Matthew Arnold Field, like several sites on Boars Hill, is owned by Oxford Preservation Trust. We met at the end of Jarn Way and went into the field. While we were waiting for Rod d'Ayala, who manages the site, Barbara gave us a safety briefing. Safety briefing When Rod arrived, he took us over to the far side of the field and showed us what needed to be done. Briefing by Rod There were brambles and bracken by the fence to be scythed and raked up, so some people stayed to do that. The scythers get their scythes ready The rest of us went through the gate into the wooded area and down into the valley fen. here, there was also scything and raking to be done and a lot of sprouting willow needed to be cut down. It was quite tricky to find our way through the gap in the dead hedge and down into the fen. The upper part has a ...