Sunday, 13th October 2024: another successful morning litterpicking and path clearing

An overcast and damp day, but a good turn out of ten Friends met at 10 am in Buck Stone Road by the Slabbering Baby entrance to the woods. Our mission to pick up litter and remove fallen trees and encroaching brambles from paths.

The Litter Pickers

Rubbish found at Adel Crag

Three of our group chose to pick up litter and made their way up to Crag Lane and along Crag Lane to Adel Crag and Stairfoot Lane carpark. 

The bulk of the litter was by Adel Crag where someone seemed to have held some sort of event, leaving a lot of rubbish behind – including wood and large lumps of foam from a bed or settee.

All in all, our valiant litterpickers picked up four full bags of rubbish plus large lumps of foam which wouldn’t fit in them. They were unable to remove the heavy wood.   They also spotted a buried bag of rubbish by Stairfoot Lane car park but they were unable to unearth it.

The path clearers

Two of our number set off to Alwoodley Plantation (on the northern side of Crag Lane) with the intention of clearing holly which has grown across the paths there. However, they found that paths were also obstructed by trees and branches which had fallen across them during Storm Lilian on the 22nd August. They had a productive time, but there is still lots to do.

Friends of Adel Woods clearing a fallen tree in Adel Woods after Storm Lilian
Clearing a fallen silver birch in Alwoodley Plantation

At the same time, yours truly and the remaining four path clearers made our way down past the Slabbering Baby to the bridge over Adel (or Meanwood) Beck. From there we followed the path by the side of the beck leading towards Stairfoot Lane.

Storm Lilian on the 22nd August had blown over a number of trees along this path. In addition, the path had been made narrow in various places by encroaching brambles.

Friends of Adel Woods clearing brambles by Adel Beck in Adel Woods
Taking a breather after cutting back brambles
Friends of Adel Woods clearing the path by Adel Beck in Adel Woods
Another fallen tree: before….
…and after

We got about three quarters of the way to Stairfoot Cottage before it was time to finish and return to Buck Stone Road. Another great work party in Adel Woods!

Friends of Adel Woods after path clearing
Three happy Friends of Adel Woods

JOIN FRIENDS OF ADEL WOODS!

We hope that you have enjoyed reading about our activities and would be delighted if you would like to join us.

Friends of Adel Woods were formed in 2009 to help maintain Adel Woods and encourage people to enjoy them. We meet one weekend morning a month to carry out various jobs or ”work parties”, and we also put on educational events such as bat walks, fungal forays and birdsong walks. 

We are a very friendly group and welcome new members who want to help preserve our special woods, enjoy fresh air and exercise in the woods, and make new friends. If you would like to take part in our activities, just come along to one of our work parties or get in touch by leaving a comment on this website – you should be able to see a comment button at the bottom of this page.

Our next events

Our next educational event is a Fungal Foray with our expert naturalist, Steve Joul, on Sunday 17th November 2024.

Our next work party is on Sunday the 24th November 2024 when we will be litterpicking and working with David Preston, our local countryside ranger, to dredge Adel Pond and clear the ditches feeding it.

For further information, please have a look at our home page.

Friends of Adel Woods: a fungal foray in September 2022
A fungal foray in September 2022

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