Opening of Manor farm restoration pushed back to summer 2024. 4th November 2023

At the risk of incurring the wrath of SWMBO, I thought I'd sneak in this update before family events begin.

I've heard that the opening date of the Manor farm part of the ex Cemex quarry restoration has been pushed back to summer 2024. A slippage in dates for a major project such as this is not unusual, disappointing, but quite normal.

Many tasks remain to be started, yet alone completed. Fencing the area, for instance, will take quite sometime; and this task cannot really start until the bridlepaths are completed. A number of snags to the path need to be fixed e.g. flooded parts north of the sewage works for one, crossing over the Colebrook for another. Further fettling of Manor lake might be  required after the surveyors were in last week. Add to all this, reduced day light hours, lousy weather and the fast approach of Christmas, and it is apparent that this restoration will not be finished this year.

Another reason for pushing back the opening date, which I completely agree with, is it allows time for the ground to settle and consolidate. A lot of the newly landscaped ground is, as I've often harped on about, lethally soft, with the consistency of quicksand - as my muddy wellingtons up to my knees can testify. And while most of the bridlepath is now quite firm, a few extra months will help the ballast it is made of to pack down solidly.

Right, I have to go off and be nice to people. See y'all in a couple of weeks; as all social media devices may be confiscated for the duration.