Today was quite a busy day, started early with a work party and some conservation work on a meadow managed by the Wildlife Trust, Muriel’s meadow is one a several meadows that make up Chettisham meadows near Ely, not ploughed as the soil was too heavy, although Chettisham Meadow which is owned by the Wildlife trust shows evidence of medieval ridge and furrow, so obviously ploughing was tried.

Muriel’s Meadow is named after the lady who used to live there in an old railway carriage as a child with her parents, life must have been very hard and basic as it is at least 20 minutes walk from any road then it must be at least four miles to Ely. The railway carriage is still there but is in a very bad condition but I believe Muriel is still alive and she has asked the carriage is not removed.

It was a fantastic bright and sunny morning and there was still ice on the puddles, the birds were singing and our job was to start clearing back the brambles by about 2 feet  so plants can grow back, we will eventually over time clear the brambles back but by doing it gradually it gives plants a chance to establish.

The can be nothing better than working outside on such a wonderful Winters day.

Next It was off to Welney and taking the hare walk and then the swan feed and talk, full number of people booked on the walk, then the largest number of people for the swan talk at 150 in the observatory, so many in fact I had to go out again and do another feed so those at the back got a chance to see what I do.

All in all a very satisfying day.