Hello again. After claiming that June was a little quiet it got rather hectic in July. I was caught playing truant for at least one day every week leading Loddon Valley Ramblers on working parties elsewhere in the Wokingham Borough. I won’t bore you with the details because it would take up all our space and anyway you are far more interested in what went on in the Shinfield Parish.
Footpath 4.
This footpath from Cutbush Lane East up to Halls Farm is at long last reopened. There is a photo here that shows you will go through a restriction gate and walk a short way along the new tarmac road before going slightly left onto the old surface of the footpath.
Footpath 7.
This footpath running from Oatlands Road to Cutbush Lane has had its tarmac top coat laid from Oatlands Road to the new houses. The footbridge over the ditch was replaced with pipes and in filled. The drop either side is protected by rails.
Shinfield 18.
Forming part of the circular walk that was established when we reinstated Reading footpath 13 it became less appealing when the footbridge planks began to rot. We understand from a reliable source that the planks have been replaced so this walk is once again very viable.
Shinfield 25.
This is Woodcock Lane running parallel to the A33 and as you all know has had a bad press during the winter. This is a recurring cycle whereby it gets wet, muddy and full of depressions, The Loddon Valley Ramblers and local residents complain to Wokingham Borough Council. They in turn are financially constrained in being able to carry out an effective repair, the surface dries out and everybody goes away until the next winter. We don’t have an answer.
Shinfield 28.
This narrow but useful path between Leyland Gardens and Hollow Lane had become difficult due mainly to stinging nettles. We cut these so the path is fully open again.
Shinfield 29.
This footpath in the far west of the parish over near Kybes Lane crosses into West Berks via a wooden footbridge. Wokingham Borough Council advised us that it needed new planking and that it had gone out to their contractor for tender. We do not have an update for this as yet.
Pearmans Copse.
Once again we cut back the brambles at the top end of Pearmans Copse so the Parish Walk number 6 is very viable again.
From nowhere to somewhere.
There was a piece of footway that acquired the dubious name “of the path to nowhere”. I cannot claim any brownie points for getting it improved but SPC and SVG members put in a vigorous campaign that resulted in getting the path extended so it became known “as the path to somewhere”. Just in case you are confused it’s a nice tarmac path along Hyde End Lane from Fullbrook Avenue to Ryeish Lane. We can see this is going to be a winner in many ways and I can claim a brownie point for helping to cut back the foliage which had taken hold. We hope and expect WBC highways to adopt and maintain this.
Shinfield Parish Walk number 3
Finally, two of the SVG members joined me and we cleared Wokefield Byways 13 and 14. The former was to give us better access but 14 because it is a very important section of walk number 3. These byways are in West Berks but just like Wokingham they are stretched at this time of year so they were very pleased to hear that we had done this.
Don’t forget if you encounter something that you feel is not quite right, it probably isn’t, so please let us know on the contact details below because we may not be aware of the issue.
Ray Sharp on ramblerray@gmail.com or 07761 251217
Elaine on 0118 988 2771