Hi All
Thankyou all so much for your replies. Some interesting thoughts there.
I agree the surface looks good so scraping would not achieve anything positive. Do you know how long ago it was last re-done?
Talking to both the landowner (who has only owned the land for a few years) and the previous owner of our place, I don’t think it’s been touched apart from a foot or so of concrete in one rut for probably 50 years. The last owner was there for 30 and said he did nothing to it, and the owner before that is widely known for neglecting the place (although he did have a digger so who knows . . . ) HIS mother, may well have maintained it as she sounded very proactive. She was a widow who farmed alone and was the first person in the area to have a tractor- and also a car - so the track must’ve been passable if she got up it in a little ford!
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For general maintenance I would be thinking of hedging the bit on the left and cutting down the bracken on the right. This would help keep the track exposed to the sun and wind to dry it quickly. The hedge will be great for wildlife, but if done properly and kept wide and bushy, just not so bushy as at the moment, then it would still be good for wildlife but would not not obscure the track so much. I assume it's the farmer's hedge and he perhaps already has a maintenance regime in place for it.
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Yes, the hedge is the farmers, and to his credit he has planted a hedge from the bottom on the left land side, which will be laid when ready.
I can definitely try trimming/scything the bracken.
On the right hand side there is/was a dry stone wall (you can’t see it because of the bracken) I wonder if it puts the sheep off grazing?
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I take it you are at the bottom of the track, hence everything wet collecting at your place. Is there anywhere lower the water could be drained to? Establishing a pond below your house would help keep your ground dry. Is any lower land yours or the farmer's?
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Yes- were at the bottom! We only have 3/4 acre, and every thing else is the farmers. There is marshy ground below us, and eventually a stream. I was thinking of digging a pond Below the house to take the run off from the roofs, so I’m happy to see this suggestion.
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We are having good success with using certain trees to help dry wet ground, species such as Alder and Willow, which grow fast and use up a lot of water in the process. As a side advantage, you get plenty of small wood for fires, poles and sheep fodder. Our neighbour had complained that the water from our land was draining onto his, so demanded we clear the drains. As that would simply have sent more water onto his land we soon convinced him that was not a good idea. Since we planted that corner up with Alder, Willow, wildflowers and someother trees there have been no further complaints from next door
. Next I shall have to persuade him to plant his bit with similar trees, rather than cultivate it to the very edge for maximum yields
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Great idea, and apt too, as the name of our house we think translates as either Alder, or Bog.
The track does look good, The drainage seems a major issue but not on the track, rather where it ends up. Presumably the ditch is on the lower side of the track and sounds like it needs clearing. Is there anyway water from the ditch can be diverted onto the hill rather than all ending up at yours? It maybe worth getting in a drainage
Yes, I think you’re right. It’s mostly a drainage issue. One of the problems is the run off from the higher field to the left. The farmer has talked about draining the field since we moved in, which would not only be great for the track, but for our barn which is currently taking a lot of runoff too. I think he’s put it off because of the added complication that our mains water runs through the field , and then under the Track. He’s worried about hitting it, so we’ve had the water board out to dowse for it’s location, but it’s still not been done.
Where to divert all the water is a big question. We can dig a pond as Fleecewife suggested, but are in a very wet area, so I don’t think it would be long before that would also need run off. I don’t know what the etiquette/ law is about draining onto other people’s land. I’m guessing not done?? Our soakaway is on his land already, so we do have some drainage rights.
The field below our land, which then borders a stream is pretty much a bog already, and some of the old Animal trackways (Bordered by walls) are underwater except in the driest weather.
I’m not 100% sure WHY the track is so slippy. Whether it is the stone when wet, or mud/sheeps**t . It is frustrating though, but also possibly why we could afford it!
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