[philcaegrug]

I have divided my sloping 5 acre field into two.  I've opened a ditch below the dividing fence.The field is very wet on the surface but after going down a few inches it's bone dry and clay.Am I going to be better off laying herringbone drainage or just piping off the wettest parts?

[OhLaLa]

I'd mole it. Both fields, herringbone, down towards ditch.

[spandit]

I'd go for gravel filled mole drainage

[Bodger]

I'd go for gravel filled mole drainage

I've never heard of that   I thought that mole drainage was a bullet dragged through the soil with a blade. How do they get the gravel in?

[philcaegrug]

Checked the ditch today and the lower end is full to the top with water and land below the end is soaking so I'll continue the run on the weekend. I've got a good slope so for now I'll just open up ditches to dry the field and later probably put in perforated drainage pipe and clean stone.

[OhLaLa]

Remember if you go for the soakaway pipe/stone option you will need to line the ditch with membrane, otherwise the soil will get in there and clog up the flow.
 

I'd go for gravel filled mole drainage

That's a new one on me too. A mole is pulled behind the tractor (blade/bullet as described by overthegate).
 

[spandit]

You can do mole draining where they backfill the hole made with pebbles

http://www.farmersjournal.ie/site/farming-Pebble-mole-draining-in-Kildare-12956.html

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=gravel+mole+drainage

Not as common as normal mole drainage but probably longer lasting...

[Still playing with tractors]

It all sounds like soil compaction a mole is ok but a subsoiler would be best before digging anything followed by a slitter or areator