sneaky snipping

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Rhiannon R
Rhiannon Aug 28, 2007 10:59:11

I suppose the official and sensible answer is that you should always politely ask the landowner before descending on an overgrown site armed with machete and flymo. Because they might say 'yes' and be pleased you were volunteering. But what if they say 'no - and get off my land'? Which is why the place is so overgrown in the first place. Then you'd wish you'd just snipped first and asked later. I guess if the plants aren't damaging the site then there's no recourse to complain to EH or whoever. But what's the point in a site you can't see because it's under a heap of brambles? Is all property theft? etc
OBviously I'm speaking hypothetically here and have no burning desire to go and hack at any particular overgrown shrubs with one of those handy pocket saws.
What do people reckon.

T tiompan
tiompan Aug 28, 2007 11:22:13
Replying to Rhiannon

Rhiannon wrote:
I suppose the official and sensible answer is that you should always politely ask the landowner before descending on an overgrown site armed with machete and flymo. Because they might say 'yes' and be pleased you were volunteering. But what if they say 'no - and get off my land'? Which is why the place is so overgrown in the first place. Then you'd wish you'd just snipped first and asked later. I guess if the plants aren't damaging the site then there's no recourse to complain to EH or whoever. But what's the point in a site you can't see because it's under a heap of brambles? Is all property theft? etc
OBviously I'm speaking hypothetically here and have no burning desire to go and hack at any particular overgrown shrubs with one of those handy pocket saws.
What do people reckon.
Barging in without asking is not on but at the same time I don't believe it is possible to "own" an ancient monument any more than you can a mountain .

M moss
moss Aug 28, 2007 11:32:20
Replying to Rhiannon

What do people reckon.


If I was out thinking to myself there's some lovely blackberries up by those old stones, I'd be cross if someone destroyed a perfectly useful bramble bush, but if it was nettles would'nt mind..
The question as to whether a landowner has a civil duty to keep a scheduled monument on his land in good nick thereby ensuing its continuity yes; but for the general public probably not....
Have the same problem with loads of bolshy bullocks on the Cotswold Way ;) terrorising a particular collie and its owner... someone though has knocked some stone wall down to escape said rampaging creatures... who is right in that instance? the walker who has a legal right to walk a public footpath, or the farmer's right to keep cattle in his field....

S scubi63
scubi63 Aug 28, 2007 11:36:46
Replying to Rhiannon

I have been to some site and have just looked on in dispair (Lugbury, Windmill Tump, The Camp, to name a couple close to home).
You can just see the damage being done by small shrubs and trees that will only get worse as time passes. It is so tempting to go in there with some serious weed killer but my ecological morals forbid me!!
I would however be more than happy go in there with a small saw or cutters to help the land owners keep the ocal sites in my area clear of these 'floral thugs'. Though, as I am new to this caper, what is the best way to find out who owns the land or who should be approached about their upkeep?

R rockartwolf
rockartwolf Aug 28, 2007 14:03:54
Replying to Rhiannon

If you are given the green light from the farmer or person who owns the land then go for it, always best to take 5mins out just to ask, it does no harm.
One of the moments you really enjoy is after you have spent a couple of hours hacking your way through bushes, weeds etc and to eventually find what you were looking for, thats what makes it all worthwhile.

R ryaner
ryaner Aug 28, 2007 15:48:11
Replying to Rhiannon

Check these out from a recent Fourwind's foray:

http://www.megalithomania.com/show/image/7288
http://www.megalithomania.com/show/image/7287

P postman
postman Aug 28, 2007 19:28:27
Replying to Rhiannon

Iv'e yet to take a strimmer and shears out with me usually a good stomp is sufficient. Though when I went to Nantgeradig last year I could have really laid into those brambles.
http://themodernantiquarian.com/post/52380/images/nantgeradig.html?stream=site (hope that works)
I'll go back one day and do the job properly

H Hob
Hob Aug 28, 2007 21:37:32
Replying to Rhiannon

Rhiannon wrote:
What do people reckon.
I reckon I'd not go faffing in such a manner if it was on clearly private land, like a garden or field, but if it were on open access land, I'd be more likely to think of cutting back vegetation.

I don't think I'd ever actually do it though. I sorta like the open access sites a bit wild and wooly. Two of the one's I've been most frequently tempted to trim are those at Greenlee Lough and Simonburn Common , but they both seem quite content with the covering, so I aint going strimming or clipping. As they say in some quarters, "The Bushes Scream while my Daddy Pruuuuuunes..... For this reason, the deadly gorse at Weetwood 5 should stay in it's spikey splendour.

Mind you, there are places where I reckon the foliage should be removed, such as at Buttony, where the pine trees are a bit too intense. Also, anywere where there is bracken. All bracken is vile and should be strongly discouraged. I'd be quite happy with a job as a bracken clearer.

G goffik
goffik Aug 29, 2007 09:56:55
Replying to Rhiannon

I must confess to hacking the crap out of a load of overgrown brambles, ivy and whatnot away from the holy well at St Breward with my little Swss Army knife... You could hardly see the well-house because of it! But not when I'd finished... :)

G x