Inert continue with chilled, relaxed build of bridle path. 5th September 2023

Summer has finally arrived. Hurrah! But only for a week, possibly two. With temperatures in the high 20s, flirting with low 30s, you would have thought Inert would be cracking on with finishing off Manor farm before autumnal rains arrive.

Nah. We're talking Inert here. Restoration of Manor farm has slowed to glacial pace. Though today there were two diggers at work on the south bridle path. On the other hand, working practices might explain the slow pace.

As I approached the Bailey bridge (roughly 9:45am and tea break time) I saw an orange digger, clanking its way towards the bridge. It stopped briefly to either drop a bucket or fiddle about with some near the Bailey bridge, before it clanked its way over the bridge, and headed off southeast towards the works offices; possibly for a driver tea break and/or diesel.

Anyway, about half an hour later I heard it clanking back. Shortly after it had stopped (by the eastern edge of the constructed bridle path), a birder (a regular) walked up to us. He said he saw the digger carrying one roll of weed proof membrane, which the digger operator then started unrolling to continue building the bridle path.

The bridle path had been extended as far as the copse.

I then had to wander back, and as I walked eastward I saw the maxi dumper truck trundling west with one roll of weed proof membrane! Yep, one roll.

It's no wonder restoration and the building of the bridle paths continue to take so long.

Inert staff must know how many yards of bridle path they can comfortably construct in a day, and therefore take as many rolls of weed proof membrane as is needed, plus a couple of extra. Any left over at close of play can be transported back to Chandlers farm. Also, drop off rolls at side of bridle path, corresponding to the length they will cover.

I don't know whose profit margins are being affected, but I'm glad I'm not paying for this.

Of course, there may be reasons why only one roll of membrane was transported at at time on the day I visited, but I can't really fathom any proper reason.

I wonder if the bridle path will reach the Bailey bridge and beyond by the weekend?

I've been told that they were working on Saturday. This will cause me problems as sunrise is getting later and later, getting closer to 7:30am, which is the earliest I have ever seen Inert on site. It will be touch and go whether I encounter Inert on Saturday morning.

Apparently, there is a comet (Nishimura) that is visible to the naked eye, reaching its perihelion on Sept 12th. It is visible now, with best viewings an hour after sunset and an hour before sunrise. I get two cracks at seeing it per day!