Archive for the ‘Nature & Wildlife’ Category
Video report on Tidenham Tunnel, part of the Wye Valley Greenway
Thursday, September 17th, 2020The Wye Valley Greenway is now open for walkers and cyclists.
The Wye Valley Greenway provides a sustainable way to explore the beautiful Lower Wye Valley, an area of outstanding natural beauty.
A fascinating video report by Forgotten Relics about the fabulous Tidenham Tunnel, constructed in the 1870s as part of a railway connecting Chepstow and Monmouth, but destined to become the second longest tunnel on the country’s cycle network when it reopens as part of the Wye Valley Greenway.
Work to reopen the 1,188-yard long Tidenham Tunnel has made considerable progress in 2020, with tarmac laid by a contractor at the start of September followed by a subsequent volunteer workcamp which saw lighting installed and recesses bricked-up to encourage bat use.
Dating from 1876, the structure is unusual in that it started out as two tunnels; the small, intervening gap was later arched over and backfilled.
It’s hoped to open the greenway – which will connect Chepstow to Tintern – in the spring of 2021.
Words and video by Forgotten Relics
Ghost Fishing UK Winter Warmer 2020
Monday, January 13th, 2020
Join the Ghost Fishing UK team for a weekend of diving and socials at the National Diving & Activity Centre.
Included with your ticket:
• Saturday Social: Hog Roast & BBQ (Vegetarian options available)
• Guest Speakers, Q&A Forum
• Half Price Diving entry to NDAC
• Video screenings
• Bar, Band, raffle, auction, competitions and fundraisers
• ‘Try Ghost Fishing’ workshops – (24 spaces, terms apply)
Full details, terms and tickets available on the Ghost Fishing UK website here »
Ticket holders receive discounted diving entry at the gate. This is extra and payable on the day.
Please bring a copy of the email receipt with you (electronic version is fine).
Please note: Tickets are non refundable.
Date & Time
Sat 8th Feb 2020, 09:00 – Sun, 9th Feb 2020, 16:00
About Ghost Fishing
The problem of ghost fishing gear has reached public prominence over the past five years. It is a normal part of fishing that nets, shellfish traps and other equipment becomes lost. This is not a deliberate or careless act on behalf of the fishing community, simply a reality of a very harsh environment. The problem is that the lost gear continues to catch marine life. This has an undocumented effect on the local ecosystem, but is clearly undesirable in any sense. Animals are being needlessly killed.
Ghost Fishing was set up to try to remove this lost equipment from the marine environment. It is a challenging and difficult task. Ghost gear is typically entangled in reefs and wrecks, and its removal can be complicated. The technique involves attaching bags to the gear, which the diver fills with air, making them float. The divers then cut the gear free as close to the seabed as possible. Great care is needed to ensure that the diver does not become entangled with the equipment. This involves a high degree of teamwork, coordination and discipline.
Wander Wye November 2019 update
Friday, December 6th, 2019
The Wye Valley Greenway is now open for walkers and cyclists.
The Wye Valley Greenway provides a sustainable way to explore the beautiful Lower Wye Valley, an area of outstanding natural beauty.
Words by Jennifer Goslin BA BSc OCDEA
A-B Connecting Communities
Dear Path Supporters,
Due to an Autumnal Flurry the numbers of people supporting this petition rose to 6,207 signatures today.
There has been a lot of progress since the last update in the Spring 2019; Greenways were busy clearing and repairing the disused railway line from the National Diving and Activity Centre to the Tidenham Tunnel in September, please read all the detail here.
The planning application for the extension of the Wye Valley Greenway to Wyedean school has just been registered. It is P/1735/19/FUL. The full document is on the website.
Planning Application for Shared Use Path to Wye Dean School »
Please log your comments in supporting the application and also mention how important it will be to have the routes passing through the planned housing developments, to make the whole route traffic free, so that FoDDC are aware of that in pressing for 106 contributions.
We have had confirmation from Barrett Homes that the new Wye Link Bridge crossing from the Mabey development to Sedbury has been noted on their Index Plan in accordance with the Active Travel Map and Welsh Assembly Government Active Travel Policy.
There will be another fund raising Performance to follow on from the Flamenco Fiesta in 2017 called St Patrick’s Dance (NDAC) on 14th March 2020.
For more live information please follow our facebook page:
A to B Connecting Communities Facebook Page »
Thank you for your continued support and please continue to share this petition link as there are still plenty of people who haven’t signed it: friends and family.
Wye Valley Greenway Workcamp 13 to 21 September 2019
Friday, December 6th, 2019The Wye Valley Greenway is now open for walkers and cyclists.
The Wye Valley Greenway provides a sustainable way to explore the beautiful Lower Wye Valley, an area of outstanding natural beauty.
Words by Jennifer Goslin BA BSc OCDEA
A-B Connecting Communities
Images from Chepstow to Tintern Shared Use Path Facebook post
Greenways and Cycleroutes Limited organised a volunteer work camp from 13 to 22 September 2019 based at the National Diving and Activity Centre at Tidenham, near Chepstow.
Their aim was to repair a bridge and to install and replace boundary fencing on the former railway line between Chepstow and Tintern to sustain momentum while they await planning permission and full funding to complete a walking and cycling route between the National Diving & Activity Centre and Tintern. This will form part of the overall safe route; the Wander Wye from the Severn Bridge to Monmouth proposed by A-B Connecting Communities who provided a grant in June of £5000 to Greenways.
• 91 volunteers put in 235 working days. 61 were day visitors, and 30 stayed overnight in tents and vans and chalets. And what a difference was made.
• Refurbishing the Bishton Lane bridge over the railway line – relocating the piers on newly cast concrete foundations transforming the structure.
• The fallen rocks were collected and rebuilt the wingwalls, repointing them with lime putty and with much help from BT, wire brushed and repainted the piers.
• The field fence was repaired between the railway land and the Gloucestershire Way and replaced the railway fences above the sheer drop of the retaining walls in the Wye Valley gorge.
• The vegetation was cut through at the former Tidenham station to create a laurel arbour with windows, and safety parapets installed to the bridge over the A48, where others had hacked back the brambles.
• The First Shirenewton Scouts helped to clear roots and branches from the track bed.
• A route was cut through to Sedbury Lane so we can survey the route for future planning applications, and work out how best Dean Forest Railway can recover the track.
• The Ecologists were in attendance to check that we were complying with the regulations.
No work was completed in the tunnel at all – as their Bat licence did not come through in time, so unfortunately the repairs to the walls and the planned installation of new gates will have to wait. The temporary fences were simply covered with tarpaulins to reduce airflow through the tunnel.
What happens next?
Greenways are working with Forest of Dean Council to secure the planning permission we need. The process will not be quick, as Natural England need to be sure about environmental issues. When they have planning permission we will be able to apply for grants.
There is still some finishing off to do to the pointing of the wing walls, and they are planning to set up a local volunteering group to help us to complete this.
If all goes well Greenways hope to have a further work camp in the spring for the labour intensive activities of installing lighting and bat shelters in the tunnel, installing seats and sculpture, and tidying back vegetation. In a perfect world there would have at least a mountain bike quality route open to Tintern by the summer.
Meet Bertie the Fish
Monday, June 17th, 2019
Meet Bertie, our latest attraction at the National Diving & Activity Centre.
Bertie is a Sturgeon fish and he’s been rescued from a small pond to live his life and explore our much larger pond!
