Access Fingringhoe results!

After hectic final weeks Access Fingringhoe has completed its two main tasks.

On the gound, information panels and benches have been installed. Villagers are already busy testing the solid oak benches and admiring the views!

The information panels, four  in all, combine to lead the walker around a new ‘Gravel Pit Trail’. Go and have a look – you may be surprised at some of the little known facts that we have unearthed. What is the origin of the name ‘Fingringhoe’? What is the story behind Post Wood? What large mammals might you see on your walk?

 

The project team at CoastNet and the village expert group have also been thinking towards the future, and produced a ‘Biodiversity and Access Improvement Plan’. This identifies some practical actions that people in the village would like to see implemented. It is the intention to use this plan as the basis for a bid for further funding to benefit Fingringhoe.

Finally, we would like to say a big thankyou to all who contributed to this work, and we hope that you enjoy your walks and appreciate local wildlife all the more as a result.

Best Wishes from the CoastNet team.

Interpretation Panel Meeting 7pm Thursday 26th February at The Village Hall

As part of Access Fingringhoe we are holding an Interpretation Panel meeting at 7pm Thursday 26th February at The Village Hall.

This is a chance to preview the information panels we’re installing before
they are erected. It’ll allow you to comment on the designs and information
and allow us to make any essential amendments to the design. Come along and give us your thoughts!

Interpretation Panel Meeting 7pm Thursday 26th February at The Village Hall

February Nature Walk

Spring was definitely in the air for our second nature walk of the year. The walk was again well attended by both human and dog and set off in a sprightly manner from the Whalebone Pub.  Heading down Ferneaux Lane, we went across the bridleways to cover the area to the west of our original Nature Walk.

A quick break by the active quarry site

After a quick break by the active quarry site we continued our walk ending up back at the Whalebone. From the walk we found that buzzards had been spotted in the area, and also outlined a few more access issues.

Nature Walk 21st Feb 10am at The Whalebone

Access Fingringhoe is running another nature walk. The initial walk covered the east of the village; this one will be towards the west. This will be a chance to have a closer look at wildlife and footpaths in Fingringhoe. Everyone is welcome! The walk will start and finish at the Whalebone so that after the walk can all warm up with a drink.

Results of the Planning Meeting 15th Jan 09

The Meeting

First of all I’d like to apologise for setting the meeting on the same day as a meeting in Rowhedge concerning the new development.

Despite this, a small and keen group converged on the village hall on the 15th Jan to discuss the suggestions that have come up so far in the project.

Access and Biodiversity Suggestions

We started off by raising all the suggestions that had been made so far to improve safety, access and wildlife. These were then selected in order of importance:

• Foot path on field side of hedge to improve safety at Aberton/Church Rd, opposite Post Office area and on the road to Fingringhoe Wick Nature reserve.
• Buffer zones round edges of fields (Headlands)
• Linking path network to form a circular route.
• Hedges on the north side of footpath 11, to form a wildlife corridor and to protect the footpath.
• Wetland improvements one footpath 11 next to badger set.
• Changing the style at the south end of footpath 11 to improve ease of access.
• Reducing height of hedges to improve views of estuary and Roman River.
• Bridleway access to footpath 11.

Suggestions for access and wildlife improvement

It should be remembered that these are suggestions from the community and may not be practical or ethical when investigated further.

Way marking and Dog waste bins were also discussed. It had been suggested in previous sessions that way marking was lacking in some areas. However after surveying the area and talking to footpath officer Jenny Henderson, the conclusion was formed that current waymarking was quite more than adequate and that it has been recently renovated.

It was considered that a dog waste bin at the south end of footpath 11 would be a useful addition.

Interpretation Panels

The topics to be covered by and the style of the interpretation panels were next up.

From the nature walk a number of local species were identified. Information on their life cycles and methods to identify were favourite topics for the panels.

Similarly topics such as the Roman and Iron age archaeology of the area along with natural history events such as the 1884 earthquake were well liked.It was thought that these should be tied up into a map of the local area to show points of interest and also the foot path network.

Next steps

This meeting was very successful and matured a number of ideas for the project. From this point we need to take the following steps:

• Commission the interpretation boards
• Meet with select individuals to discuss the BAIP
• Meet with land owners and users
• Gain extra funding

As ever we will keep you informed on the progress of the project.

Next planning meeting: 15th January

The next Access Fingringhoe project meeting will take place on 15th January at 7 pm in the Village Hall. Our task will be to review the information gathered on the nature walk and to decide priorities for the public information (which can include information on wildlife, safety information, signposting and so on) that we have funding to put in place.

All are welcome and we look forward to seeing you there. Tea, coffee and chocolate biscuits will be on hand!

 

 

A cold, crisp start to 2009!

 

 

On a sunny Saturday 3^rd January, a lovely cold, crisp winter’s day with bright blue skies, over 30 people gathered outside the Whalebone for CoastNet’s first ‘Access Fingringhoe’ Nature Walk. It seemed everyone was still in holiday mood and children and adults alike were in high spirits (dogs too!).

The walkers listen to our wildlife expert

Armed with clipboards to record ideas and issues relating to biodiversity and access on the route we set off just after 10am. The first stretch revealed one of the most pressing problems in the minds of most people – a lack of footpaths on a busy stretch of road through the village. Our first halt was at Lower Brickhouse Farm, at the start of the bridleway through the quarry site. Matt Cole from Essex Wildlife Trust gave an overview of how restored landscapes can have positive benefits for wildlife, giving us all food for thought as we rejoined the walk.

And so we continued strolling through the Essex countryside, with the occasional glimpse of the Colne Estuary and its creeks and marshes, arriving back at the Whalebone at about 11.30.

And what did we find? A great variety of wildlife and signs of them: Elm hedges;  a badger set in the quarry workings!; wetlands and wildfowl ; ancient oak trees; green woodpeckers and more.

As to the route we took, the safety of walking on the road was of great concern and a topic of much discussion. Signposts, gates and styles also came in for scrutiny and many suggestions were made.

Having collected all people’s comments we now have the task of sifting through them in preparation for the next project meeting, which will be in the Village Hall at 7pm on Thursday 15^th January, with tea, coffee and chocolate biscuits on hand!

Villagers take a walk through the quarry area

Initial Meeting Debrief

The initial meeting held on the 18/12/08 at the village hall was well attended with 22 people. After a brief explaination of the project the floor was open to questions which resulted in a detailed discussion giving fair representation of the project and the community views on it.

Attendees of the initial meeting

The following topics and groups involved were raised for consideration:

• Walking Buses
• Dangerous roads/no paths
• Way marking
• Shoots
• Circular paths, permissive paths
• Brookhall Road –> Church particularly dangerous
• Parking
• Footpath styles/swing gates
• MoD land
• Wildlife Trust sites and expertise
• RSPB expertise
• WI
• Ramblers
• Bridalway Association
• East Anglian Farm Rides
• FWAG (Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group)
• University of the Third Age
• Holiday Fellowship Ramblers

From the start it was apparent that there was far more feedback than was possible to assimilate during the meeting. As result another meeting will be held at 7pm, 15th Jan 2008 at the village hall. This meeting will be constructed so as to give everyone their chance to give their opinions and also to allow CoastNet to be able to record all the information and local knowledge. This will form the basis of an improvement plan that will be used to seek further resources and for campaigning.  Please come along, everyone is welcome.

The meeting also covered the  New Year nature walk. It was decided that the best method to advertise this event was to post another flyer around the village.

Thanks to all those that attended, this project will be very successful with this kind of attendance!

New Year Nature Walk, 3rd Jan 10am, Outside the Whalebone

As part of Access Fingringhoe, CoastNet is running a New Year Nature walk. This will be a chance to have a closer look at wildlife and footpaths in Fingringhoe. Two expert guides will be coming on the walk to give nuggets of information as we go. The walk also consists of an ‘I spy’ wildlife survey, allowing you to tell us of the wildlife and footpath issues on the walk. Returning the survey will automatically enter you into a prize draw!  Everyone is welcome, so bring the family, dogs or just yourself. The walk will start and finish at the Whalebone, so after the walk we can all warm up with a drink or some lunch! The walk is expected to last around 2 hours.

• ‘I spy’ wildlife survey
• Expert guides
• Prize draw
• Understand how footpaths are used
• Start and finish at the Whalebone

Mince pie and mulled wine night – Tonight! Don’t miss out!

First Meeting 7pm Thursday 18th December Village Hall – Tonight! Don’t miss out!

Come along to our mince pies and mulled wine night at the village hall. This introductory meeting will explain in further detail what the project is about and how you can become involved in this exciting opportunity to improve access and biodiversity in and around Fingringhoe. This will be a fun and informal (but hopefully informative) evening to which you are more than welcome, even if it’s just to enjoy a few festive mince pies.