So only 5 or 6 hours from when I last posted the digger was parked up and I went out to see what they had managed to do – erm quite a lot!!
So tomorrow 200 tones of Sandstone arrive and away we go – more pictures and a perfect path over the next few days!!
Watch this space.
Ok so the work begins today – 20/08/08
These pictures show the extent of the mile long stretch, to be fair I never thought I’d get them taken at all. As the path is so bad it’s essential to use a mountain bike to get down, go to the garage my bike has a flat tyre, so I hop on my daughters smaller mountain bike, get half way down the line and the chain snaps. Suffice to say we Guerilla Gardeners have to fight on 
so I did and these are the pictures.
To any locals looking at the pictures, I have taken some reverse shots on my way from Almond Brook to Somerfield just to show the extent of the land in this area, and in some ways to show what it looked like before some more dastardly housing developers move in to cut the green belt down some more.
Oh and for those real nature buffs, if you look at the ponds half way up this is a little nature reserve for Great Crested Newts picture on the right, and to quote the BBC -
Great crested newts are Britain’s largest newt species. Although now afforded some legal protection in the UK, populations have declined over recent years as a result of the destruction and fragmentation of their habitat.
I reckon another reason why the Standish Line should have a little more protection – any chance of making it a proper footpath with a nice sign and some protection ???
The last few pictures show the path that I did on the last part of the project but as you get to the very end of the images you will see the place where the stone ran out, with a bit of luck this area will be widened and for sure new stone.
So there you go – I’ll do another tour as work progresses!!!!
20th August 2008 is the day that the Standish Mineral Line Guerilla Gardening/Community Action project comes of age.
Today will see the start of what will be a mile long transformation of the entire path from Almond Brook Hotel to Somerfield, making a new footpath without puddles and mud!!!
With 200 tonnes of crush and run sandstone being delivered over the next few days, a good handful of mechanical diggers and dumpers, not to mention a band of merry men, a new footpath with be laid on the entire length of the Standish Line.
This next stage in the phoenix like rise of the Standish Line has been brought about by the collaboration of -
From humble Guerilla Gardener beginnings with secateurs, spade and a rake not to mention a passion to make something better, the project has now become a consolidated community action to regenerate not only a piece of heritage, but breath life into a path that we hope will become a vital pedestrian artery through the village.
Over the next few days I hope to show pictures of progress as the new track is laid and over the next few months show the planting on 2000 Quick thorn bushes, the sowing of 1 kilo of wildflower seeds and of course the growth and development of the new Standish Line.
To think the next time Google maps updates it’s imagery instead of seeing a black scar that is being slowly eaten up by decay, we will see a cream sandstone path cutting right through the heart of Standish – then we will be able to point to the map and say “look you can see Standish and the Line”
Just goes to show – if you have enough passion and determination to do something anyone can make a difference. The trick is do it, just because you can and expect nothing else other than the warm glow of knowing at very least have made a small but positive mark on the environment. Pick one piece of litter up, plant one small shrub, think before dropping dog poo and you yourself can say for that split second or so – ‘I made a difference’ – try it it’s easy!