Remember that bright and shiny thing in the sky that we haven’t seen in a while? Sun, I think it was called? It was out today, greeting Felicity, Ivar, and the rest of the volunteers at Oxleas woods, showing the area from the best possible side halfway through March.

Today’s task was to resuscitate an old dead hedge, and for the Goodgymers that meant taking shovels and removing all the leaves and mud that had gathered on the road next to the old hedge. As in an archeological dig, we excavated and found the ruins of the old hedge, and the mud was thrown over the ruins and into the brambles on the other side. Many a worm got a ride on Spade Airways* as we flung the mud over, and once we were done we had made a neat line for the new hedge, and regained quite a lot of the road.

*no worms were harmed in the writing of this report.

Ivar and Felicity were the two GoodGymers to head to Oxleas Woods this morning — which was fitting, as it was also a very crisp two degrees above zero. Luckily, around two dozen equally brave volunteers turned up.

After meeting Christine and the Friends of Oxleas Woodlands by the café, we headed into the woods to get stuck in. Our task: repeatedly ferry hefty, tightly bundled sticks to help raise a dead hedge deeper in the woodland. Lots of walking, lots of carrying, and lots of dogs running around hoping that the sticks were there to play fetch with.

It turned out to be quite a good workout, but only Strava can tell you how good.