Paying For Everything On The Broads

[ChrisB]

2 hours ago, kpnut said:

Wow. That’s lovely.
But where was that line of mooring on Fleet Dyke? Between the ‘bend’ moorings and the ‘straight’ moorings that are there now?

Or perhaps where all the wild moorings spots are?

I know those two mooring sections are EA rather than BA  

There was quay all the way down from The Bure.

[Mouldy]

3 hours ago, kpnut said:

Wow. That’s lovely.
But where was that line of mooring on Fleet Dyke? Between the ‘bend’ moorings and the ‘straight’ moorings that are there now?

Or perhaps where all the wild moorings spots are?

I know those two mooring sections are EA rather than BA  

A few years ago the EA ripped up a lot of this type of quay heading and reprofiled the river bank.  The idea was to reduced erosion of the banks by replacing the quay heading with banks sloping at about 45 degrees with no piling.  These sections were often used as semi wild moorings and their loss was generally not popular at the time.

2 hours ago, Wussername said:

I thought that Mouldy's picture's of a pathway absolutely delightful. A cascade of wild flowers, ideal for insects, birds, and other creatures.

As for overgrown public footpaths it would suggest to me that they are not or rarely used and not subject to wear and tear as one would expect in the normal  course of events.

If you wish for manicured footpaths it does beg the question as to who has to pay for them or indeed wants them.

Andrew

Not asking for manicured pathways, but trimming the vegetation back two or three feet to allow someone to walk along the path without having brush through nettles etc. surely isn’t too much to ask.  Maybe I should have included my wife in the photos to give an indication of the height of some of those plants, but many were three or four feet taller than me.

 

3 hours ago, kpnut said:

There we go Malcolm. 

Get it, Kate, but this is supposed to be a made up path, but will soon become impassable as it’s swallowed up by the towering triffids that line it.  It was noticeable how few people were walking along the bank at Short Dyke yesterday, which is normally frequented by walkers and dog walkers.  Obviously the weather may have had some part to play, but I wonder if the challenge of negotiating the path now deters folk.

[grendel]

I am certainly finding even sections of the busiest footpaths and cycle paths are becoming overgrown and narrowed down to single file from a path over 6 foot wide.

how long before we all need battery strimmers along with us to take a walk / cycle

[kpnut]

1 hour ago, Mouldy said:

 It was noticeable how few people were walking along the bank at Short Dyke yesterday, which is normally frequented by walkers and dog walkers

I’m down fleet dyke on a wild mooring, presumably one ‘made’ when the quay heading in chrisB’s photos was removed. 
The path around Upton marsh is always popular but from the river junction along to the first pump house it is very bad. I am presuming this is causing the noticeable lack of walkers. It also makes for an exhausting journey by those prepared to go along it. I don’t think it’s a case of underuse of paths, just vegetation growing faster than feet can keep pace with, hence the need for mechanical help!
 

When I was out earlier and sitting by the little pond down Marsh Lane, two separate people came along to go along the footpath leading towards the edge of Pilson Green and Cargate Green. They both turned back as it was just too bad. I’d been along there in May and it was ok then. 
A stitch in time springs to mind. I did read somewhere that normal gear won’t cut grass etc when it gets above a certain height, so I suggest the answer is not to wait till it gets that high. No mow May is a shortsighted campaign in my view, from an ecological viewpoint as well as practical. 
 

It won’t be many weeks before we forget all our gripes again, as the vegetation dies down but in the meantime, it annoys me that simple jobs cannot be done properly by those whose responsibility it is to do them. 
 

[Troyboy]

An Interesting read. I've always found the public toilets around the broads to be very good. And most are free of charge unlike 40p at Scarborough. Those moorings at short dyke were disappointing with grass that length and I would say dangerous. £5000 a year for a boat on the broads is a lot of money.  I didn't realise it was so expensive. I agree with Katie about the state of some of the public footpaths. I suppose they will be the first facilities to be cut in this modern era. No pun intended. Human waste in the water is a big no no from me. The broads are still the best holiday destination for me and I will be there in 6 days for a week. This is a great forum thanks to you guys and thanks for your inputs. I love your diary threads.

[Wussername]

"Simple jobs cannot be done"

They can. Not a simple job however with sufficient manpower, and machinery, achievable. But costly.

The local councils foot the bill if they can. However, under the present financial climate Punch has finished dancing. The foliage will die back, it is the time of year.

I have no wish whatsoever to cause an argument with regard to this important and emotive discussion but throughout Broadland, concerning tolls, moorings, mooring fees, fuel, public footpaths there would seem to be a reluctants to recognise the dire financial straits which have so quickly been imposed upon us average folks.

Tha solution, I really don't know. However when walking, beating, exploring, I take my favourite stick, to whack a nettle, that vicious bramble and support me should I fall.

[Roy]

25 minutes ago, kpnut said:

I’m down fleet dyke on a wild mooring, presumably one ‘made’ when the quay heading in chrisB’s photos was removed. 
The path around Upton marsh is always popular but from the river junction along to the first pump house it is very bad. I am presuming this is causing the noticeable lack of walkers. It also makes for an exhausting journey by those prepared to go along it. I don’t think it’s a case of underuse of paths, just vegetation growing faster than feet can keep pace with, hence the need for mechanical help!
 

When I was out earlier and sitting by the little pond down Marsh Lane, two separate people came along to go along the footpath leading towards the edge of Pilson Green and Cargate Green. They both turned back as it was just too bad. I’d been along there in May and it was ok then. 
A stitch in time springs to mind. I did read somewhere that normal gear won’t cut grass etc when it gets above a certain height, so I suggest the answer is not to wait till it gets that high. No mow May is a shortsighted campaign in my view, from an ecological viewpoint as well as practical. 
 

It won’t be many weeks before we forget all our gripes again, as the vegetation dies down but in the meantime, it annoys me that simple jobs cannot be done properly by those whose responsibility it is to do them. 
 

I agree with you Kate I’m a professional Gardener/ garden designer and the no mow May is so annoying as we encourage wildlife in to our gardens/ long grass for a month the wildlife gets nice and settled then they go and mow the grass killing the habitat they were in. 

We need wildlife in our gardens but wild flower meadows are more the way to go( sorry don’t mean to rant but people like monty don etc encourage this and its only a short term thing) 

roy 

[kpnut]

5 minutes ago, Wussername said:

take my favourite stick, to whack a nettle, that vicious bramble and support me should I fall.

I do too Andrew. Didn’t save me on that walk mind you. Maybe we should be more ferocious still. 
Apart from long grass on moorings themselves, which is just part and parcel of amenity provision and open to interpretation, most of what we’ve been discussing falls under county council statutory responsibility, and is being neglected. 
 

7 minutes ago, Roy said:

wild flower meadows are more the way to go

Yep, and leaving everything long just allows strongly competitive species to take over, meaning far fewer of our more delicate native wild flowers surviving. Nettles, thistles, grasses all have their place in the ecosystem, but given half a chance they are thugs. 
 

I suppose it’s all similar to the establishment of Broadland carr. Neglect the maintenance and the environment evolves itself. Ok in evolutionary timescales, but I think most folk would prefer the navigation kept open and not left to silt up and turn into woodland over time. But the argument is more than keeping navigation open, it’s a fragile ecosystem and we neglect it at our cost. 
Much of the woodland up the river Ant and in the upper reaches of the Bure is due to poor maintenance of the reedbeds over many, many decades. Ok while it stays as wet carr, giving habitat for many rare localised species, but once it turns into dry oak woodland that fragile wetland habitat has gone. 
The loss of public footpaths means losing corridors for wildlife to move along (when we’re not thundering along with our sticks 😁), losing specific hedgerow plants that need certain amounts of light to thrive etc, so it’s not really about us at all but the ‘ways of the countryside’. 

I too will stop ranting now!

[kpnut]

53 minutes ago, Troyboy said:

will be there in 6 days for a week. This is a great forum

Troyboy, I was wondering if you were down at all. I’ve seen loads of ‘spanners’ but not yours!
You’ll maybe meet Finlay’s older brother if you keep an eye out for my boat. Liver and white. It’ll be my daughter and husband on board with tiny babe in arms. Or, hopefully not in arms if coming in to moor!

[jeffbroadslover]

It seems to me that those "responsible" people who decide that it is a good idea not to trim the footpath areas and allow it to become overgrown are very clever.

"If we don't keep the path passible, people will not use it and then we can say that  we will not spend our hard earned cash on something that will not be used"

By taking this attitude it means that the authority will have more spare cash for the Christmas party !!!!!!!

Jeff

[Mouldy]

1 hour ago, kpnut said:

I do too Andrew. Didn’t save me on that walk mind you. Maybe we should be more ferocious still. 
Apart from long grass on moorings themselves, which is just part and parcel of amenity provision and open to interpretation, most of what we’ve been discussing falls under county council statutory responsibility, and is being neglected. 
 

Yep, and leaving everything long just allows strongly competitive species to take over, meaning far fewer of our more delicate native wild flowers surviving. Nettles, thistles, grasses all have their place in the ecosystem, but given half a chance they are thugs.

And having done a bit of Googling, I think that many of the plants that are overtaking the path from Short Dyke to Rockland Staithe may be Giant Hogweed, which apparently are an invasive species that can be dangerous to humans as well as dogs.

[ZimbiIV]

If it is giant hogweed you have to report it.

Give any council any excuse to do nothing they will obey.

I must be old I can remember when councilors were volunteers on expenses running commities, now they are professionals running cabinets and more concerned about being re-elected.

paul

Me a cynic, I don't believe it.

[Smoggy]

Most of what is in the pic is hemlock or cow parsley, giant hogweed stands out a mile, Don't even brush past it as it's nasty stuff.

[kpnut]

Hemlock is also nasty stuff, poisonous if ingested. Why you would want to is anyone’s guess, it stinks. The ranger came and cut some down at How Hill yesterday, right by my boat and the pong was horrid. No visor worn while doing so. He did rake it up off the path afterwards. 

[Troyboy]

2 hours ago, kpnut said:

Troyboy, I was wondering if you were down at all. I’ve seen loads of ‘spanners’ but not yours!
You’ll maybe meet Finlay’s older brother if you keep an eye out for my boat. Liver and white. It’ll be my daughter and husband on board with tiny babe in arms. Or, hopefully not in arms if coming in to moor!

We were down 5 weeks ago Kate but I didn't see you on the river. I'll keep an eye out for Springers Retreat. 

[kpnut]

Probably one of the many ‘laid up weeks’ while my boat was having work done. I’m catching up on my time out now. 

[ExSurveyor]

No mow May has been stretched until the end of June because of the benefits to bugs and eco stuff.

My council now save £30k + a year, by planting huge flower beds on parts of wide verges, daffs, tulips and hyacinths amonst wild flowers. The ongoing savings are from the reduction in mowing these areas for parts if the year. They are stunning, particually in the earlier parts of the year. Councils do get it right simetimes, just not often enough.

[kpnut]

25 minutes ago, ExSurveyor said:

by planting huge flower beds on parts of wide verges, daffs, tulips and hyacinths amonst wild flowers. The

I’m interested to know if that’s flower beds they made first, so not planting directly into established vegetation. If you can remove the strong stuff,  as Roy said, the more ‘delicate’ wildflowers are the way to go. 

[ExSurveyor]

They mass planted through existing grass verges, no obvious prep work.

[ExSurveyor]

[OldBerkshireBoy]

15 hours ago, Smoggy said:

Most of what is in the pic is hemlock or cow parsley, giant hogweed stands out a mile, Don't even brush past it as it's nasty stuff.

The link shows a picture of what to look out for and what it can do to you.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-66005465

[kpnut]

I just found this, lurking in my phone from last year. It’s the mowing schedule for the BA moorings. Rockland short dyke is monthly. 
Hopefully this pdf will attach properly. 
Footpaths.pdf

 

[MargeandParge]

6 minutes ago, kpnut said:

I just found this, lurking in my phone from last year. It’s the mowing schedule for the BA moorings. Rockland short dyke is monthly. 
Hopefully this pdf will attach properly. 
Footpaths.pdf

 

They can't keep things acceptable and collect mooring fees there isn't time. 

Kinder Regards Marge and Parge 

In fact the ground maintenance where they collect the fees is done by real gentleman voluntarily. We must all thank him for that

Kindest Regards Marge and Parge 

[vanessan]

1 hour ago, kpnut said:

I just found this, lurking in my phone from last year. It’s the mowing schedule for the BA moorings. Rockland short dyke is monthly. 
Hopefully this pdf will attach properly. 
Footpaths.pdf

 

Is there a title for this pdf? I ask because Cantley is shown as granite but there is grass behind. Rockland SD is also a granite path with grass behind but is shown as grass. I’m confused! 🤔

[kpnut]

I think it was what Tom from the BA posted last year on the thread ‘State of the Footpaths’. Either that if he mentioned the link and I got it off the BA website. 
It was in response to me asking which paths the BA are responsible for and which the county council. The county council ones can be found on their website somewhere, again probably linked on last year’s thread about the paths.