Tree-mendous

Emmie came to stay for the weekend and we decided to book Go-Ape in Swinley Forest, Bracknell.

Grandad, Alun and Emmie signed up for the Treetop Adventure + with a mixture of excitement and trepidation: Alun was looking forward to the experience but was also a bit worried that he would develop vertigo up in the trees.  I worried in case a harness would give out and they would plummet to the ground below but thankfully there were no mishaps and they had a great time.

After a downpour of rain as we left the house the morning turned out to be dry with a blue sky when we arrived to undertake the treetop adventure.  During the training session they were encouraged to stand apart and there was hand sanitiser available at the starting point.  The training lasted about 10 minutes and consisted of an explanation about how to safely connect the harness to the apparatus above and then they got to practise doing this at ground level. 

 The difficulty of the courses increased as they progressed round the park. Each course was made up of a mixture of different obstacles, including wooden crossings that moved beneath their feet, a tunnel they had to crawl through, hanging ropes to grasp, rope nets to crawl over and high speed zip lines to get you back down to ground level.  They said it was really good  fun (Nanna stayed on the ground as official photographer!!!) and really got their adrenaline pumping!  Some of the crossings looked and are really challenging as the wooden steps swayed under their body weight so they needed to strike the right balance to keep the step they were on stable enough to progress to the next step.  They also needed a bit of upper body strength, mostly in their arms, to be able to grab the hanging ropes or spider across the rope nets.  Emmie was amazing - all that gym training has paid off.

The highest platform was 50 feet up in the trees.  Go Ape Bracknell is located in Swinley Forest, which comprises over 11 square kilometres (2,600 acres) of woodland and is a beautiful setting for the adventure.  The air is clean and scented with the sweet, fresh smell of the Scots pines that populate the forest.

It was an excellent adventure in beautiful surroundings.  Well done you three. 

Saving Milford on Sea from the Sea!

Coastal properties in Milford on Sea are at "imminent risk" of damage this winter after the sea wall was smashed by two ferocious storms earlier this year, resulting in the failure of a 270 metre section of the concrete protection, which lies to the west of the Grade 2 listed White House.

The analysis by contractor Jacobs suggested stabilising the wall in the short-term and compensating for the loss of beach material which caused the failure.

Storm 'Ellen' hit on 20th August with high tides and 60 mph winds and sadly finished off the wall with the last beach hut standing succumbing to the sea.  If we get another winter like the last one, goodness knows what the impact would be.

Last beach hut still standing but not for long.  So wild - note the figures on the spit.

Beach hut down.

Sad evidence of the lost beach huts.

"Emergency work" is due to start.

The sea wall had been showing signs of "progressive failure" in November last year before a 95 metre section began to move in January.  Storms 'Ciara' and 'Dennis' exacerbated that, and another 70 metre section in front of the beach huts fell away.

The failure of the seawall was down to loss of material at its base.  Because the beach had lowered, the deeper water allowed larger, more powerful waves to strike.  The wall had no "recovery time" between the storms and once its failure started "a continued and accelerated rate of dilapidation" occurred resulting in part of the wall "catastrophically" collapsing during Storm Dennis.  The wall is believed to have been constructed around 60 years ago.  Beach erosion was mitigated in front of new beach huts to the east by the installation of large rocks, which was not done at the affected site.

It is estimated the Milford cliffs would retreat at an average rate of 1.3 metres per year, leading to a loss of up to 16 metres by 2025, 50 metres by 2055 and 85 metres by 2105 but this is depends on how many large storms attack the cliffs.

Two very telling photos of the fence shutting the footpath on the cliff by the original collapsed Westover sea wall.  First one taken 21st August at around 4 p.m. during the storms and the second at 2.30 p.m. on 22nd August as the storms continue.  Compare the two photos - shows that the cliff has eroded 1 to 2 metres in under 24 hours.  The second photo shows that the cliff has eroded some 4 metres since the fence was erected to the edge of the cliff a few weeks ago!

The coastal footpath was closed in February 2020 for safety reasons.  The South Coast of England is a world heritage heavyweight with countless iconic landmarks - one being The Needles, beautiful sandstone cliffs on the lovely coastline of Alum Bay, Isle of Wight.  They can be enjoyed from this wonderful coastal pathway where you get a marvellous view of The Needles and sweeping ocean views.  So sad to have to leave this path and walk inland.

In a nature emergency, what really matters is action, not just words.  New Forest District Council need to invest now and deal with the whole problem straight away.  Ironic (or crazy!) that NFDC's current plan for defending the wall will leave the original breech (90 metres) and eroding cliff not repaired and unprotected for some 2 to 3 years! This will leave a weak spot which will concentrate the forces on a smaller area causing untold damage. The footpath is unlikely to reopen for a similar period!

This damage has been caused by years of neglect by the council.  As Rachel Shattock wrote:-

For want of a good groyne the shingle beach was lost. For want of a shingle beach the sea wall was lost.  For want of a wall the coast path and seafront was lost.  For want of the frontline Milford-on-Sea will be lost.  And all for the want of a good groyne.  ("For Want of a Nail" is a proverb, having numerous variations over several centuries, reminding that seemingly unimportant acts or omissions can have grave and unforeseen consequences.)

It will be a matter of luck whether Milford on Sea will escape major flood damage this winter if the whole stretch is not repaired.  The wind here is constant and the sea never sleeps.  Erosion goes on all year round, sometimes unnoticed and sometimes dramatically when there is a big storm.  For many weeks of the year, a potent mixture of high spring tides and south-westerly winds can prove fatal.  When the weather is severe enough - as it was recently - to describe the coastline as being at the mercy of the sea is no exaggeration.  The aging sea defences west of the White House have been turned to rubble in minutes.  Metres of sandstone cliff, battered and weakened by the wind, is literally blown out to be scoured away in the boiling surf of an angry sea.

Times move on, and with sea defence, time is not on our side.  Coastal defences should be at the forefront of NFDC's action files to build public confidence for the winter.  The government is promoting a number of schemes at the moment - I urge the NFDC to take advantage of them and rebuild the flood defences completely.

The coastal defence team are ready to start very soon.  Tonnes of rocks arriving from Norway and battle commences, man against the sea!! 

Love the irony of the sign

                                                               Workers accommodation

Is this a Quinquereme of Nineveh from distant Ophir?

(Quinquireme of Nineveh from distant Ophir,

Rowing home to haven in sunny Palestine,

With a cargo of ivory,

And apes and peacocks,

Sandalwood, cedarwood, and sweet white wine.)

Nope, nothing so romantic its the Afon Cefni barge with Larvik rocks on board.

And this is how it's done.  Tuggy McTugface shoves the barge into a dredged bit until it hits the land.  Then the dredger pushes on the barge while the digger picks the rocks off one by one.  All clever stuff.

The reason for the convoy was that the sandbars that form along the frontage had moved since the last bathymetric survey that was undertaken in July.  The tug, using the echosounder, found the sandbar too far offshore and too high to traverse over, even at high tide, to be able to get close with the barge and hold it on the seawall whilst unloading took place.  The tug is powerful enough to get round the currents at Hurst Spit and sail along the frontage.  The Liftmoor is then able to connect to the barge and deliver it and the rock to the seawall.  The excavator that is sited on the barge then picks off the rocks and places them in the general location required for the placement to begin.  The first three loads of rock are small loads to ensure that they can traverse the bar, as well as gauging the tide and current strength on the site.  These first loads have been dropped near the collapsed section that is going to be used to access the front and will be used to create the ramp for the machines.  Once this has been done the contractor will then drop down onto the front to begin work on the timber groynes and to start placing the rock on the revetment profile beginning at the White House revetment.  The barge will be used to deliver the rock during the high tides in daylight hours only.  Now the granite deliveries have begun it is likely that deliveries will be occurring daily.  Let's hope the good weather continues for them.

UPDATE - October, 2020

Another section of the Milford Sea Wall has failed but

some good news from the Milford-on-Sea Parish Council meeting concerning the project.  NFDC have ordered a further 3,000 tonnes of rock in addition to the 8,000 tonnes already ordered and mainly delivered.  Some of the additional rocks will be used to defend Area 1, i.e. 90 metres at the western end of the 270 metres span of frontage needing work.  This was not originally part of the current Phase 1.  These rocks should provide some defence for Area 1, in particular to reduce the risk of further cliff erosion.  This is a further positive sign of the determination of the council to sort the Westover sea wall problem.

To this end, the community needs to demonstrate its support for the New Forest District Council's funding applications to the Environment Agency and various Government bodies.  Please sign our online petition to show that you back the Council's efforts to 'Save Milford from the Sea'.

https://www.change.org/p/environment-agency-save-milford-from-the-sea-by-funding-a-long-term-coastal-defence-plan

Copy and paste the above into your browser.

  1,350 signatures on the petition at the moment on Thursday, 22nd October.  Going up nicely but come on everyone, let's get it to 2,000!

My spies tell me both our tugs are on other duties now.  Tuggy is apparently setting out for Halifax, Canada!!!! and Liftmoor is doing something in Ramsgate.

This means the next shipment of 3000 tons or rock will be delivered by road.  Meanwhile, there's quite a pile of rocks in the sea and on the cliff top waiting to be placed properly.  The large stones have the weight written on them.  At about £70 a tonne you can do the maths (a lot of money).

This is a photograph from the White House end.  They have filled another bay between groynes with rocks.  Just one bay left.  Meanwhile as you see elsewhere, they are concentrating on truck deliveries to the failed wall section.

A lorry reversing at the bottom of Paddy's Gap slope - very impressive driver's skills!

Looks like good progress as Larvik rocks now placed behind and on the outside of the failed wall to add protection where the erosion is worst.

And this is a very famous Milford-on-Sea resident - Archie

Archie is very impressed by the Earlcoate Construction and Plant Hire Ltd. work taking place.  He's put his paw mark on the petition, please add yours too!  We love watching the daily progress video report from Archie on Facebook  in the group We love Milford on Sea.

It's true, the Afon Cefni is off across the Atlantic.  Bon voyage TuggyMcTugface and we'll miss you.

We know it was extra but thank you NFDC and the Coastal Team for this additional protection while we wait - hopefully finished before 2023 - to discuss the next phase with the Parish Council, NFDC and Environment Agency.

A delightful stroll around Cliveden

 We visited on a lovely sunny day and enjoyed walking round the extensive grounds.  It was the fag end of summer and the gardeners had been furloughed for the last few months so the flower borders were understandably a bit bare but this didn't detract from our enjoyment.

Due to covid we had to pre-book our visit.  (Cliveden is a hotel within the grounds of the National Trust).  Everybody maintained social distancing and although quite busy it was easy to avoid people.

We turned right out of the car park and walked to the Fountain of  Love.  The Fountain of Love is spectacular, you can't miss it.  The Fountain was designed and carved in 1897 by American sculptor, Thomas Waldo Story.  It was brought here by the 1st Lord Astor.  He recalled in 1920, "the female figures are supposed to have discovered the fountain of love and to be experiencing the effects of its wonderful elixir".

We walked past the fountain and down the grass avenue known as Queen Anne's walk to the large urn at the other end.  Looking back from the urn, you can see a framed view of the fountain.  We walked past the urn and turned right towards the Blenheim Pavilion and Amphitheatre.

The Amphitheatre, tucked away on the cliff edge, hosted many theatrical performances during Frederick, Prince of Wales' lease of the estate, including the first ever performance of  'Rule Britannia!' in 1740.  Sitting on the grass steps, you could imagine this famous performance taking place, whilst enjoying views of Cookham lock and Holy Trinity Church, Cookham in the distance.

We continued to follow the same path and turned left to Canning's View.  Canning's View was named after George Canning who was briefly prime minister in 1827.  He was a regular visitor and spent many hours under a giant oak tree here, looking out at the spectacular view of the River Thames.  The tree fell in May 2004 but the view to the river that George Canning enjoyed years ago still remains.

Suddenly we saw the clock tower, just beautiful.  If you have watched Disney's 2015 rendition of Cinderella, keep your eyes peeled.  This gilded clock tower features as the all-important clock that strikes midnight, sending Cinderella fleeing from the ball.  

We walked up to the expansive South Terrace.  The oldest surviving part of Cliveden. The stairs had been closed as part of a £5 million restoration project, one of the largest within the National Trust.  We were able to walk in the footsteps of royalty down to the iconic Cliveden Parterre.

An underground chamber which is apparently a Jacobean surround sound system has been discovered at Cliveden.  The chamber seems to be a giant amplifier, built so the sounds of an invisible orchestra could drift around the guests at parties.

We returned through the side gate to  the same path and bore left when the route split.  We followed this path uphill and turned right at the next junction. We went through the gate and followed the path in front of us, signposted "Chapel" for views over the Berkshire countryside.  The Chapel dating from 1735 was originally a tea-room, the chapel was converted into the final resting place for the Astors by William Waldorf Astor in 1893.  The chapel is only open on Thursdays and Sunday afternoons but the chapel balcony is open seven days a week.  The complex on the opposite side of the rive is the Odney Club, a country house owned by the John Lewis Partnership.

At the next junction we turned left and followed the signs to the 'Tortoise Fountain'.  You have to go through the wooden gate on your right and take the steps down to the fountain.  The Tortoise Fountain is named after the tortoise sculptures that hang over the top basin.  The fountain was made by Thomas Waldo Story, the sculptor of the Fountain of Love.  From here you can see breathtaking views to the River Thames 200 ft below. 

We continued to walk down the steps and follow the path straight ahead.  The path leads to a road with the river in front of you.  This is one of the prettiest spots on the River Thames.  In Chapter 12 of Three Men in a Boat (1889), Jerome K. Jerome describes Cliveden Reach as 'unbroken loveliness this is, perhaps, the sweetest stretch of all the river'.  You can also take a trip on the river.  We, however, stopped for our lunch on a picnic bench in the sunshine with a glorious view of the river.

After lunch we walked past the boathouse and continue on this path until we reached Spring Cottage. With Spring Cottage on our right, we made a u-turn up the steep, narrow steps through the woods and continued to follow the steps uphill bearing right at the Sequoia Ring.  This path leads you to the Duke of Sutherland's statue and a fabulous view of Clief-dene.  Built on a 200 ft (61m) chalk cliff with a dene or valley running below, the estate was originally named Clief-dene.  The National Trust have owned the house and gardens since 1942, but have let the house as a hotel since the late 1980's.  There are clear views of Cliveden House and the famous Parterre from the Duke of Sutherland's statue.

We then walked down the avenue of lime trees, signposted 'Green Drive' and followed the signs 'To House'. 

We followed the steps up to Cliveden House and on to the South Terrace.  When the Duke and Duchess of Sutherland purchased the estate in 1849, they worked with Head Gardener John Fleming to transform a single lawn into the innovative design of the parterre that you see today.  (Sadly the Parterre was not in all its glory).  The terrace above the parterre offers a perfect vantage point to look down on the display below as well as widespread views towards the Duke of Sutherland's statue.

From the South Terrace we retraced our steps to the large urn and continued straight ahead through a gap in the hedge, walking along the lawn edge at the front of Cliveden House.  We went through the arch in the hedge and walked down Grand Avenue towards the Fountain of Love.

We then headed to The Long Garden which now has a one-way system but it works well.  The entrance is at the fountain end and there were splashes of colour along the flowerbeds by the wall and amazing topiary.  In the central beds, a sign explains that the narcissi planted in spring are being left to flower again next year - firstly, as no-one got a chance to enjoy them during lock-down and secondly as furloughed staff meant the usual summer planting couldn't take place.  But that meant we noticed other details like the Baboons.  They are over 2,000 years old, granite statues, originally created for the entrance to an Egyptian temple.  They are believed to represent the Egyptian god of writing and wisdom, bought by William Waldorf Astor in the late 1800s, later sold into private ownership before being returned to Cliveden where they were restored.  They are covered from November to March to protect them.  Leaving the baboons to the sunshine we visited the Rose Garden with over 800 roses.  Sadly most of the roses had finished flowering.

We stopped on a bench for cake and tea and overhead a red kite soared, apparently floating effortlessly on the air.

Then on to the Water Garden.  Its a beautiful oriental garden full of Japanese plants, a big lily pond full of Koi Carp, stepping stones and a Chinese pagoda.  Again must return to see the lilies in flower.

Our walk was beautiful and there was always something around the next corner.

Some more interesting facts.  Cliveden was home to Buckingham's wife and his mistress, the Countess of Shrewsbury.  He and her husband fought a famous duel in 1688, and Shrewsbury later died of his injuries.  Samuel Pepys wondered in his diary how the king could keep Buckingham as a court favourite, "a fellow of no more sobriety than to fight about a whore".  

In the 1930s the house was known for the so-called "Cliveden set" centred on Nancy Astor, sympathetic to Germany in the years before the second world war.

The house made headlines again in the 1960s, when the society osteopath Stephen Ward rented a cottage in the grounds and brought his guests up to the house for a swim, including the 19-year-old Christine Keeler and Yevgency Ivanov, a Soviet naval attache.  The third Viscount Astor was also having a party, including the then secretary of state for war, John Profumo.  Keeler's subsequent brief affair with Profumo, and his denial of it to parliament, destroyed the politician's career, and the general election in 1964 brought down the Tory government.

If you want to stay here in a standard room for one night I think it would cost in the region of £450 per night and if you want something really stupendous you could have Lady Astor's Suite, complete as it was with genuine antiques for a mere £1,450 per night (Breakfast Extra).  This hotel is very popular with American Tourists.