Ridge gone. Pump and diesel tank 'removed'. Inert start work at 7:30am. Pt 2. 24th September 2022

Moving over to the west edge of what will be Manor lake.  Inert have continued to dredge the area and extend the banking they were building on Wednesday. And this is another example of the haphazard approach to this restoration. The digger operators had spent a great deal of effort in crafting a lovely, curved chunk of banking along the southwest corner of what will be Manor lake.  I did comment that it was the wrong shape. Well, all the stuff dredged out of the area has now been piled up around the lovely, curved banking!!!!  This stuff will have to be removed, after Inert spent ages using it to fill in the area!

I still reckon this banking is too far south, and should have started to curve east then east northeast by now.  Plans have obviously been changed, and the ones on the Wokingham Borough Council planning website are not accurate.

A lot of the banking around the main reed bed that Inert have built over the past three weeks has now been capped with a good layer of topsoil - about 15" deep I reckon.  This topsoil has come from the ridge.

The height of the banking is something to behold and will, I reckon, obscure all of the Main reed beds. Coupled with reeds themselves, not much of the reserve will be visible from the south (aka Blackwater) footpath.  A great shame, unless public are permitted to walk along the banking - much like the main route through Leighton Moss.

I noticed that the pump and diesel tank had been removed from its location between the west shore of the current Manor lake and Cormorant lake as was. I saw that it had been placed on the west bank of the current Manor lake just north of the bailey bridge. Naturally, I had to go take a look, but as I made my way eastward I heard the rumble of a heavy earth mover on Chandlers farm.  Not wishing to take any risks of encountering and disturbing the guys, I immediately headed for the hedge row alongside the south (aka Blackwater) path, before making my way through the nettles and hopping over the low wire fence.

Sigh, it looks as if I will have to pay a site visit on Sunday's now. Inert must be paying lots of over time in an effort to complete landscaping. I'm sure that if the guys were to work Saturdays, then they would start at 8:30am.  I don't think I've ever seen them at 7:30am!!!