Camp Report Cotswold Canals
A week in October, with WRG Forestry removing overhanging trees and branches above Bowbride Lock while a group of Ashby refugees attack the chamber wall
store the canal line vista, and more practically so the CCT dredger can access this length in the relatively near future to restore The grand tradition of the Cotswold Canals the depth to the original working invert level. Trust taking in homeless canal camps maniSome neighbourly goodwill pollarding of fested itself again for this past Autumn’s canalside willows was also requested in “Half-Term” Camps. Both the Forestry Octo- return for being able to get to and work ber camp and the initially proposed Ashby along an inaccessible part of the bank. So camp necessitated a change of location, and the ‘Forestry Collective’ under coordinator CCT again warmly welcomed the happy bands Clive and assistant Paul departed on the of volunteers to Stroud and growing list of Saturday morning to Bowbridge, leaving the taskings on the Phase 1A section (Stonehouse- cooks organising the catering for the original Stroud-Brimscombe) of the canal. 23 Forestry folks plus additional the Ashby WRG Forestry rightly claimed squatters’ relocates which took us up to 35 folks The rights at the accommodation at Brimscombe agenda for me was a morning providing a Port being the Friday night arrivals; for the ‘Brickwork 101’ training class for CCT voluntransferees from the Ashby it was the conteers, getting prepared for the ‘Ashby’ arrivventional Saturday afternoon check in. Forals, and a happy hour or so at Stroud train estry also had the ‘wonder’ cook Mitch, ably station in the good company of the first assisted by Andy and their kitchen helpers arrival DoEer Ed 1 while numerous trains (name check for Hannah!) which left a from the opposite direction, the odd ‘sorry number of the DoEers wondering how much I’ve missed my connection’ train came and more 2nds and 3rds can they eat of the went. As variation of the ‘waiting for... and amazing evening meals and how can WRG waiting for... and eventually they all come feed people this great food on £56 a week! together’ theme, Patrick, Tobi and Michael Which really leads on to a general hats off arrived at the same time, unbounded joy! and heartfelt thanks (speaking on behalf of Back for tea and buns, meet the other all leaders) to those innovative, inspirational Martin (my invaluable most useful person / and extremely hardworking cooks that nour- quasi-assistant for the week), Hannah, Ted, ish bodies and souls to such great effect and Gary, Jason, James and then onto the orienmake the camp experience so much more enjoyable and the leaders’ life so much more worry-free, thank you all. The ‘big push’ on the Cotswold Canal is to complete the Phase 1A length of the canal which primarily wends its way through Stroud. To this goal, Forestry’s taskings included the removal of offending trees and branches that had grown into and over the canal bed on the offside section east of Bowbridge Lock for approxiChipping away at the chamber wall brickwork mately 500m, both to rePictures by Martin Ludgate
“We came, We sawed, We took down”
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