Restoration Blog

Another fallen Willow

by: Richard A.

On the night of Friday 19th July after a day of torrential rain a very large two trunked willow on the offside bank above Dudbridge Upper Lock decided it had had enough.It split itself at its base. One trunk fell along the offside bank and tangled itself in the next willow.

The other trunk had a much more malicious intent and fell across the canal, across the towpath and across the overhead telephone lines. The telephone lines were as tight as a bow string and supporting poles along the towpath were bending like bananas.

The towpath was completely blocked. Most people had to turn back but a few intrepid bodies managed to follow the Great British tradition of not being stopped by anything and battled their way through.

Luckily a local Western Depot volunteer was passing by and quickly returned home for his hard hat, hi-vis vest, safety glasses and his trusty bowsaw. Thirty minutes of hard sawing made a way through.

Openreach also appeared on the scene to worry about how to take the strain off the telephone wires before they snapped.

Clearing the rest of the trees will be an interesting challenge for someone. Luckily for the Western Depot Logs Division most of them are boating for the next two weeks!