River Wey & Godalming Navigations Page National Trust

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Crofton Beam Engines

END OF SEASON MESSAGE

Saying a massive THANK YOU to all our volunteers, visitors and supporters this year for another successful open season. Crofton Beam Engines and the pay and display car park are now closed for the winter. We plan to open again for spring 2023, dates are to be confirmed, so keep an eye on social media and the website for updates. We’re not taking the winter off though, we will be carrying out essential winter maintenance during the closed season and will be open on some Saturdays for Winter Works Open Days. A chance to see what goes on behind the scenes over the winter period. We hope to see you there! Please visit our website for up to date information on our Winter Works Open Days: www.katrust.org.uk

Photo: Crofton Beam Engine Website

River Wey & Godalming Navigations

A Lengthmen’s View

I was out mowing before the rain came in but the wind was definitely already here. This little chap was managing to hold on while he was having a feed but it was clearly a struggle. It is always a cheering sight to see. With the mild temperatures this year some of the species that spend the winter hibernating underground are still out and about making the most of the last pollen and nectar. Plants like these dead nettles and ivy provide vital resources to keep them flying. Not all species do hibernate so it’s not unusual to catch a buff tailed bumblebee out and about even if it’s been snowing. The areas of the UK a where you see them year round is increasing with sightings further north year on year. That means that if you grow the right winter flowering plants like mahonia and winter jasmine you have a pretty good chance of having some keeping you company in the garden right through the winter.

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Bats on the River Wey

Bats are by far the most numerous canal mammals. Several species, including Daubenton’s and Pipistrelle, roost in canal structures along the River Wey and forage for insects over the water, the towpath and along the adjoining corridor.

Pipistrelle ('Pip'): The pipistrelle is the most common British species of bat. It is also the smallest. Its flight is high and appears jerky as it dodges to catch insects in flight. A single pipistrelle can consume up to 3,000 insects in one night.

Daubenton's: This bat is a medium-sized species that is often seen flying steadily within a few centimetres of the water’s surface. These bats take insects from close to the water’s surface hence their common name, the “water bat”. They make summer roosts in trees and bridges along the towpath.

How bats catch and find their food: At night when the bats are foraging, their ears are more important than their eyes. As they fly they make shouting sounds. The returning echoes give information about anything ahead of them, including the size and shape of insects and which way they are going. This process is called echolocation. Most of these sounds are too highpitched for humans to hear, but they can be heard with a bat detector.

What does a bat do at night?: What a bat does at night is still not fully understood. Lots of our well-known species leave the day roost at dusk and return at dawn. They come back fatter and tired, having consumed possibly thousands of insects, and flown as far as twenty kilometres during the night. Weather conditions obviously affect a bat’s dinner possibilities. If it's cold, wet or very windy, insects are not likely to venture out. If there are no insects, there is little point in a bat going out, as it will be using energy that it will not be able to replace. If you walk along the River Wey towpath in the early mornings, you are likely to see lots of damselfly wings on the ground. This is one indication of what bats have been doing at night... To find out more, visit the Surrey Bat Group's website

Future Events:

There are numerous events coming up at Dapdune Wharf that will provide fun for the whole family. Please visit our website (www.nationaltrust.org.uk/riverway ) for more information.