North Bucks rRIPPLE (ramblers Repairing & Improving Public Paths for Leisure & Exercise) Activity Report 22 September 2016 – 13 November 2016 Before & after photos of all work are available on request. Man hours include some travel time. DaG = Donate a Gate. CAMS is a reference used by BCC/Ringway Jacobs for work requests. All work is requested and authorised by Alastair McVail, Ringway Jacobs, North Bucks RoW Officer, or Jon Clark, BCC Access Officer. 22/9/16 Took delivery of 7 Marlow and 3 Woodstock kissing gates from BCC/TfB at CRFC. Good chat with Greg & Bill of TfB regarding gate installation and their preferred installation method using a timber post attached to either side of a gate. Not so critical with kissing gates. 22/9/16 Stewkley. Emailed Alastair McVail re the replacement by TfB of our gate with a kissing gate at SP842264 to appease Mrs Carter. (See 9/8/16 CAMS 81198). 23/9/16 Eythrop. Emailed Jon Clark reCAMS 81845 at SP768134 completed on 3/2/16 as way marker has been knocked down again. 26/9/16 Eythrop. Received CAMS 83629 at SP768134 to rerect snapped of at ground level way marker post - hit by a vehicle. 27/9/16 Mentmore. CAMS 82567 at SP907186 on MEN/8/1 installed way mark post and bridleway way marker discs. Liaised with golf club groundsman, Adam. Two x 2.5 = 5.0 man hours. B&J. 27/9/16 Mentmore. CAMS 82569 at SP889192 and at SP892194 on MEM/15/2. Checked functioning of two timber kissing gates. First one needed timber attaching to post to prevent gate from swinging right through, second considered to be okay. Met with Peter Brazier, Chairman of Mentmore PC on site who was in the area. Two x 1.0 = 2.0 man hours. B&J. 27/9/16 Mentmore. CAMS 82570 at SP899220 on MEM/1/1. Installed new way mark post. No sign of original that had fallen down. Two x 2.0 = 4.0 man hours. B&J. 27/9/16 Wingrave with Rowsham. Recce for CAMS 82929 WIG/9/1 at SP866193 and CAMS 82930 at SP867195. Two stiles to metal kissing gates. Located gate and track through which access could be gained. Emailed reported land owner for permission. Total mileage for the day = 42 miles. (J2P). 28/9/16 Wing. WIN/12/2 at SP879234. Tracked down land owner to Southampton and talked to him. Made contact with his land agent in St Albans and emailed him the request to convert stile to gate 3/10/16 Wing. CAMS 83590 at SP871231 at junction of WIN/16/1 & WIN/29/4. Removed stile in good condition but quite high and installed Marlow gate. Used existing twin vertical sleepers that were in good condition. Gate fitted perfectly. Fixed appropriate way markers. Lubricated and adjusted two immediately adjacent gates on WIN/29/4. This is a DaG from Aylesbury Ramblers to commemorate their 50th anniversary. Four man team – A, B, D & J. (B4P, D4x0.5P) 4 x 3 hours = 12 man hours. 52 miles via Aston Clinton. Met with Malcolm Oliver in Pub and discussed 6 x DaGs on west side of Wing. Malcolm took D & J off to show them the Wing Spinney. 3/10/16 Took delivery at CRFC of 18No 1.8m x 100 x 100 mm posts to use as supports for gates in future. 17/10/16 Picked up stainless steel plaques for Aylesbury Ramblers 50th Anniversary; Hill View Shetlands and In Memory of Matthew Lane. 17/10/16 Wingrave with Rowsham. WIG/2/2 – Received CAMS 83667, 83668, 83746, 83764, 83765, 83766, 83767, 83768, from Jon Clark to make this route stile free and usable by a motorised disability scooter including two bridges. 18/10/16 NB rRIPPLE volunteer Jerry Michell took on WIG/2/2 as a project. 19/10/16 Wingrave with Rowsham. CAMS 82930 at SP867195. Dismantled two step stile and installed Woodstock kissing gate. Dropped off second kissing gate kit for CAMS 82929 WIG/9/1 at SP866193. Reinstated three rails to close gap beside KG. Total mileage for the day inc. collecting gates from CRFC, Thame = 38 miles. (K2P). B&K 2 x 6.0 = 12.0 man hours. 19/10/16 Wing. CAMS 83590 at SP871231 at junction of WIN/16/1 & WIN/29/4. Fixed stainless steel plaque to this is a DaG from Aylesbury Ramblers to commemorate their 50th anniversary. 20/10/16 Wingrave improvements. Contacted both Jan Warmsley and Alison Alison Sherwood Bruce re current expectations. Jan abroad and will make contact on return. Alison forwarded email to PC clerk. 25/10/16 North Marston. FP 17 Received CAMS 83812 at SP761218 and CAMS 83811 at SP760217. These are DaG kissing gates for Tracy Gray. 25/10/16 Wingrave with Rowsham. WIG/9/12. CAMS 82929 at SP866193. Dismantled two step stile and installed Woodstock kissing gate. Reinstated three rails to close gap beside KG. ABDJ 4 x 7 = 28 man hours. 40 miles. (K2P). (J4P; D3x0.5P; B3x0.5P). Hard work today due to stoney and hard ground. Local inhabitant across the road very kindly came over and gave us a pot of tea. 26/10/16 Eythrop. CAMS 83629 at SP768134. Rerected way marker post by attaching it to a hammered in piece of steel angle iron. One man x 1.0 hours = 1.0 man hours. 26/10/16 To sign makers in Aylesbury to pick up 5 stainless steel back plates for DaG plaques. 17 miles with CAMS 83629. 26/10/16 Wingrave with Rowsham. WIG/2/2 – Recce by Jerry & Keith of CAMS 83667, 83668, 83746, 83764, 83765, 83766, 83767, 83768 - to make this route stile free and usable by a motorised disability scooter including two bridges. They met with landowners and interested parties. Two men x 3 hours = 6.0 man hours. 26 miles @ 28 p/mile = £7.28 given to Jerry. Also invoiced £8.50 for gloves. 27/10/16 Wing. WIN/12/2 at SP879234. Received email from Bidwells land agents approving our request to change a stile to a gate. 28/10/16 Wing. WIN/12/2 at SP879234. Received CAMS 83828 for Ivy Lane, Burcott stile to Gate. 1/11/16 North Marston. FP 17 CAMS 83812 at SP761218. Dismantled semi-dilapidated timber kissing gate (Posts generally okay but gate rotten) and replaced with steel Woodstock kissing gate. This is a DaG by Tracy Gray of Hillview Paddocks. Fitted plaque to gate. 3 x 7 = 21 man hours. 28 miles. (B4 very expensive P) 1/11/16 North Marston. FP 17 CAMS 8381 at SP760217. Delivered Woodstock gate to site complete with DaG plaque for Tracy Gray to install at her convenience when replacing timber kissing gate. This will be done when here entry point five bar gate is moved further back from the road to make the entrance to her yard safer. CAMS considered completed as far as NB rRIPPLE is concerned. 1/11/16 North Marston at SP762219. FP17 Fitted plaque “In Memory of Matthew Lane” to DaG installed on 3/8/16. Received thank you texts from Trevor Lane 6/11/16 Oakley OAK/28/1 at SP635128. Recce to The Forresters, on the outskirts of Oakley village, to see what if any progress had been made since reported 9/9/15 and several other times. Talked to Alan Fennell, neighbour who explained landowner Anthony Hawes now lives back in The Forresters. He also explained that Thames Water has resolved a long standing water leak that has been responsible for flood of the path. 18 miles 1.0 man hours. 7/11/16 Oakley OAK/28/1. Called Mervyn Stratford who said he’d have a word with Anthony Hawes. Mervyn said the ditch alongside the path hasn’t been cleared out for years. Wrote a letter to Anthony offering NB rRIPPLE assistance. 7/11/16 Wingrave. Ongoing saga re BCC’s agreement with Wingrave PC in May 2016 wrt nine gates on a BOGOF scheme. Discussions ongoing between Jon Clark & Rosie Taylor, BCC; Jan Warmsley, Wingrave Rambler and Becky Biley, PC Clerk. 7/11/16 Wing. WIN/12/2 at SP879234 CAMS 83828. Tel cons with Mike Dinnen and Malcolm Oliver. Wing PC may be able to sponsor this gate. Received emails from Mike and Lynn Stuart, Chair of Wing PC, saying she’ll put forward the request for a DaG at the next PC meeting. 8/11/16 Granborough GRA/8/3 at SP770252. Received CAMS 81084 to convert stile to gate. 8/11/16 Pitchcott PIT/1/1 at SP774206 on Matthews Way. Met with Mrs Hunter in Quainton, wife of land owner Robert Hunter. Explained we would be interested in changing out the stile for a gate and possibly fixing a kissing gate and another stile. 9/11/16 Wingrave with Rowsham WIG/2/2 at SP853175 CAMS 83668. Dismantled two-step stile and removed two posts. Detached two wire fences both attached to eastern side of stile. Installed Marlow gate complete with two1.8 x 100 x100 timber posts. Used four coach bolts to secure posts to gate. Firmed in assembly with stones up to ground level to reduce chance of rotting at ground level. Fixed way marker discs and Improved by Ramblers Decals. 2 x 6 = 12 man hours. (Nick Santon 2P) 40 miles. 10/11/16 Wingrave. Jan Warmsley emailed to show that the new kissing gates have been advertised in the local Wingrave village newsletter. 10/11/16 Wingrave. Ongoing saga with regard to what was promised by Rosie Taylor, BCC, to Wingrave PC as far as installing eight gates for £1,000.