North Bucks rRIPPLE (ramblers Repairing & Improving Public Paths for Leisure & Exercise)

Activity Report 1 April 2017 – 31 May 2017) 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.

2/4/17 Mentmore. Met Peter Brazier, Chairman of PC. He said DaG Oxford Pedestrian Kissing Gate at SP904198 would be discussed at PC meeting on 6/4/17.

3/4/17 Oakley 28. Recce to see if any progress. Local resident said that Alastair had met with two landowners on site on 31/3/17 and improvement expected this summer. 20 miles – 1.0 man hour.

5/4/17 Wingrave PC DaG. WIG/3/2 CAMS 84215 at SP875188. Dismantled dilapidated stile and cleared brambles and small trees in hedge. Installed RADAR kissing gate. Detached and reinstated sheep netting to both sides of gate. Fitted Improved by Ramblers decal. 4 x 6 = 24 man hours. BDJK (B4P at Rose & Crown – met Roger Dimmock, Parish Councillor & pub landlord who has promised to be a DaG sponsor). 36 miles via CRFC.

5/4/17 Wingrave. Fitted three Wingrave plaques to three gates.

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5/4/17 Rowsham WIG/2/1 CAMS 83767 at SP852178. Following Wingrave work met with Mr & Mrs Stuart Masters. Agreed kissing gate positioning. Objected to any gate at SP850179 on A418 main road. Peter Cooper, AVDC councillor and Rowsham resident had approached the Masters.

5/4/17 Westcott potential DaG from Parish Council. Emailed clerk, Alan Lambourne, re CAMS 84446 as a realistic potential one.

6/4/17 Mentmore. Met Peter Brazier, Chairman of PC confirmed PC’s agreement to fund DaG Oxford Pedestrian Kissing Gate at SP904198. Drafted a CAMS for this for BCC to complete. Received completed DaG application form.

7/4/17 Kingsey Bristol Gate. Visited Ktwo muck spreader factory in Haddenham and was given large section of steel that we will use to fabricate a spacer/adapter for the replacement of a 4.3 m gate with a 4.2 m gate. Talked to John Beale, Oxfordshire RoW Officer. He’s very supportive and hopes to be able to support the initiative, possibly with a small financial donation towards the delivery costs.

8/4/17 Kingsey Bristol Gate. Talked to Tony Clark of Thame & Wheatley Ramblers. He said their donation was now £100.

11/4/17 Westcott WES/8/1 CAMS 84050 at SP724185. Dismantled one step dilapidated stile c/w old pallet as fencing. Installed 1.2 m Marlow gate and two 2.1 m x 100 x 100 posts tamped in with stones. Disconnected and re-connected sheep fencing. Fitted way markers and Ramblers plaque. 2 x 6 man = 12 man hours. B&John Nicholson.

11/4/17 Westcott WES/6/1 CAMS 84446 at SP721183. Dismantled a no-steps, three rail c/w barbed wire impediment. Installed 1.0 m Marlow gate attached on one side to existing sleeper post in good condition and on other side to new 1.8 m x 100 x 100 post tamped in with stones. Fitted way markers and Ramblers plaque. 2 x 6 = 12 man hours. Andrew&J. (J4P) 34 miles 11/4/17 Westcott WES/5/1 at SP721183. Cleared vegetation in gap between two stiles in wide hedge row.

12/4/17 Westcott. Alan Lambourne, Clerk to PC emailed to say PC had agreed to donate £250 for the work done already. The PC was disappointed that no progress had been made on the 7 bar metal gate at the end of Lower Green.

Oving OPAG. Vanessa Wiggins emailed with an update on the situation

13/4/17 Westcott WES/21/1 at SP721171. Received email from Alan Lambourne, Clerk to PC, saying the PC had agreed to a DaG of £250 for the work we’ve done so far and asking whether we can carry on with promoting a Bristol style gate in the existing difficult to negotiate gate. Called Ralph Cox, landowner and he agreed to a Bristol gate provided PG section opens into the field.

13/4/17 Kingsey & Westcott Bristol gates. Emailed Centrewire for a quote of a 3.0 and a 4.2 m gate plus delivery to Kingsey.

13/4/17 Oving OVI/8/1 CAMS 84457 at SP780210 received.

13/4/17 Marsh Gibbon. Jerry took photos of Marsh Gibbon improvements carried out by landowner to complete CAMS 82540.

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13/4/17 Preston Bissett. Jerry & Sue recce’d all six gate sites with Mr Peter Callow. 3.0 man hours. 45 miles - @28p/mile - Jerry given £12.60. Received detailed report with photos and description of what’s needed – see below.

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15/4/17 Wingrave. Jerry in touch with landowner Susannah Edmunds who has promised us a donation towards the work we’ve done on her land off Mill Lane.

17/4/17 Mentmore MEN/3/1 CAMS 84570 at SP903198. Received design for plaque from Impact Signs. Sent this to Peter Brazier, Chairman Mentmore PC. He Approved it. Gave Impact Signs the go-ahead.

17/4/17 Oving OVI/9/1 at SP784218 on south side of Marston Hill. Vanessa Wiggins wants us to quote for providing a twin-offset-barrier to replace an awkward stile.

18/4/17 Westcott WES/2/1 Received CAMS 84594 at SP721171 to replace existing seven bar metal gate with a 3.0 m Centrewire Bristol combination gate. emailed Alan Lambourne, Clerk to Westcott PC to ask if they might support a further donation towards this gate replacement.

19/4/17 Preston Bissett PBI/2/4 CAMS 84163 at SP668290 Northerly of two adjacent stiles. Dismantled 2 step stile; installed Marlow gate c/w two posts tamped in with stones. Fitted one yellow plastic post cap and way markers. Reinstated sheep fencing. 2 x 7 = 14 man hours (DJ)

19/4/17 Preston Bissett PBI/2/4 CAMS 84163 at SP668290 Southerly of two adjacent stiles. Dismantled dilapidated 1 step stile; installed Marlow gate c/w two posts tamped in with stones. Fitted way marker and NB rRIPPLE stainless steel plaque. Reinstated sheep fencing. 2 x 6 = 12 man hours (BK)

19/4/17 Preston Bissett PBI/2/4 CAMS 84160 at SP666293. Went to Hilsden to recce doing a second stile immediately north of this one. Landowner William Lines. Not at home but Jerry called him in the evening and got permission. He then sent a request to BCC (Rose) for a CAMS.

19/4/17 Preston Bissett. Met and talked with landlord of White Hart pub. He’s interested in promoting a series of walks linking his pub to nearby villages.

19/4/17 Hilsden. Made useful contact with new resident, a member of Chiltern Society, and very interested in our work.

21/4/17 Kingsey and Westcott Bristol Gates. Talked to McVeigh Parker & Co Limited in Reading about free delivery of gates to Kingsey. Placed order for one 4.2 m and one 3.0 m gates. Paid by card for one and got the other invoiced to Messers Clark at Decoy Farm.

24/4/17 Kingsey Bristol Gate. Purchased 23 mm diameter eye bolts and made up templates for both sides of adapter/spacer for hanging new gate on old existing gate hinges. In touch with Centrewire to get a dimensional drawing of 4.2 m gate. Tony Clark of Thame & Wheatley Ramblers mailed their £100 contribution to John Esslemont.

25/4/17 Oving. Jerry busy progressing OPAG and several donations for DAGs received.

25/4/17 Preston Bissett. Jerry in touch with PC wrt potential DaG at Copper Horse Farm.

26/4/17 Preston Bissett PBI/2/4 CAMS 84160 at SP666293. Dismantled one step stile c/w sheep fencing. Retained one sleeper post; installed Marlow gate c/w one 2.0 m x 100 x 100 post. 2 x 7 = 14 man hours – BJ.

26/4/17 Preston Bissett PBI/2/4 CAMS 84662 at SP666293. Dismantled two step stile c/w sheep fencing. Retained one 100 x 100 post; installed Marlow gate c/w one 2.1 m x 100 x 100 post. 2 x 7 = 14 man hours – DK. (D4P) 46 miles.

26/4/17 Westcott WES/2/1 Received CAMS 84594 at SP721171. Team recce on way home. Noted right hand 200 x 200 post that was destined to be hanging post for new Bristol gate is in fact rotten and loose. The rotten base of this post will need to be dug out and replaced. 1.0 man hour.

28/4/17 Wingrave. Picked up new plaque for next week’s kissing gate. 1.0 man hour. 15 miles.

28/4/17 Kingsey Bristol gate. Took the steel spacer/adapter to N H Ricketts (Engineering) Ltd in Haddenham and arranged to have four 20 mm holes drilled in it and to have it sent away for galvanising. Total cost estimate c£100.

28/4/17 Kingsey Bristol gate. Received by John Esslemont electronically, a £100 donation from Andrew Gordon of Haddenham following a chat with him on 27/4/17, Wednesday night, at a Haddenham Safe Walking Cycling meeting. He’s always had a problem with the awkward gate at Keepers Cottage.

2/5/17 Mentmore MEN/3/1 CAMS 84570 at SP903198. Dismantled 2 step stile and integral metal railings. Installed Oxford timber kissing gate tamped in with copious quantity of stones. Firstly installed round closing post with its morticed slots, secondly installed 150 mm square gate post, thirdly hung gate using offset hinge and screw adjustable bottom pin, fourthly installed round opening-onto post, fifthly installed first three rail section of the Vee from closing post cutting the rails to length, sixthly installed second section of Vee cutting three rails to length, lastly put one nail in both ends of all six rails through the four round posts, greased fittings to ensure gate self-closes nicely, fitted plaque. Used hack saw and angle grinder on six bar iron fencing – twice, after change of plan to remove second existing timber post. Landscaped ground level and buried out-of-sight blue plastic water main. Attached four short rails to gate post to fill gap to fence. 4 x 8 = 32 man hours ABDJ (B4P) 50 miles.

3/5/17 To Chinnor RFC with stile arisings and to top up with buckets of stones.

3/5/17 Kingsey Bristol gate. email from James Blockley, Oxfordshire CC offering £125 towards the costs involved. Sent him bank account details so OCC can send us an order and then we can invoice OCC.

4/5/17 Wing Circular Walk planned for 6/6/17. Advised organiser to alert horse owners at Burcott Hall Farm of walk following incident two years ago. Some reluctance amongst Ramblers members to do this as it could set a precedence.

4/5/17 Great Horwood. Contact with Mandy Cliffe, Clerk to PC. Three potential DaGs. Mailed her three partially completed blank CAMS forms for her to complete. Also clarified plaque wording is pretty much up to donor.

5/5/17 Timber posts. Drove to Briants of Risborough at Longwick and purchased 20 x 1.8 m x 100 x 100 UC4 15 year life treated red cedar posts, a 2.4 m x 200 x 200 gate post for Westcott Bristol gate and two rails. Got NB rRIPPLE accredited as Trade Customer.

6/5/17 Took Briants timber to CRFC for storage. 1.0 man hour 20 miles.

7/5/17 Matthew’s Way. Attended 20 year celebratory 6 mile walk starting in North Marston, going via Pitchcott, Quainton and back to North Marston. Great fun. Stopped off for a beer at the George and Dragon, Quainton. L-R: Jerry Michell, Bill & Janet Piers, Christine Wheeler Cherry – Keith poorly, Sue Michell, Daphne & Derek Holland. (B3P).

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7/5/17 Pitchcott. CAMS 82263 at SP774206 on NMA/12/2 – gate installed 26/6/16 on north side of drive to Pitchcott Hill Farm. Fitted NB rRIPPLE plaque whilst on Mathew’s Way Walk.

8/5/17 Great Horwood. Jerry completed a recce of several potential DaG sites. 42 miles 2.0 man hours.

10/5/17 Pitchcott. CAMS 82264 at SP774206 on NMA/12/2 – Removed and took away the gate that we installed on 26/6/16. This is because fence has been removed as land is being sold and tenant has left. 1.5 man hours.

10/5/17 Pitchcott PIT/1/1 at SP774206 on south side of drive up to Pitchcott Hill Farm. Fortuitously, met with landowner Robert Hunter and he agreed to the installation of a self-closing timber gate in place of existing stile. He didn’t want a metal gate and he didn’t want to sponsor a DaG. 0.5 man hours.

10/5/17 Oving - DaG courtesy of Vanessa Wiggins, Chair of Oving PC. CAMS 84663 at SP785217 on OVI/9/1. Dismantled dilapidated two step (one completely broken) stile and trimmed back large bramble bush. Installed Woodstock metal kissing gate and reinstated four rails on both sides. Made good use of jack hammer as top layer of soil very firm. Used new UC4 15 year treated 1.8 m x 100 x 100 timber post purchased from Briants. 3 x 6 = 18 man hours BDJ (J3P).

10/5/17 Granborough. CAMS 84198 at SP760261. Called Terry Ives and arranged to leave gate retrieved from Pitchcott – see above – at Berry Leys Farm. Total mileage for the day 45 miles.

11/5/17 Westcott. Forwarded on to John Esslemont £250 donation from Westcott PC for work done so far. Alan Lambourne, Clerk to PC, indicated that a further donation of up to £250 may be forthcoming for the proposed Bristol gate at the end of Lower Green – CAMS 84594 at SP721171. He requested a breakdown of the costs involved for the PC meeting on 23/5/17.

11/5/17 Great Horwood. Received in post semi-completed CAMS forms. Completed these with landowner info. Considerable email to and froing regarding PG or KG.

11/5/17 Great Horwood. Received definitive maps from Rose Gibbard, TfB – handed on to Jerry.

12/5/17 Oving OPAG Improvements.

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12/5/17 Wing Circular Walk improvements. Fitted two plaques to two gates at SP888224 west of the church and at SP884223 on road to Mentmore on path leading east to Lower Ascott. 1.0 man hour. 30 miles.

13/5/17 Kingsey Bristol gate. Picked up galvanised spacer/adapter from Norman Ricketts and brought home. Returned it to Norman as one pair of holes drilled 833 mm apart instead of 883 mm apart.

15/5/17 Oving. Sorted via emails font sizes for the DaG plaque for Vanessa Wiggins.

17/5/17 Preston Bissett PBI/5(F)/1 CAMS 84158 at SP658296. Dismantled five rail and only one step stile; its second step completely broken. Retained two existing fence posts c/w their strainers. Installed Marlow gate c/w two 1.8 m x 100 x 100 post Redwood UC4 15 year posts tamped in with stones. Fitted Ramblers plastic plaque. Used 2-stroke jack hammer extensively for ash tree roots and rubble in line of gate way. 2 x 6 = 12 man hours – BJ (J2P) 46 miles. Rained all day long.

16/5/17 North Marston and Matthews Way. Trevor Lane, using our Matthew’s Way display board, at tended Annual Parish Meeting and explained that NB rRIPPLE is keen to convert more stiles to gates on the circular walk.

18/5/17 Wingrave with Rowsham WIG/2/1 CAMS 83767 at SP852178. Confirmed to Jon Clark, BCC, that kissing gate to be installed on 23/5/17 and that we might look at installing a dog latch at the stile on the A418 at SP850179. 20/5/17 Kingsey, Keepers Cottage Bristol Gate. Picked up galvanised spacer adapter from Haddenham.

23/5/17 Wingrave with Rowsham WIG/2/1 in Rowsham. CAMS 83767 at SP852178. Dismantled awkward, very high, one step stile and detached barbed wire to both sides and removed rotten timber barrier and posts. Installed Woodstock metal kissing gate c/w one new 1.8 m x 100 x 100 redwood UC4 post. Reused one original post to attach barbed wire fence. Reused two Aylesbury Ring way marker discs. 3 x 5.5 = 16.5 hours. ABJ (A3P) 45 miles via Aston Clinton.

23/5/17 Rowsham WIG/2/1 at SP850179 at stile on A418. Fitted NB rRIPPLE dog latch as discussed with land owner Stuart Masters in the stile that he does not want changed into a gate due to the very busy road. 3 x 1.5 = 4.5 man hours.

24/5/17 Wingrave with Rowsham. WIG/15/2 at SP852179. Jerry met with Gavin Caspar, resident of Rowsham, and went to recce timber kissing gate to Marlow gate at SP852179. Jerry requested a CAMS from Jon Clark.

23/5/17 Kingsey – Keepers Cottage gate. Received telephone call from Michael Clark saying that a 3 m (10 ft) gate had been delivered to his farm and that it was totally unsuitable and he didn’t

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want one installed at Keepers Cottage. Explained that this short one is for Westcott and that his son Ed had given the go ahead for the gate at Keepers Cottage. Michael reiterated that he didn’t want it even though it had been paid for. emailed Ed to ask what was going on.

24/5/17 Wingrave with Rowsham. WIG/15/2 at SP852179. CAMS 84833 for old timber kissing gate to Marlow gate received from Jon Clark.

24/5/17 Westcott Bristol gate. Picked up 3 m gate from Tythrop Park Farm, along with new 2.4 m x 200x 200 gate post from CRFC and delivered to Lower Green, Westcott. Assisted by Ralph Cox, farmer, to stow in field. 2.0 man hours. 24 miles.

25/5/17 Westcott Bristol gate. PC clerk, Alan Lambourne emailed to say that the PC had agreed to fund the entire cost of the gate including plaque – “Donated by Westcott Parish Council”.

25/5/17 To Impact signs, Aylesbury to pick up plaques for Oving – Vanessa Wiggins, the PC and The Daltons. 10 miles. 0.5 man hour.

27/5/17 Kingsey – Keepers Cottage Bristol gate. Met Michael Clark, land owner, at the post office and had a “chat” about the gate. Reiterated that it’s all paid for. He said he’d have another think and a further discussion with family members back at the farm.

30/5/17 Pitchcott – Matthew’s Way. PIT/1/1 at SP774205. emailed Rose Gibbard, TfB, to request a CAMS for a stile to Aston Gate (Timber) following on from landowner’s agreement on 10/5/17. Need to contact PC as potential DaG.

30/5/17 Westcott Bristol gate. Received DaG cheque from PC.

30/5/17 Haddenham. On a Wychert Way link in Rudds Lane. Repaired rotted support for bench beside pond with a replacement support. Reused ex stile step post. To CRFC for kissing gate. 1.5 man hours. 12 miles.

30/5/17 Received South East Walker with our news:

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31/5/17 Oving OVI/2/1 CAMS 84589 at DSP786221. Oving Parish Council DaG – fitted plaque. Met with the two Morton brothers who own the land who were friendly and appreciative. Gave them a DaG Application Form. Dismantled two-step stile in a reasonably good state of repair compared to most we come across. Installed Woodstock kissing gate c/w one 1.8m x 100x 100 redwood UC4 15 year treated post. Struggled to great extent with the very hard greensand ground. Used 2-stroke jack hammer for all four holes. Without it we would have had to abandon the job as the ground was so hard and resistant to hand tools, including our spear-of-destiny. 3 x 6 = 18 man hours. BDJ (D3P) 25 miles.

NB rRIPPLE work load - Current situation at 31/5/17: Donate a Gate (DaG) opportunities and recent work orders (CAMS) from BCC:

Brill: Potentially several. Need to get a Brill Paths Action Group (BPAG) formed. “Localism” being led by Ramblers member by Elaine Horsey. Dinton: “Localism” being sought. Several residents have mentioned several awkward stiles but no firm commitment has been forthcoming from them or the PC. Granborough: One CAMS for a gate at SP760261 available as a DaG. Great Horwood: Confirmed DaG at SP767312 by Sue Renshell and another one at SP764305 by Great Horwood PC. One more “in the pipeline”. Hardwick: Two CAMS for gates at SP802198 either side of a track available as DaGs. No contact as yet with land owner, PC or local residents. Hoggeston: “Localism” provided by Bruce Hyde, Jonathan Owen, George Morris and the PCC. Ickford: Stile to gate CAMS 84077 at SP648077 in abeyance as landowner has repaired stile. Peter Jordain, resident Ramblers path checker also looking at potential for a DaG at SP649076 opposite Rising Sun pub. North Marston: Potential for several DaGs on Matthew’s Way. In contact with residents/PC. Locations include SP768225, 767225, 774206. Oving: Numerous DaGs installed and in the pipeline due to very active Oving Paths Action Group (OPAG) formed 18/1/17. Pitchcott: Matthew’s Way - Potential DaG at SP774205 where landowner wants stile replaced with timber Aston gate. Preston Bissett: Following installation of seven gates on Copperhorse Farm, at least three more available for DaGs, one at SP665295 and two at SP660296 on the edge of the cricket pitch. Westcott: Westcott PC has contributed to the five gates installed at Lower Farm SP724181 and also for the Bristol gate at Lower Green SP721171. Potential for more. PC is both committed and interested. Wingrave/Rowsham: One CAMS for timber kissing gate to Marlow steel gate at SP852179 available as a DaG.

NB rRIPPLE on site man hours – includes a proportion of travel time: 224 for period 30 Jan 2015 – 6 Aug 2015 66.5 for period 13 Aug 2015 – 17 Nov 2015 72 for period 18 Nov 2015 – 16 Jan 2016 74 for period 17 Jan 2016 – 15 Mar 2016 120.25 for period 16 Mar 2016 – 11 Jun 2016 133 for period 12 Jun 2016 – 14 Aug 2016 142 for period 15 Aug 2016 – 21 Sept 2016 104 for period 21 Sept 2016 – 13 Nov 2016 94 for period 14 Nov 2016 – 31 Dec 2016 271 for period 1 Jan 2017 – 31 Mar 2017 216 for period 1 Apr 2017 – 31 May 2017 Signed: Bill Piers Co-ordinator NB rRIPPLE and Donate a Gate Scheme Organiser williamjsbpiers@gmail.com Mobile 07799 110128

Before and after photos:

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5/4/17 Wingrave WIG/3/2 at SP875188

! 10/5/17 Oving OVI/9/1 with Vanessa Wiggins, Chair of Oving PC. CAMS 84663 at SP785217 on.

! 12/5/17 Wing at SP884223. One of two special plaques fitted to gates on the Wing Circular Walk

! 2/5/17 Mentmore MEN/3/1 CAMS 84570 at SP903198

! 26/4/17 Preston Bissett PBI/2/4 at SP666293 North side

! 19/4/17 Preston Bissett PBI/2/4 at SP668290

! 19/4/17 Preston Bissett PBI/2/4 at SP668290

! 13/4/17 Marsh Gibbon CAMS 82540 at SP643232. Work was completed by the landowner

! 26/4/17 Preston Bissett PBI/2/4 at SP666293 South side

! 11/4/17 Westcott WES/5/1 at SP721183

! 11/4/17 Westcott WES/6/1 at SP721183

! 11/4/17 Westcott WES/8/1 at SP724185

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17/5/17 Preston Bissett PBI/5(F)/1 at SP658296

! 30/5/17 Haddenham. Repaired bench on Wychert Way at SP743094

! 23/5/17 Wingrave with Rowsham WIG/2/1 at SP852178

! 31/5/17 Oving OVI/2/1 at SP786221

! 23/5/17 Rowsham WIG/2/1 at SP850179 Dog Latch

! 25/5/17 Picked up plaques for Oving DaGs

! 24/5/17 Westcott Bristol gate on its way from Chinnor RFC, Thame.