including Beech Bottom Dyke and Sandridge Road Wastes
No need to go to Heartwood to see a magnificent display of bluebells. Being of the native variety, they are not only a feast for the eyes, but also for the nose. Find them from the Valley Road entrance to the Dyke on the side towards the railway.
Photo: AK
On Sunday morning, 18th April 2021, one of the Sandridge Road ornamental cherry trees found the weight of blossom on a branch too much to bear; it fell across the footpath and most of the road. Fortunately, nobody on the pavement or road came to any harm and that it was a Sunday morning when traffic was relatively light.
Continue reading “Breaking News on Sandridge Road”These views were taken by a drone in summer 2020.
Following the emergence of a depression or ‘hole’ not far from the centre of the Lower Field in late November 2019, Hertfordshire County Council commissioned a geophysical survey of the Field by GBG Geotechnics, Cambridge. A lengthy quite technical report on the survey was made available to FoBH and here we try to summarise its findings.
The hole was promptly surrounded by safety fencing and soon after by more fencing. The appearance of yet more fenced off areas last year led to some concern whether the whole field would be excluded to the public. We have no indication that this might be the case.
Continue reading “Ground Survey of the Lower Field by GBG Geotechnics”
You can’t fail to have noticed all the rain in October in the Bernards Heath area. It was particularly noticeable on Saturday, 3rd October when 32 mm was the highest over the UK since 1986. We measured 41 mm on that day when the southeast of England got more rain than the rest of the country.
The total for the month was 199 mm, the most that we have recorded for a single month over the last 7 years. Take a look at our records here.
After an absence of about 14 months, yet another group of travellers has come back to the Heath, Upper Field. Some of them appear to be have been here before. In spite of efforts by the Friends of Bernards Heath to get the Council to put in measures to stop this, nothing has happened, with the result that the costs of clearing up are steadily mounting and local children are denied access to their local play area (centre photo).
14.8.20: Fortunately, these travellers have moved on after after very quick action by officers, threatening bailiff removal.
A second depression or pit, close to the hedge on the northern side of the Lower field has been apparent for some time. The small size of the pit is in contrast with the relatively large area of enclosed by a new fence – perhaps there is more to this than we know. At least this fence is green and blends in with the surroundings.
For some reason the inner fence around the other depression has now been damaged in a way that must have needed some force. A JCB perhaps? See below.
Earlier this year, some visitors to the Heath will have heard a woodpecker and word of a nest soon got around in May. This bird chose to make use of a hole in an ash tree and if you look carefully at the photo you will see one of the young looking out. With a large powerful beak, it looks like a great spotted woodpecker.
Remarkably, it stayed in place when a very large branch fell off the tree, which has now been cut up. The young birds have now fledged.
Photo: Keith Morgan
We have now been in ‘Lockdown’ since March 23rd and since then the Heath has been very much busier than normal. Sunny weather has encouraged walkers, joggers and cyclists (often with children) to take advantage of what the Heath offers – it’s just like a weekend every day. The recently installed interpretation boards are also getting attention. The bluebells in Beech Bottom Dyke are also worth seeing, especially at the end near the railway.
While it’s good to see the Heath playing its part in providing a distraction from worries about Covid 19 and its consequences, it’s also apparent that there is less careless litter than might be expected for high summer. O’Conner the maintenance contractors have generally done a good job in clearing bins and cutting grass. Sadly, John O’Conner, the founder of the company, died in March partly as a consequence of Covid 19 infection.
Following the emergence of a depression in the Lower Field, and its further subsidence, survey work was started on the 20th January. The ground features in this area, once a rubbish tip, were extensively explored some two years ago.
The field is extremely popular with dog walkers who are now confined by a taped off area to a strip of land on two sides of the field (see notice), well separated from the area where work is going on.
The original area proved very interesting to dogs a few weeks ago – one wonders whether they could smell something that we cannot.
Note 21 Jan: Outer taped area now open again
Photos: MN