Making hay in Quarry Field

Quarry Field is through the trees above Snuff Mills car park. Each year the Council allows much of the grass to grow long for the summer. This is because it attracts many insects that are food for birds and rare bats.

The grass gets cut in summer and tractors come and make hay from it. Some people have complained about the long grass, but Snuff Mills Action Group has arranged for a central area to always be kept short so people can play football in the field.

Wickham Glen

Snuff Mills Action Group also has an interest in Wickham Glen. Nestling to the southwest of Blackberry Hill it links the Snuff Mills area to Eastville Park and is another one of Bristol's historic gems. A plaque half way down at Wickham Court commemorates the holding of a council of war between Oliver Cromwell and General Fairfax in 1645 before their attack on Bristol. Further down is a medieval pack horse bridge, reputedly Bristol's oldest. Does anyone have any information on this area?

WILDLIFE SUCCESS
Good news! The Kingfishers that live along Grove Woods have successfully reared chicks this year. Young ones have been seen in the area (see photo) and have now been chased off by their parents to find their own territories. This is thanks to everyone's efforts to keep the area free of disturbance (unlike last year), well done!

Council to clear footpath in Grove Woods and prune trees on Blackberry Hill

It's come to our attention that Bristol City Council are now going to carry out the footpath clearance and tree pruning work in Grove Woods after the owner showed no inclination to obey the notice they served upon him to do so. We understand the work will commence in the near future.

Bristol Metropolitan School works in Snuff Mills

A small group of pupils from the Bristol Met School spent the day in Snuff Mills on Wednesday 17th June clearing a viewpoint from the upper footpath across to Grove Wood. This is part of our plans with the Council to slightly open up some of the views across the river and to gradually remove some of the invading ash saplings that like to grow everywhere in the valley.

As part of their day the pupils also learnt more about woodlands and it was great to see some of them really get stuck in to the task too. Thanks to the school for spending some time working in the valley and to the Field Studies Council and Avon Wildlife Trust for funding and organising the day.