Posts

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School Crossing Patrol wanted!

We are urgently looking for someone who would be interested in becoming the School Crossing Patrol for

Bernards Heath
Junior School

The pay is £7.20 per hour (plus holiday pay and retainer).  If you are interested or would like further information please contact Heather Hill on 01992 556815

Can we please remind you that it is a parental responsibility to get your child to and from school safely.

Hertfordshire County Council, Transport, Access and Safety,
County Hall, Pegs Lane,
Hertford, SG13 8DN.
Tel: 01992 556815
March 2016

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Access to Interpretation Boards

A quick strim of cow parsley has improved access to the interpretation board in Townsend Drive, which provides an excellent succinct history of the Heath. This board and the two others in Harpenden Road and Sandridge Road were installed by the Friends of Bernards Heath.  The boards are now beginning to show signs of weathering and replacements are being considered.

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Sinkhole Tours

Last October the country thrilled to the drama of the sinkhole on Bernards Heath – and the story is not finished yet.

Much was written and said in the media, but there is nothing like being on the spot to hear an explanation of the factors which came together to ‘make the earth move’.

Over the summer, Roger Miles, member of FoBH Committee, longtime resident of the Heath, amateur archaeologist and local historian, will be leading small group tours of the Heath on the theme of the sinkhole.

Geology, industrial archaeology, local history and even literature all figure in the story, but there will be nothing ‘difficult’ to understand.

If you would like to join one of the tour groups, which can be on a weekday, weekend or evening – state preference – let us know, plus how many you would be. You will be notified when a tour is planned.

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A grand Spring Opening

Horse chestnut 2016

‘Sticky buds’ coming into leaf, with flower buds.

Click on the left-hand image and move through the sequence using the arrow or right-arrow key

The horse chestnut, which might be thought native to the British Isles as it is so widespread,in fact hails from the Balkans and Greece and has been introduced here.

Oliver Rackham, the renowned authority on trees in the British landscape, referred to the horse chestnut as the ‘bus station tree’ as it seemed to be the species of choice for that location.

The horse chestnut (and a false acacia) in front of Chime Square above, along with some walls, are all that remain now of the St Albans bus garage which was on the site.

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Herts survey for mammals, amphibians and reptiles 2015-2019

A four-year survey is under way to compile a new atlas of Hertfordshire’s mammals, amphibians and reptiles. Friends of Bernards Heath and other residents with an interest in wildlife can make a welcome contribution to the project by submitting their sightings.

Update: 21 May 2016.
David Uttig, who leads the survey on the Heath, reports that nothing of interest has been found under the mats yet. They are located at 51 45 43N   0 19 59W and 51 45 46N   0 20 9W.  You can find out where these are by entering the co-ordinates into a Google maps search.

Update  4 June 2016
Two more mats have now been added in Beech Bottom Dyke at 51.46.6N  0.19.41W  and  51.46.11N    0.19.35Wz

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Trial Litter Bin on the Heath

A new trial litter bin has been installed by this bench not far from the Green Ring path (top photo).  There is often a lot of litter left in this area – we shall soon find out how long it will look like the top photo.  Answer: 1 day