North Bucks rRIPPLE (ramblers Repairing & Improving Public Paths for Leisure & Exercise) Activity Report 24 August 2019 – 23 November 2019

Copies of before & after photos of all work are available on request. Man hours include some travel time. DaG = Donate a Gate. CAMS (Countryside Access Management System) is a reference used by BCC for work requests. All work is requested and authorised by Alastair McVail, BCC North Bucks PRoW Officer, or Jon Clark, BCC Strategic Access Officer. OPAG = Oving Paths Action Group. PG = Pedestrian Gate (e.g. Centrewire Marlow); KG = Kissing Gate (e.g. Centrewire Woodstock).

“Installed to NB rRIPPLE standard” means the following: “Marlow gate installed c/w 22 mm washer, hinges greased and latch oiled, and two 1.8 m x 100 x 100 UC4 15 year Redwood posts c/w Postsaver sleeves tamped in with copious quantities of stones. Posts are attached to gates with two 10 mm diameter coach screws. Improved by the Ramblers square decals and BCC way markers fitted as appropriate.” KG slightly different as only one post needed and as from 30/1/19 we are now putting half a 20 kg bag of Fencemate (£3.91 per bag) on top of each of the two galvanised “feet” of the two hoops. Arisings, i.e. the timber from the old stile, is cut up by chain saw and removed from site unless stated otherwise.

26/8/19 Westcott WES/5/1 at SP721183. Emailed Alastair to request a CAMS as this is only 260 m from CAMS 87935 dating from Jan 2019. More efficient to do two on a day as discussed with him on 20/8/19 in Thornborough. Received CAMS 90087 on 28/8/19.

26/8/19 Ford. Emailed Chris Woods to say we’d finished his DaGs by completing the gate at SP783090, Point 4 on the Map. Said we were unable to progress installing a gate where his tenant Chris Allen has strung a rudimentary electric fence across the footpath, nor to repair his sleeper bridge. Alastair McVail, BCC, said this would need a properly authorised change to the definitive map and a proper bridge repair.

26/8/19 CRFC. BJ to collect gate and two sets of hoops. 2 man hours. 10 miles.

27/8/19 Thornborough THB/6/4 CAMS 86931 at SP738320. Dismantled 4-rail, no steps, 1-hand post barrier/stile. Installed Woodstock KG to NB rRIPPLE standard. 5 x 6 = 30 man hours. AADJK. 50 miles. Allen 22 miles.

28/8/19 Thornborough THB/6/4 at SP739323. Sent email to landowner Joanne Jenkins to ask permission to install a dog latch beside her Secure a Field metal stile.

28/8/19 . MGI/5A/1 at SP635233. Tel con and email to John Phipps agreeing to install a Marlow gate. Copied in Alastair.

29/8/19 Talked to Neil Shefford of Stewkley Walkers. At work he’s mostly involved with the Advertiser. I said we’d done work in Thornborough. Also made contact with Alice Hown, secretary of Stewkley Walkers.

29/8/19 Dinton/Westlington. Emailed back Rosemary Bird who’s still trying to resolve problem stiles on DFU/18 with Paul Roads and Mel Kidner. Copied Jon Clark. Followed up with another email on 30/8/19 explaining whom we believe are the landowners on DFU/1.

31/8/19 Stewkley Walkers. Emailed response to secretary, Alice Horn, re their meeting next Wednesday enquiring about a village liaison person for NB rRIPPLE to deal with. Explained couldn’t pin point the problem stiles but mostly on the way back along Circular Walk 9 between points 9, 10 & 11.

2/9/19 Thornborough. Recce to meet with Alan and Joanne Jenkins at Hornets Farm wrt their stiles and potential for a dog latch beside their all metal stile..

2/9/19 Thornborough. Recce to meet with Eddie (Edmond) Bullman at Cloverick Moor next door to the Jenkins.

2/9/19 . Recce to meet with Anita Waddell at Lower Pointer Farm. Walked her three stiles and agreed to do the gate conversions quite soon. She needs advance notice of our impending arrival due to goats roaming free in yard. 5 man hours. 55 miles.

3/9/19 Thornborough THB/6/4 CAMS 88425 at SP739325. Dismantled 4-rail, 2-steps, 1-hand post stile. Installed Marlow PG (Landowner’s preference) to NB rRIPPLE standard. 5 x 7 = 35 man hours including trip to CRFC to reload for next week. AndrewBCKP. 61 miles. Peter 34 miles.

4/9/19 QUR/8/1 at SP782177. Received CAMS 88843 from Rose to replace damaged stile and steps with Woodstock KG. Requested landowner info.

4/9/1 PAD/1/2 at SP718308. Received CAMS 89136 from Rose to replace stile with Woodstock KG. Requested landowner info.

10/9/19 Dorton DOT/7/1 CAMS 88640 at SP680148 - Point 3 on map. Dismantled dilapidated 1 broken step, 1 double and 1 detached rail, 1-hand post stile. Detached sheep netting both sides and cleared overgrowth vegetation. Installed Marlow PG to NB rRIPPLE standard at a slight angle due to configuration of existing fencing and hedging. Reattached sheep netting and rails both sides. 4 x 7 = 28 man hours. JoséJKP. 22 miles. José 16 miles.

12/9/19 Westcott WES/6/1 (BCC’s reference QUA/34/1) CAMS 87935 at SP719184. Jerry recce. 2 man hours. 25 miles.

12/9/19 . Trevor Jenkins called. Said he’d talked to Archie Dancer but had not got anywhere wrt installing KG on St John’s Lane. Mentioned the moving of a fence line – but nothing happening.

12/9/19 BCC document. Sharon Bayne, working for BCC publicity, emailed to say no panic re photo of NB rRIPPLE for the document.

13/9/19 Ridgeway Trail Officer, Sarah Wright, responded to say she’d let us know where she gets plastic posts. She never did – again.

18/9/19 Westcott WES/6/1 (BCC’s reference Quainton QUA/34/1) CAMS 87935 at SP719184. Dismantled dilapidated 4-rail, 2-unstable steps, 1-hand post, sheep netted stile. Installed Marlow PG to NB rRIPPLE standard. Reattached sheep netting to both sides. Cleared moss off bridge. Replaced faded way marker on Quainton stile. Cleared extensive vegetation between two stiles, this one on SE side of thick hedge on WES/6/1 and the other stile on NW side on QUA/34/1. 4 x 6 = 24 man hours. AndrewCJJosé. Jerry i/c. 25 miles. José 16 miles.

20/9/19 CRFC. Took delivery of two big bags of 20 mm and 40 mm shingle. Collected gate, stones and 4 posts. 1 man hour. 10 miles.

20/9/19 Marsh Gibbon MGA/5A/1 CAMS 90409 at SP635233. Following tel cons with Rose and Alastair this CAMS materialised. The site is immediately opposite CAMS 87665 on dangerous double bends on Bicester Road about 0.5 km NE of Marsh Gibbon. Let the team know we’ll be doing two Marlows on Tuesday 24/9/19 in Marsh Gibbon. See map below.

20/9/19 Impact Signs. Confirmed order with Daniela at Impact including Simply Walk plaque. Both Fiona Broadbent and Rosemary Bell of Dinton very happy with design incorporating their logo that we paid for.

21/9/19 Heat-shrinked 4 Postsaver sleeves onto 4 posts. Collected replacement 6 kg butane gas cylinder from Browns of Haddenham. 1 man hour. 4 miles.

24/9/19 Marsh Gibbon jobs postponed due to torrential rain.

25/9/19 Impact Signs. Picked up plaques for Oving PC, Oakley PC, Simply Walk etc. 1 man hour. 15 miles.

25/9/19 Dinton DFU/20/1 and /2. Met with Vanda Plastow at Brookfield Farm in Cuddington. She agreed to us installing gates at Points 4, 5, 6 & 7 on the map.

26/9/19 Dinton. Emailed Vanda Plastow re DaGs through DOGGOF scheme.

26/9/19 BCC. Requested 10 Marlow and 2 Woodstock gates from BCC. 3/10/19 Talked to Sean who said he needed a Job Sheet from the Lady who looks after the South. Let Rose Gibbard know that.

1/10/19 Marsh Gibbon MGI/4/3 CAMS 87665 at SP635233. Cleared vast amount of over-hanging bramble and hawthorn hedge and vegetation & overgrowth off twin-sleeper bridge ditch crossing. Dismantled 4-rail, 2-step, 1 hand post stile. Installed Marlow PG to NB rRIPPLE standard. Left arisings in field and let farmer know. 2 x 6.5 = 13 man hours. AllenP. Peter 22 miles. Allen 22 miles.

1/10/19 Marsh Gibbon MGI/5A/1 CAMS 90409 at SP635233. Dismantled awkward 5-rail, 2-step, 1 hand post stile. Installed Marlow PG to NB rRIPPLE standard. Cleared vast amount of overgrowth off twin- sleeper bridge ditch crossing. Left arisings in field and let farmer know. 3 x 6.5 = 20 man hours. BCD. 44 miles.

1/10/19 Marsh Gibbon MGI/9A/1 CAMS 89935 at SP656230. Received this CAMS with landowner info as Nick Line of Leopold Farm. Called him on 3/10/19 and emailed a snip of the map as his description on the stile’s location didn’t tally with the map. See map below. Recce eventually carried out on 21/11/19.

4/10/19 CRFC. To collect 4 posts. 1 man hour. 10 miles.

4/10/19 CRFC. To collect 3 Marlow gates and 7 buckets of stones. Loaded trailer for 9/10/19 work party. BJ. 2 man hours. 10 miles.

5/10/19 , , Stewkley recce by Jerry & Sue. 4 man hours. Jerry 42 miles. Discovered that one stile to be changed is already a kissing gate. Jerry met with two farmers who were helpful and friendly. Jerry to raise several issues with Rose Gibbard at BCC for clarification.

7/10/19 Dinton. Talked to Vanda Plastow and took over to her house in Cuddington a printed out map showing the stiles on her land in Dinton that we believe she has agreed to have converted to gates.

9/10/19 Swanbourne SWA/9/3 CAMS 88771 at SP814269. Cut back vast amount of hedge from hunt jump. Dismantled awkward 1-step stile and one third of the hunt jump. Installed Marlow PG to NB rRIPPLE standard next to old way mark post. Reinstated sheep fencing. 4 x 7 = 28 man hours. AndrewJKP. Jerry i/c. 42 miles. Peter 12 miles.

16/10/19 Mursley MUR/7/4 CAMS 88769 at SP821269. Dismantled awkward 5-rail, 1-step, 1-hand post stile. Detached 4-rail barriers either side of stile. Installed Marlow gate to NB rRIPPLE standard. Re- attached 4-rail barriers to both sides of the gate. Fitted “Ore stabit ...” plaque. 5 x 5.5 = 28 man hours. BCDJJ. 44 miles. Joe 20 miles.

16/10/19 Quarrendon QUR/8/1 CAMS 88843 at SP782177. Recce following concerns raised by Alastair and Rose that the stile is now in a dangerous condition. Agreed that it is dangerous, see photos below, but no more so than numerous other wobbly 1-step dilapidated stiles we come across on a regular basis. We will put it in our work programme. 2 x 0.5 = 1 man hour. BJ 10 miles. (Job completed 12/11/19).

17/10/19 Chat between Bill & Charles about press coverage such as Bucks Herald. Charles agreed to do a press release for 200th gate. 2 man hours.

18/10/19 CRFC. Took delivery of 10 x 1.2 m wide Marlow gates and 2 x 1.0 m Woodstock KGs. 10 miles. 1 man hour.

22/10/19 Oakley OAK/27/2 CAMS 90612 at SP637122. Oakley PC DOGGOF DaG. Dismantled dilapidated 3-rail, 1-step, 1-Hand post stile. Retained two posts either side of new assembly. Installed 1.2 m wide Marlow gate to NB rRIPPLE standard. Fitted Oakley PC plaque. Fitted vertical rails to infill gaps at sides. 4 x 7 = 28 man hours. BCDK. 34 miles.

22/10/19 Oakley OAK/27/2 CAMS 90613 at SP636123. Oakley PC DOGGOF DaG. Dismantled 3-rail, 1- step, 1-Hand post stile. Installed 1.0 m wide Marlow gate to NB rRIPPLE standard. Gave away cut up arisings to immediate neighbour in Sun Crescent. 3 x 7 =21 man hours. AndrewJerryP. Peter 36 miles.

One plaque fitted for DOGGOF DaGs.

23/10/19 BCC. Requested 1.0 m Marlow gates from Jon Clark as the 1.2 m wide ones can’t always be used.

29/10/19 Dinton DFU/20/1 CAMS 90582 at SP765105. Stone, Haddenham & Dinton Simply Walk DOGGOF DaG. Dismantled 4-rail, 2-steps, no hand post stile. Installed 1.2 m Marlow gate to NB rRIPPLE standard. Lifted adjacent chained field gate off upright sleeper gate post which was retained for Marlow gate installation. Trimmed vast amount of overgrowth around gate to gain access into field. Gave away arisings to immediate neighbour in Goosey Cottage, Boot Lane. 3 x 6 = 18 man hours. AllenJoeK. Allen 18 miles. Joe16 miles.

29/10/19 Dinton DFU/20/2 CAMS 90583 at SP767104. Dinton Beer Festival DOGGOF DaG. Dismantled 4- rail, 2-step, 1 hand post, end of footbridge stile. Retained both posts to support landowner’s rails across footbridge. Installed 1.0 m Marlow gate to NB rRIPPLE standard. Cleaned off surface of concrete footbridge. Noted serious defects in footbridge comprising significant gap down centre of part of the bridge in which a walker could turn their ankle. Used jack hammer to clear retained stile posts of underground concrete. Very high water table. 4 x 6 = 24 man hours. AndrewBDJ. 10 miles. Jerry 8 miles.

30/10/19 Dinton DFU/20/1 CAMS 90582 at SP765105. Stone, Haddenham & Dinton Simply Walk DOGGOF DaG. Fitted plaque. 1 man hour. 10 miles.

30/10/19 Dinton DaGs plaques. Drafted plaques and submitted them to Impact Signs for urgent manufacture. Proofs approved 1/11/19 and ready for collection 1/11/19 pm.

30/10/19 Dinton DFU/21/1 and DFU/12/1. Emailed Rosemary Bird and Andrew & Helen Wild wrt getting permission to convert stiles 1, 2 & 3 confirmed by the landowner(s) of field A. See map 25/9/19.

1/11/19 CRFC & Briants of Risborough. Purchased 20 x 1.8 m x 100 x 100 Redwood UC4 15 yr posts. Stacked them under cover at CRFC. Loaded trailer with 10 buckets of stones, 4 posts and 1 x 1.2 m Marlow gate. BJ. 2 x 1.5 = 3 man hours. 20 miles.

3/11/19 Dinton DFU/20/2 CAMS 90585 at SP769103 Point 7 on map. Recce of gate for access. 10 miles. 1 man hour.

4/11/19 Toolstation and Impact Signs, . Picked up the 2 urgent plaques for tomorrow. 15 miles. 1 man hour.

5/11/19 Dinton DFU/20/2 CAMS 90585 at SP769103 Point 6 on map. Dinton Beer Festival DOGGOF DaG. Dismantled 3-rail, 2-step, 1-hand post stile. Retained hand post. Installed Marlow gate to NB rRIPPLE standard in extremely difficult conditions due to very high water table being immediately adjacent to a small pond. Set 5-concrete building blocks laid flat under gate to form step off bridge. Used 1 x 20 kg bag of Fence-mate to help stabilise the blocks. Used 1 x 200 x 10 mm coach bolt to fix retained hand post to new post. 4 x 5 = 20 man hours. AndrewBJoeK. 10 miles. Joe 16 miles.

5/11/19 Dinton DFU/20/2 CAMS 90585 at SP769103 Point 7 on map. 200th gate installation. Simply Walk DOGGOF DaG. Dismantled 4-rail, 2-step, no hand post stile. Installed 1.2 m Woodstock KG to NB rRIPPLE standard fixed to adjacent recently installed, by others, gate post for adjacent 7-bar steel field gate. Used 1 x 20 kg bag of Fencemate for hoops feet. 4 x 5 = 20 man hours. CDJP. Peter 20 miles. Allen who joined us for festivities 18 miles.

L-R: Charles, Bill (Seagull Manager), Derek, Allen, Andrew, Joe, Keith, Peter, Jerry & Martin Hawes, local resident and runner.

5/11/19 Seven Stars Dinton for 200th gate festivities. Beer, Burger and Brownie offer for nine. Rosemary Bird of Simply Walk joined us.

6/11/19 Tool station. Collect coach bolts and penny washers. 15 miles. 1 man hour.

6/11/19 Ramblers HQ. Michael Hopkins called re visiting us. Asked him for six XL Hi Viz singlets. Wore them on 12/11/19. Suggested to Michael that 10/12/19 would be a possible date for him to visit us.

L-R Peter, Allen, Bill & Joe. Photo by Keith.

8/11/19 Press releases. Charles, in his new found role of press officer, sent numerous contacts a press release about the 200th gate. Jon Clark reported he’d seen it on the Mix 96 website.

11/11/19 CRFC. Bill & Joe to CRFC to collect 8 buckets of stones and 1 x 1.2 m Marlow gate. Loaded trailer at Haddenham with an additional 1.0 m Marlow, a post and water. 2 x 1.5 = 3 man hours. BJoe. 10 miles. Joe 14 miles.

12/11/19 Quarrendon QUA/8/1 CAMS 88843 at SP782177. Dismantled dilapidated 4-rail, 1-step, 1 hand post stile. Installed 1.2 m Woodstock KG to NB rRIPPLE standard. Trimmed hedge and reinstated rails to both sides. 5 x 5= 25 man hours. AllenBJoeKP. Allen 22 miles. Joe 12 miles + 8 miles for recce on 10/11/19. Peter 24 miles. 26 miles.

12/11/19 Dinton. Tel con with Lisa White.

14/11/19 Dinton. Wrote letter to Mr & Mrs White and sent them updated Dinton Circular Walk document along with before & after photos to show how well and effectively we reinstate stock-proof fencing.

14/11/19 Oakley. Recce. Met with Paul Kilpin, parish councillor re two stiles off the playing field that the PC would like to convert to gates. Paul has permissions for one but not for the other. He said he’d work on it. 20 miles. 1 man hour.

15/11/19 Dinton. Received letter from clerk to PC and cheque for £385 for a DOGGOF DaG to Rosemary Bird’s suggested locations.

15/11/19 Stephen O’Shea. Ordered 2 plaques to family’s revised design requirements.

21/11/19 Westcott. RADAR Gate. emailed Tim Proctor, Westcott paraplegic, suggesting a couple of locations for the gate we now have in stock. He said he’d get back to us.

21/11/19 Marsh Gibbon MGI/9A/1 CAMS 89935 at SP656230. Recce – discovered stile is located across a wet ploughed field so non-starter for the time being. 44 miles. 1 man hour.

21/11/19 Ford. DFU/53/2 at SP780093 and SP781094. Visited Patrick Carr, landowner, of Energy Generator Hire, at Hill View Farm, Kimblewick. Met daughter-in-law Gemma. Left copy of DOGGOF DaG letter from DFU PC, photos of two stiles that could do with being gated. Requested a response. 16 miles. 1 man hour.

21/11/19 North Marston NMA/17/2 CAMS 86739 at SP767226. WhatsApped Archie Dancer re S2KG outstanding since 26/4/18. No response.

22/11/19 Dinton DFU/12/1. Rosemary Bird emailed to say she’d found the owner of Field F as Edwin Good of The Manor, . Emailed her 23/11/19 asking that “DPAG” follow up on the information.

23/11/19 Dinton. Helen & Andrew Wild emailed to say they’ve raised at least £375 for a DOGGOF DaG.

23/11/19 Padbury PAD/1/2 CAMS 89136 at SP718308. Recce for next Tuesday. Tel con with farmer and visited farmer’s parents at Lime Tree Farm to check access. 45 miles. 1 man hour.

NB rRIPPLE Summary:

NB rRIPPLE on site man hours – includes a S2Gap / S/KG Dog S2PG S2KG WayMk proportion of travel time but not administration Bridge/ repair way Post time which is considerable! Steps DaG DaG 224 for period 30 Jan 2015 – 6 Aug 2015 2G 11 9 2 0 1 0 2 66.5 for period 13 Aug 2015 – 17 Nov 2015 0 5 5 0 0 0 0 0 72 for period 18 Nov 2015 – 16 Jan 2016 1B 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 74 for period 17 Jan 2016 – 15 Mar 2016 1G 0 0 2 0 0 2 1 120.25 for period 16 Mar 2016 – 11 Jun 2016 0 0 0 7 0 0 0 1 133 for period 12 Jun 2016 – 14 Aug 2016 1G 0 0 6 1 1 1 0 142 for period 15 Aug 2016 – 21 Sept 2016 0 0 0 2 1 0 2 0 104 for period 22 Sept 2016 – 13 Nov 2016 0 1KG 0 1 1 0 3 3 94 for period 14 Nov 2016 – 31 Dec 2016 0 0 0 4 1 0 0 0 271 for period 1 Jan 2017 – 31 Mar 2017 0 0 0 5 3 1 5 0 216 for period 1 Apr 2017 – 31 May 2017 0 0 1 7 0 0 5 0 185 for period 1 Jun 2017 – 27 Aug 2017 1 0 0 2 5* 0 3 0 193.5 for period 28 Aug 2017 – 25 Nov 2017 1B + 1G 0 0 8 3 0 1 0 187 for period 26 Nov 2017 – 25 Feb 2018 1B + 1G 0 0 3 6 0 3 0 170.5 for period 26 Feb 2018 – 22 May 2018 0 0 1 5 2 2 2 3 300 for period 23 May 2018 – 23 Aug 2018 0 0 0 5 3 3 4 0 231 for period 24 Aug 2018 – 23 Nov 2018 1 Steps 0 0 2 3 2 4 0 207 for period 24 Nov 2018-23 Feb 2019 0 0 0 5 2 2 2 0 319 for period 24 Feb 2019 – 23 May 2019 0 0 0 5 4 2 4 0 432 for period 24 May 2019-23 Aug 2019 0 1 1 5 11 1 2 0 366 for period 24 Aug 2019 – 23 Nov 2019 0 0 0 7 5 2 1 0 Totals 3B/5G/1 13 17 89 51 17 44 10 Steps *Includes for two Bristol Combination Gates.

S2PG etc = Stile converted to Pedestrian Gate

S2KG etc = Stile converted to Kissing Gate

Total number of gates installed = 201 of which 95 have been DaGs.

Signed: Bill Piers North Bucks rRIPPLE Co-ordinator and Donate a Gate Scheme Organiser [email protected] Mobile 07799 110128

Many thanks to the team of nine, myself, Allen, Andrew, Charles, Derek, Jerry, Joe, Keith and Peter but in particular to Jerry who does a lot of the donkey work involving recces, discussions with landowners about access and liaising with OPAG etc etc. John Chantler is our man in who also comes along occasionally. We estimate that for every man hour of work carried on outdoors an hour is spent on admin, preparation, tools maintenance etc etc.

For current opportunities for sponsoring a DaG and our work in progress see our web page www.Bucks- wmiddx-ramblers.org.uk/donate-a-gate

3/9/19 Thornborough 27/8/19 Thornborough THB/6/4 at SP739325. THB/6/4 at SP738320. 10/9/19 Dorton DOT/7/1 (188) (187) at SP680148. (189) 18/9/19 Westcott WES/6/1 at SP719184. (190)

9/10/19 Swanbourne 1/10/19 Marsh Gibbon The stile uncovered in 1/10/19 Marsh Gibbon SWA/9/3 at SP814269 MGI/4/3 at SP635233. the hedge for Gate 191. MGI/5A/1 at SP635233. (193) (191) (192)

16/10/19 Mursley 22/10/19 Oakley 22/10/19 Oakley 29/10/19 Dinton MUR/7/4 at SP821269. OAK/27/2 at SP637122. OAK/27/2 at SP636123. DFU/20/1 at SP765105. (194) Oakley PC DOGGOF Oakley PC DOGGOF Stone, Haddenham & DaG (195) DaG. (196) Dinton Simply Walk DOGGOF DaG. (197)

5/11/19 Dinton DFU/20/2 5/11/19 Dinton DFU/20/2 at SP769103 Point 7 on 29/10/19 Dinton at SP769103 Point 6 on 12/11/19 Quarrendon map. 200th gate DFU/20/2 at SP767104 map. Dinton Beer QUA/8/1 at SP782177. installation. Simply Walk Point 5 on map. Dinton Festival DOGGOF DaG. (201) DOGGOF DaG. (200) Beer Festival DOGGOF (199) DaG. (198)