Restoration Round-up By Colin Greenall

Over the years our group as worked at many location along the canal, but never at the Widnes end, so when it was reported that water levels had fallen at Spike Island because of weed growth at Fiddlers Ferry, we volunteered our help to the Halton Rangers Service.

Sunday 11th July

We met up at Spike Island Visitor Centre at 10-00am and our volunteers were transported to the work site at Fiddler Ferry in the Rangers' Land Rover. The route to the site was along the canal towpath. Anthony the Ranger took the volunteers and a trailer, and I followed behind with the SCARS tool trailer.

Once on site Anthony described the problem, and how he wanted us to work on clearing a three-foot wide channel along the towpath edge. It didn't take long before the tools were unloaded and the volunteers got stuck into pulling out the offending reeds, some proved a little more resistant than others but with some forceful persuasion eventually came out.

The weather was warm and sunny until dinnertime when we had a heavy down pour of rain but this didn't stop the workers who were back out there after dinner even more determined to clear a way through the reeds. By mid-afternoon everyone was beginning to tire so the tools were cleaned and put back in the trailer.

It was now time to assess what we had achieved: a channel 60 metres long had been cleared, and the resulting piles of reeds and rubbish had been removed off site. It seemed to us that a mechanical digger might be used to do this job, but the reported sightings of water voles in this area made the Rangers hesitant to use machinery.

Anthony reported later that the water level at Spike Island had gone up by 11 inches during the following week.

Sunday 8th August

Another bright and sunny day and even more volunteers than on our last visit.

On site it was the same system of pulling reeds and clearing rubbish, the difference this time was that we had a place on site to dump the reeds so that they could rot down. We also had the use of a strimmer to cut the long grass along the edge of the canal; this made a big difference to the overall look of the site at the end of the day.

Work progressed and although not as much distance was cleared, 40 metres, plus another 37 metres partially cleared, it still proved to be a highly successful day.

Sunday 17th October, Mersey Basin Week Event

Every year we take part in this event to improve the waterside environment around the Mersey basin area, this year we decided to use our site at Fiddlers Ferry. Once again the event was sponsored by MWH. From whom we received a grant of £70, which enabled us to purchase two pairs of waders.

The weather was a bit dull and chilly as we continued from where we had left off in August and by the end of the day another 40 metres had been cleared.

Sunday 14th November: Another visit to Fiddlers Ferry and more pulling of reeds. It was again dull and chilly, which may account for the poor turn out, (only 5 of us) but good progress was made and a further 18 metres was cleared.

Photo: The SCARS Work Party, with Ranger Anthony Dooley (the big chap behind Paul Fletcher, who has since moved to a job in the USA), with our trailer and the essential Canteen.

Sunday 28th November - Hulme Lock Cottage and Winwick Dry Dock.

To round off the year it was decided to go back and do some clearance work on two of our regular sites.

At the cottage unwanted vegetation and litter was cleared away, then an area of brambles were cut back alongside the entrance path, this is where the interpretation board will be sited when it is ready later this year.

At the dry dock, litter was cleared from within the dock and them weeds and brambles were removed from the walls. Work commenced on clearing the floor of the dock of vegetation but as the days are short at this time of year this task was not finished.

May I take this opportunity to thank all the people who have turned out to work at the various sites we have visited this year.

I would also like to add a special thank you to Paul Fletcher who made his last appearance as a volunteer in November before leaving to take up a new job in America.

Hope to see you all in the New Year.

If any one is interested in joining any of our work parties, please contact Colin Greenall: Tel 01744 731746 (evening), 01744 732031 (daytime) e-mail colin.greenall@btopenworld.com

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